Penn Line faces disruption

An Amtrak maintenance project between New Carrollton and Baltimore will disrupt the schedule for riders on MARC's Penn Line for the next six months, the Maryland Transit Administration says.

During that time, the replacement of crossties on the northbound track will require MARC to adjust the line's schedule every four to five weeks.

As of next Monday, March 15, northbound Penn Line trains will operate on this schedule from Union Station:
-- Penn Train 400 will depart Washington at 5:50 a.m., New Carrollton at 6:01 a.m., Bowie State at 6:06 a.m., Odenton at 6:12 a.m. and will not stop at Seabrook until April 19.
-- Penn Train 402 (6:45 a.m. departure from Washington) will add a stop at Seabrook at 6:59 a.m. until April 19.
-- Penn Train 450 (5:10 p.m. departure from Washington) will not stop at Seabrook the duration of this project.
-- Penn Train 538 will depart Washington at 6:10 p.m. and will depart all stations en route to Perryville five minutes later than the current schedule.
-- All northbound Penn Line trains may experience delays of five to seven minutes.

The MTA suggests that passengers who currently ride Penn Train 450 to Seabrook consider using the B27 Metrobus, which links the New Carrollton Metro station, Seabrook and Bowie. MARC's weekly and monthly passes are honored on Metrobuses.

As the track work progresses, the MTA says, temporary platform extensions will be used to permit continued high-level platform boarding at stations. Wait on the concrete platform until the train has come to a complete stop, and the conductors direct passengers to board.