Point of Rocks station facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Point of Rocks
MARC Commuter rail station
Amtrak's Capitol Limited passing through the Point of Rocks station.
Location	4000 Clay Street, Point of Rocks, Maryland
Coordinates	39°16′24.7″N 77°32′00″W / 39.273528°N 77.53333°W / 39.273528; -77.53333
Line(s)	Metropolitan Subdivision
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Construction
Parking	Yes
Disabled access	No
History
Opened	1873
Traffic
Passengers (2018)	319 daily  26.7% (MARC)
Services
Preceding station MARC Following station Brunswick towards Martinsburg Brunswick Line Dickerson towards Union Station
Former services Preceding station Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Following station Brunswick toward Chicago Main Line Dickerson toward Jersey City Catoctin toward Chicago Tuscarora toward Jersey City Terminus Old Main Line Adamstown toward Baltimore Camden
Point of Rocks Railroad Station
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Location in Maryland Show map of Maryland Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	Off of U.S. 15 Point of Rocks, Maryland
Area	4 acres (1.6 ha)
Built	1875 (1875)
Architect	Baldwin, E. Francis
Architectural style	Gothic
NRHP reference No.	73000918
Added to NRHP	April 11, 1973

Point of Rocks is a historic train station in Point of Rocks, Maryland. It's a stop on the MARC Brunswick Line, which connects Washington, D.C. to Martinsburg, West Virginia. This station is special because of its unique design and long history.

Station History and Design

The Point of Rocks station was built in 1873 by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. A famous architect named E. Francis Baldwin designed it. The station is located where two important train lines meet: the B&O Old Main Line, which goes to Baltimore, and the Metropolitan Branch, which goes to Washington, D.C.. The Metropolitan Branch opened in the same year, 1873. It quickly became the main route for passenger trains traveling between Baltimore, Washington, and places further west.

Architectural Style

The main station building is about two and a half stories tall. It has a triangular shape and is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style often includes pointed arches and tall windows, similar to old churches. The station also has a four-story tower with a pointed roof. On top of the tower is a smaller square structure called a cupola, also with a peaked roof.

Station Use Today

Even though it's a train station, the main building isn't open to the public. It's currently used by CSX, a large railroad company. They use it for storage and as offices for their maintenance crews. These crews help keep the train tracks in good condition.

In 2008, new platforms were built for people riding the MARC trains. These new platforms also have shelters to protect commuters from the weather. They replaced older, simpler shelters that were put up in the mid-1990s.

Blizzard Damage and Repair

In 2010, a big snowstorm hit the area. The heavy snow caused part of the station's roof, called an awning, to collapse. This left a section of the building without cover. However, work began in January 2011 to rebuild and fix the damaged part of the station.

National Recognition

The Point of Rocks Railroad Station is very important historically. Because of its unique design and history, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This listing helps protect important historical sites in the United States. After being listed, the station reopened for the Maryland Rail Commuter Service, which is now known as MARC.