advertisement

---

Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and the Maryland Board of Public Works have approved the construction of a $21.3 million designated storage facility for Maryland Area Regional Commuter (MARC) trains.

The new “Wedge Storage Yard at Union Station” for electric and diesel-hauled trains will feature three tracks built exclusively for MARC trains and capacity for three additional tracks for future expansion, Maryland Transit Authority (MTA) officials said in a prepared statement.

Currently, the trains are stored at Union Station in Washington, D.C., during mid-day layovers. The facility, scheduled for full operation by 2014, “is intended to shorten the long walks to and from trains arriving and departing from Union Station that have characterized travel on MARC service,” MTA officials said.

The project will result in a “major improvement” in the quality of service to commuters, MTA Administrator Ralign Wells said.

Meanwhile, the MTA set a ridership record in February, led by MARC train service. Average weekday ridership systemwide reached 414,867, up from the previous high of 411,785 set in September 2008.

Average weekday MARC ridership rose to 35,210, pushing ridership up 6.1 percent systemwide over the same period a year ago.

Also last month, ridership jumped 6.7 percent on the MARC Penn Line, climbed 7.9 percent on the Camden Line, and increased 3.2 percent on the Brunswick Line compared with February 2011.

Ralign attributed the ridership growth to the state’s investments in new equipment and efforts to improve service.