The builders took an interesting approach here. Rather than construct two bridges to span a tiny bend of Cooper Branch, they cut through the rock to create a new, shorter flowpath for the stream. This trick seems to have been a success, the only notable drawback being soft, muddy ground where the stream had been originally.

Where a creek is not wide, the company built culverts like this.

This bridge employs the shape of a standard curved arch, and seems to have stood up better than the other, more shallow arch seen above. The bright, clean mortar in places gives evidence of some reconstruction or patching.

The outlet end could use some patching itself.

Another brick-lined circular culvert exists not far from the trail's eastern end. It is similar to one along the ex-Pennsylvania Railroad line about five miles from here, which makes me wonder if the same contractor built both.

The trail averages roughly a 3.2% grade, with some sections around 4%. Such grades would be a problem for heavy freight trains, but only the relatively-lighter trolley cars operated here.

This was some of the steepest mileage in the Baltimore streetcar system, plus one of the least-developed areas. A trail walker who had ridden Trolley #9 during the 1950s told me operators would sometimes engage the throttle while heading down the grade (west) in order to thrill passengers, while madly dinging the trolley's bell to warn anyone near. She reported this was no problem unless the car began to sway, at which point a derailment could, and sometimes did, happen. It is difficult to imagine speedy rides like that in today's litigious environment.

The line was signalled, as seen in the photo linked below.

Link: near here ~1955

Where the trail reaches Edmondson Avenue, a Stop sign leans so as to be seen beyond a fence that blocks motorized vehicles from entering the trail.

Baltimore County planned to extend Edmondson Avenue westward during the 20th century, but community opposition squelched that; consequently, we have an enjoyable trail to walk.

The trail ends (or begins!) here at the intersection of Edmondson Avenue and Chalfonte Road in Catonsville. Edmondson Avenue was extended west to here from Old Frederick Road around the time Catonsville Middle School was built.

Link: trolley interior 1943

Where the trail ends, Edmondson Avenue picks up to help us follow the trolley's path. Just east of Old Frederick Road, this green pole may have been a trolley artifact, but perhaps was a gas line vent. Whatever it was, it is no longer extant.

Originally, from here to Rolling Road, the trolley ran where the westbound lanes of Edmondson Avenue (left) are now found. After road expansion, the trolleys rolled in the grassy median.

Links: streetcar along Edmondson ~1950, 1961

For the final 9 months of its life (until June 19, 1955), the #9 streecar operated as a shuttle between Ellicott City and Catonsville Junction where Dutton Road intersects Edmondson Avenue. Lines #9, #8 and #14 met here.

Prior to cutbacks, #9 continued to its eastern end at Lexington and Charles Streets. The short building at distant right is seen in the 1963 photo below.

Links: ~1950, ~1950, color 1951, here 1955, 1955

PCC 7111 rides line #8's terminal loop to turn back to Towson as it had done for about 63 years. Service would end later in 1963. The stone passenger shelter looks like it could also date back to around 1900, but it was built in 1939 out of Belgian block pavers repurposed from Baltimore. Transfers from/to line #9 happened off photo left.

Links: source photo, line 9 here 1955, historical marker

Add another 63 years and the scene remains similar, though without streetcars. Find this old shelter at the western end of the #8 Streetcar Path, a rails-to-trails effort.

Link: Catonsville Rails to Trails

The shelter did not yet exist at the time of this aerial photo. Edmondson Avenue runs horizontally across the top. Line #8 is the thin, bright \ diagonal that appears to end without a loop for cars to turn. The vertical bright line along Dutton Avenue looks like that of a trolley, but I was not able to find any confirmation online. Perhaps it served as part of a loop for line #8.

By 1952, line #8's car loop is revealed by the dark question-mark shape in the right half. The passenger shelter is found within the question mark's curl.

Though it has gone more than a half century without purpose, what may be another green catenary pole leftover stands just west of Delrey Road.

Small, parallel streets like that on the right are often remnants of former road or railway alignments, however, in this case, careful examination of old aerial photos reveals this example is neither. Instead the trolley had operated on the left side here. At distant left, crossing over Edmondson is I-695, the Baltimore Beltway.

Link: streetcar memories

Remants of line #8 that met line #9 back at Catonsville Junction can be found along Frederick Road near Chapelgate. The trolley wire poles that survive tend to be ones repurposed to hold other items, such as signage.

To help find such relics, look for poles with a globe shape on top. That was a common pole design used by the trolley system. A wooden insulator still dangles from this one's left arm.

Detour: surviving trolley wire poles along line #27

By 1941, Baltimore's streetcar system was evolving into one with buses and trackless trolleys (buses powered via overhead catenary). Trolley line #9's Ellicott City terminal appears toward lower left.

This tour ends here! If you spot more trolley artifacts along Edmondson, please let me know.

Link: trackless trolley 1947