Kensington station (Maryland)

For other places with the same name, see Kensington station (disambiguation).

Kensington
MARC commuter rail station
General information
Location	3701 Howard Avenue, Kensington, Maryland
Owned by	MARC
Line(s)	Metropolitan Subdivision
Platforms	2 side platforms
Tracks	2
Connections	Ride On
Construction
Parking	Yes, 48 free spaces
Bicycle facilities	No
Accessible	No
History
Opened	1891 (B&O)
Passengers
November 2022	60 (daily) (MARC)
Services
Preceding station MARC Following station Garrett Park towards Martinsburg or Frederick Brunswick Line Silver Spring towards Union Station
Former services Preceding station Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Following station Garrett Park toward Chicago Main Line Woodside toward Jersey City Capitol View toward Jersey City
Kensington Railroad Station
U.S. Historic district Contributing property
Location	Kensington, Maryland, USA
Coordinates	39°1′36.4″N 77°4′18.5″W
Architect	Ephraim Francis Baldwin
Architectural style	Late Victorian
Part of	Kensington Historic District (ID80001827)
Added to NRHP	September 14, 1980

Kensington is a passenger railroad station at 10417 Howard Avenue in Kensington, Maryland, United States. Opened by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) in 1891, the Kensington station is today served by MARC Train's Brunswick Line, which makes 15 weekday scheduled stops at Kensington, plus one flag stop on Fridays.

Station layout

Kensington station has a former B&O station master's house. The building is open during the Kensington Farmers Market, which is held in the station parking lot. Inside there is an old stove, waiting area, and restrooms. Tickets can be purchased from a self-service machine. During the Kensington Labor Day Parade, CSX Transportation, which currently owns the railroad line, offers free souvenirs. There is also a small model train layout. The platform is a low-level concrete platform. On the other side, there is a covered waiting area and some benches. Elaborate safety measures can be found on the crosswalk between the platforms leading to the station entrance that include crossbuck signs with warning bells, highway signs, and pedestrian signals. The station is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, lacking raised platforms for level boarding.

History

The B&O completed construction of the Metropolitan Branch through Montgomery County in 1873. The line connected Washington, D.C., to Cumberland, Maryland and points west.

Initially, the settlement around the railroad line was known as Knowles Station. The town was incorporated in 1894 and was named Kensington at that time. The B&O station was designed by architect Ephraim Francis Baldwin and opened in 1891. From 1893 to 1935, the station was used as a terminal for the Kensington Electric Railway, which offered streetcar service to Chevy Chase, Maryland. The station is a contributing property to the Kensington Historic District.

Gallery

• 
  MARC Locomotive #72 arrives at Kensington station
• 
  Kensington station shelter

See also

• Metropolitan Subdivision
• Washington D.C. Streetcars (Maryland)

Further reading

• B&O Train Station — Landmarks — Kensington Historical Society
• "History of the Town of Kensington" — Town of Kensington
• Kensington at the Maryland Municipal League

External links

• 10417 Howard Avenue. The Kensington B & O Train Station — North Kensington — Historic Photos — Kensington Historical Society
• Kensington Farmer’s Market. Located at the Historic Train Station at 10417 Howard Ave. — Town of Kensington
• MARC services map
• MARC Brunswick Line schedule
• MARC stations list
• Ride-On Bus Service - official site
• Station from Google Maps Street View