Light Rail safety B'more (Baltimore, Laurel: safe area, construction, school)

[leighland]

My kids want to take a round trip on the Light rail.
How safe is the train for Suburban Mom and young kids?
Which stops should be 1st and last?
I've walked/eaten in Lexington Market, during which a fight broke out. I didn't feel in any danger but thats the top of my I'm-feeling-a-bit-unsafe-Valve. Plus I am not interested in being hounded for spare change the whole, entire train trip.
Thanks for the patience. I wouldn't think twice about riding it except there's kids involved

[BaltItaly]

Safe to ride. Rule of thumb: the earlier the better. I've never had a problem on the light rail or metro--buses can be a different story. My suggestions: get off at Charles Center and walk to Cross Street Market. It's not that long of a walk and it's quite an enjoyable one.

[picardlx]

It'll be a safe a fun ride. I would, however, hold off taking the trip until the first weekend in April.

The light rail is undergoing a massive construction project that will make it necessary to take shuttle buses between Falls Road station and North Avenue.

That is not fun.

[cjmeck]

I ride with my 2 kids, although my husband has always been there. We take it to the O's games, all at night. I've never felt unsafe. I'd ride without my husband but only in the day. I get it at Cromwell Station, it has a big parking lot and is in fairly active, safe area.

[mpheels]

I live near the Lexington Market light rail stop, and ride all the time without trouble. I've never been asked for spare change on the train or at a stop (haven't been asked on the Metro either, and I ride almost daily). In fact, most people are quite nice, and will generally make sure families with kids can sit together if the train is crowded. For a joy ride with kids, Saturday afternoon is probably a good time. I can only speak for the stops I use, but can tell you that any stop between Camden Yards and Mt Royal is fine, as well as Hunt Valley, Mt Washington, and BWI (I'm sure other stops are safe as well, I just haven't used them). If you're still concerned about safety, try to sit near the front of the train, near the driver.

[Woodlands]

Light Rail is safe but just like on any public transit.. you have to keep your wits about you... I hung out late DC last week and missed the last MARC train back to Baltimore.. My friend who lived in Laurel offered to drive me to BWI (Business Park) so I could catch the Light Rail back to Baltimore.. This was about 11pm at night after a fairly good amount of drinking on my part.. I was "buzzed" but not "drunk". After sitting for what seemed like an hour on the train at the BWI Business Park (shuttle service being operated from there to the Airport stop) The train crawled out of the station. I fell asleep and woke up at Camden Yards and stayed awake until North Ave.. which was the final stop of the train and where I parked.

I was a little upset with myself that I slept through Westport and Cherry Hill..because I had intended to stay awake through those stops BECAUSE of the concern of security.. But there I was drooling on the the train waking up at Camden Yards wondering how I survived.. The train wasnt empty either.. there were various characters and working stiffs from BWI on there.. so it wasnt like I was totally alone.. I recall a women was a victim of the "Knock Out" game at Westport.. which is why I wanted to stay awake.. but the train was taking FOREVER not to mention the drinking I had done before.. Anyway.. either the Thugs thought someone else had already knocked me out or that I was Five O laying in wait to be mugged so I could arrest them, maybe I was lucky,.. Or well maybe its not that bad as people say to ride the light rail at night

[picardlx]

It's probably one of the safest times. No one is on those late trains except people who work and get off late. There are a few potential troublemakers, but MTA police is (for the most part) at every other station -- so it wouldn’t take long for them to respond to any situation, given that there are so few trains running that time of night. The danger with night owl transit is standing a light rail stop for a long time without any MTA police present -- once you're on the train, you're fine.

[leighland]

Thanks for the great info. I'm a bit captivated by CharmCity and If i was young and single--I'd be there for sure. I fall in love with it each time I'm there..

And Woodlands-done that drool train myself--in Chicago tho'

[kcmo]

Wife takes school kids on light rail quite often. It's safe.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by leighland

Thanks for the great info. I'm a bit captivated by CharmCity and If i was young and single--I'd be there for sure. I fall in love with it each time I'm there..

And Woodlands-done that drool train myself--in Chicago tho'

Well then.. if you have done it in Chi Town and got away with it Baltimore should be a piece of cake as long as you are not wearing clothes made of dollar bills...If you do.. then someone may lay hands on you.. and not the same way that your priest would....The guy in this photo would be picked clean and his bones ground into a fine powder and snorted quietly in a bus stop stall just off of Howard Street