Riverdale Park Council to Address MARC Train Schedule Changes

The Riverdale Park Town Council has scheduled a special legislative session Monday evening to consider a resolution on imminent MARC Train schedule changes at Riverdale Station.

Under the "Camden Line Schedule Adjustment," introduced recently by the Maryland Transit Administration, trains are set to depart Riverdale slightly earlier in the morning and slightly later in the evening beginning on Monday, April 2. (See below for details.)

But the more controversial aspect of the new schedule is the "L" designation applied to southbound/westbound service, which means trains can leave up to five minutes earlier than the listed hours.

"End point on time performance has been in the 90% range for a while, but we recognize that trains are not on time at many intermediate stops," the MTA wrote of its decision. "By adjusting times to reflect both current operational conditions and ridership levels, we will be able to provide a more reliable service to all of our passengers."

In , Riverdale Park resident Dwight Holmes called the decision "unacceptable."

"For anyone who uses Riverdale or Dorsey stations, this is not a timetable. This is a forecast—as in, 'There’s an indeterminate possibility of the train departing on time at 7:29 a.m., and one must be prepared that it might depart as early as 7:24 a.m,'" Holmes wrote.

The issue will come before the town council at 8 p.m. on Monday, when members will weigh a resolution "regarding a MARC scheduling change which downgrades service to Riverdale Park Station." The council's regularly scheduled worksession will follow.

A petition for commuters seeking to rescind the schedule changes is also available inside Riverdale Station.

Southbound/westbound trains

Northbound/eastbound trains