In the late 19th century, the Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad helped define life in the dozens of towns along its twisting route between Baltimore & York, Pa.

Once again this June, the Old Line Museum in Delta, Pa., is presenting another series of its popular Ma & Pa Railroad heritage programs, every Sunday from 1:30 to 4 p.m. at the museum, 602 Main St. in Delta.

Visitors are encouraged to bring photographs or other Ma & Pa memorabilia to share with fellow enthusiasts, Jerome E. Murphy of Baldwin, who has an extensive collection of photographs and other artifacts, said.

The first program this Sunday, June 5, will highlight Forest Hill and Bynum, where the railroad had stations, and in the case of Bynum served local vegetable canneries. The Forest Hill station building is the only one left standing along the railroad's route in Harford County that ran from Whiteford through Bel Air and Fallston.

Murphy said Walter Holloway will present photographs from the turn of the 20th century.

David Bauer will show his extensive collection of maps, including of the railroad's early Peach Bottom branches on both sides of the Susquehanna River.

On Sunday, June 12, Joseph Bower, who makes detailed scale models of Ma & Pa locomotives and cars, will show some of his latest creations and explain how he builds them from scratch.

Mike Schmitz will demonstrate techniques for making trees for scale model railroad layouts.

On Sunday, June 19, Donald Jones will show his extensive collection of Ma & Pa photos and memorabilia.

On Sunday, June 26, there will photographs shown from the railroad's narrow gauge days prior to 1901.

"There is no admission charge for any of the programs, but we welcome contributions toward the upkeep of the museum," Murphy said.

Murphy says the railroad played a role in the development of the many towns along its route from the 1870s until its final demise in the 1980s.

The last Ma & Pa freight trains ran through Harford County in 1958, when operations were discontinued on its Maryland Division between Whiteford and Baltimore.

Passenger service over the entire railroad ended in 1954; however, before the automobile age took full hold in the 1940s, the Ma & Pa ran regular trains between Whiteford and Baltimore.

Service on the lower end of the Pennsylvania Division between Whiteford and York was all but wiped out following tropical storm Agnes in 1972. The upper end of the division ceased operating in the 1980s.

For more information about the Old Line Museum or these programs, call 410-592-7491 in Maryland or 717-456-7124 in Pennsylvania.