Balt to DC Commuters (Baltimore, New Carrollton: apartments, townhouses, neighborhood)

[nanlev]

Hi all,

For those of you that commute from Baltimore to DC, is there parking at one of the MARC stations downtown? Or do you have to park at a privately managed lot and jump on? Is there a good time to leave to get a parking spot (if there is a lot) and a seat? I've heard the trains fill up quickly. Which line is best? Sorry for all the questions, trying to help out my husband who will be making the trek 2 days a week and then telecommuting the rest of the week.

Any other suggestions/comments on the commute would be great!

Thanks!

[barante]

Washington is served by two MARC lines out of Baltimore.
(1) The bigger and better uses the Amtrak rails out of Penn Station, off Charles and St. Paul Streets, a couple of blocks below North Avenue. Service is much more frequent. If you want a seat, this is where you need to board.
The only free parking is at the West Baltimore station, Franklin and Smallwood, which at this point is only a platform with a small covered shed to protect you from the elements. I have parked there lots of time. It's fine. Just make sure you leave nothing visible in your car, which should be locked with a club.
This line has both local and skip serive. You save a couple of bucks by buying the tickets in advance, but the conductor sells them too. In any case, most are traveling on weekly or monthly passes. For more info google MARC (under Maryland Transportation Administration), which has timetables, station stops and information about faster skip service. The train stops at New Carrollton (which has Metro connections) and ends up at Union Station, in D.C:, which has more Metro connections.
(2) The other option is a MARC service that utilizes CSX tracks and departs from Camden Yards, the Orioles stadium. The ride is slower, scenery perhaps more interesting. It, too, goes to Union Station, but I wouldn't take it because CSX freight traffic has priority access, making MARC service sometimes unpredictable.
If you park at Camden Yards, you will pay through the nose. If you park at Penn Station, you also have to pay. But if you go early enough, you may find some reasonably priced parking at a Charles Street garage across from the Charles Theater. If you know all the nooks and crannies and don't mind walking a bit, you may even find free parking somewhere.
When this MARC works, it's great. When it malfunctions, it's very frustrating. The price (which also is on the website) is very reasonable. Just how reasonable will become obvious if you use Amtrak instead.
I have taken this MARC out of West Baltimore as early as 6 a.m. It's packed with wage slaves who look Baltimore grungy. Washingtonians of all income levels dress better.

[balto charlie]

I take the camden line daily. It has the best on time record of the MARC's 3 lines. It is also the least crowded, but takes the longest as it has more stops. The negative point of the Camden line is that it only runs during rush hour.
parking: I do not have any suggestions but will tell you that more folks are biking to the stations. I'm one of them. leave my bike at the station and have another at the second station. MARC allows folding bikes onto the train, not regular sized bikes.
Camden trains are not full until they get to Muirkirk station. You'll always get a seat if you get on at Camden Yards.

[emsgoof]

How about parking at a light rail station (free, mostly empty) then light rail to Camden or Penn Station?

[barante]

Please tell us where the empty spots are at light-rail stations. Certainly not at Mount Washington. Woodberry, Cold Spring, North Avenue, Cultural Center and so. None of those stops approaching the harbor have parking.
Where do you find spots?

[carolott]

I used to take the Penn Line, which was a pain in the rear (crowded trains, having to park at Penn Station) or the Camden Line -- which was nicer. I can walk to the train station at Camden Yards and then walk home again through Ridgely's Delight, a really nice little neighborhood behind the baseball stadium. The trains were almost always on time and were never crowded.

[barante]

My wife and I went to the opening of a show at an art gallery in the 1800 block Charles Street. It's next block from the Charles Theater and three blocks from Penn Station (MARC, Amtrak) ,which is as far as pacification has progressed. The city has earmarked the whole area for renewal and they are having some nasty fights there.
Anyway, this so-called Arts District is trying to attract D.C. commuters, who could do exactly what carollott does -- walk home from the train station.
On Calvert Street someone has built a bunch of townhouses that go for $300,000 plus. But the biggest news concerns the Chesapeake Restaurant, which was once upon time among the city's best eateries but which has been boarded up for something like 20 years. The plan is to build a 31-story highrise with plenty of parking at the site and undoubtedly fill them with Washington commuters.
Within the next few months a streetscape beautification progrm is supposed to kick off. Yuppie lighting, new sidewalks and so on. If you walk in the ara you realize that most of the buildings are vacant at this point. So the city can create exactly the kind of mix it wants. Many of the old buildings are architecturally glorious when repaired and cleaned.
As of the area now, my friend operates a coffee shop above the gallery, keeps it open only from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Nothing you order costs more than
$5, coffee is $1.25. The guy seems to be willing to wait until the area becomes more upmarket before raising his prices.
Except for The Charles, the area looks like hell. There are all kinds of antisocial characters and most storefronts are empty. But then you realize that all the gas stations have been condemned and the land will be turned into some other use. More apartments for commuters, no doubt.

[emsgoof]

Originally Posted by barante

Please tell us where the empty spots are at light-rail stations. Certainly not at Mount Washington. Woodberry, Cold Spring, North Avenue, Cultural Center and so. None of those stops approaching the harbor have parking.
Where do you find spots?

I've never had a problem in the north end of the system (Hunt Valley, Warren Rd, Timonium, etc). Hardly anyone seems to get on up there. I'll grant you that I've never tried getting on at the southern end of it.

[nanlev]

Emsgoof,

We're living in northeast Balt city, at The Alameda and Loch Raven, are these light rail stations a haul from that area? Seems like they may be. I used to take the southern end of the light rail, I agree, scary, scary.

Thanks.

Originally Posted by emsgoof

I've never had a problem in the north end of the system (Hunt Valley, Warren Rd, Timonium, etc). Hardly anyone seems to get on up there. I'll grant you that I've never tried getting on at the southern end of it.

[balto charlie]

Originally Posted by barante

Except for The Charles, the area looks like hell. There are all kinds of antisocial characters and most storefronts are empty. But then you realize that all the gas stations have been condemned and the land will be turned into some other use. More apartments for commuters, no doubt.

I like the Charles(good name too ) I have always felt Baltimore made a mistake by not keeping certain areas(like this area) in good shape. Cities need to keep veins of good areas that lead to the city center. DC has many, Baltimore barely has 1. When cities keep veins open and safe, folks will walk/bike/travel throughout the city.
FWIW: I remember walking w/ my wife to the Playhouse theater(25th street) from our Charles Village home years ago(1980??). This movie house was like the Charles. The Playhouse closed long time ago and 25th street has degraded. I hope they save these areas and get a safe vein along Charles street from the Inner Harbor to Charles Village. I also hope they have bikes routes in the plans.