| Access |
Point of Rocks may be one of the easiest high traffic areas to access in Maryland. Following 15 off
of 70 south of Fredrick, MD will easily get you there without a lot of stoplights or issues. The
parking lot for the MARC station is extensive and provides easy access to the old station itself.
|
9/10 |
| Train Frequency |
Point of Rocks stands at the convergence of two main lines in MD. The Old Main Line goes Northeast
and the Metropolitan Line goes Southeast, both coming from the Eastbound Cumberland Subdivision.
This leads to quite the number of daily trains. A day trip can provide up to 8-10 trains on a
weekday, coming from DC, Cumberland, Brunswick and more. |
7/10 |
| Signals |
Point of Rocks could not be a better place to enjoy quality signal action. Two signal towers protect
the approach from Cumberland, usually the first indicator of an eastbound. Standing at the station,
both sets of Westbound signals for the Met and the OML are very obvious. Track 2 for the Met will
usually be the first to show green, owing to the frequency of trains. The OML Eastbound signals are
also easily seen from the station, so the occasional Eastbound won't pass you by. The Eastbound Met
track is a little hard to see, but is very obvious from certain angles, and given that there is only
one, any Westbound will be immediately obvious. |
9/10 |
| Angle Quality |
Provided you are willing to stand alongside the station for the duration of your stay, the station
offers plenty of angles. Westbounds are pretty exclusively seen/recorded from the station itself, as
a view from the Met will block your visibilty west. A crossing down the road provides advance
warning of any incoming trains. The sun can be pretty distracting here, bring a camera lens shade
cover. |
7/10 |
| Amenities |
Point of Rocks doesn't have a ton of ameneties. The park itself provides a water fountain down the
tracks, but any seating is fairly rudementary, designed for MARC passengers, not long term guests, and theres not a lot of shade to speak of except for the station itself, where you should be waiting for trains.
However, this doesn't mean it isn't friendly, as I have had several waves from CSX and MARC
employees. Bring a chair and food ahead of time. |
5/10 |
