Most MARC trains traveling along the Penn Line between Baltimore and Washington in the next two months will be delayed because of track work by Amtrak, the Maryland Transit Administration announced Thursday.
Amtrak alerted MTA officials that work on its southbound track between Odenton and Bowie State University will put the track out of service between Jan. 16 and March 12, the MTA said — forcing more traffic onto remaining tracks.
The work, part of scheduled maintenance, will replace about eight miles of track between a point north of Odenton and Bowie State, said Christina Leeds, an Amtrak spokeswoman.
"This update will also improve drainage that will reduce the likely need for potential future speed restrictions through this area," Leeds said in an email.
The change will likely result in delays of 10 to 15 minutes on most trains, though "exact delay times will vary," the MTA said.
Not all MARC trains will be affected equally, the MTA said.
For instance, the first three southbound morning trains on the Penn Line — Trains 401, 403 and 505 — should experience "very minimal delay" because there is little other train traffic that early, the MTA said.
In contrast, Train 517, which departs Perryville at 6:30 a.m. and Penn Station at 7:15 a.m., will be delayed at Odenton "since conflicting rail traffic may be present on the other working track," the MTA said.
In the evening, northbound Trains 426 and 642, which depart Union Station in Washington at 3:23 p.m. and 5:50 p.m., respectively, will hold south of Bowie State "to allow Amtrak trains to operate ahead," the MTA said.
Other trains could be subject to similar delays, the MTA said.
The agency said it regrets the inconvenience to customers and appreciates their patience "while Amtrak performs this necessary work to maintain a safe and comfortable ride."
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