The efficient movement of people, goods, and services is central to the function of any city—forever facing new challenges and demanding new solutions. Baltimore's been moving forward in recent years in terms of public transportation with efforts including the Charm City Circulator, which continues to add routes and ridership, expanded MARC Train service, and the proposed Red Line project, a 14-mile light rail connecting Woodlawn to Bayview.
Penn Station
Originally opened in 1911 and named Union Station, serving the Pennsylvania Railroad and Western Maryland Railway, the Charles Street Beaux Arts-style hub was renamed in 1928. Over the last three years, more than $7 million in improvements have been completed at the eighth-busiest station in Amtrak's national network. More than one million passengers passed through Penn Station in 2012.
What's in a Name?
There are several “Penn Stations" in the Northeast, all named after the Pennsylvania Railroad Co.
Streetcars
Last fall marked the 50th anniversary of the end of streetcar service in the city. After 104 years of service, the last two lines to operate, the No. 8 (Towson-Catonsville) and No. 15 (Overlea-Walbrook Junction) both ceased operations in the early Sunday morning hours of Nov. 3, 1963. The last car to run that day is in the Baltimore Streetcar Museum's collection.