By Eric Berger

A new era officially began on the Canton Railroad on July 1 with the retirement of President and Chief Executive Officer John C. Magness, who spent 27 years with the venerable Class III shortline. Succeeding him is Paul A. Barnes, who was named to the posts and joined management on May 1, ensuring a seamless transition when Magness’ retirement became official June 30.

Barnes also holds those titles with Freestate Logistic Services, which provides contract switching services at Principio Business Park in Perryville, Md., and Canton Development Company, the holding company which owns both railroad operations.  Barnes brings 27 years of railroad industry experience to the job, most recently in sales and marketing with Genesee & Wyoming. He previously served for roughly a decade each with Aberdeen & Rockfish Railroad and CSX Transportation.

Canton was chartered in 1906 to serve the Canton area of Baltimore, following a major dredging project that opened the area to industrial development. Its ownership remained with Canton Company,  the marine terminal operator that developed the area, until its 1960 sale to International Mining Company, the first in a series of owners over the next three decades. It was purchased at a 1987 bankruptcy auction by the State of Maryland and operates through the for-profit Canton Development Corporation under the auspices of the Maryland Transportation Authority.

It was known through the second half of the 20th Century for its diverse fleet of EMD endcab switchers, which began with an Electro-Motive Corporation model SC demonstrator in 1937 and grew to include one or more of the SW1, SW8, SW900, SW9, SW1200 and SW1500 models. A pair of Baldwin VO1000s were its only non-EMD purchases until 2020, when it acquired CTN 1906, the first of its two 1560hp Tier IV switchers built by Knoxville Locomotive Works. It was followed in 2022 by CTN 1987. These engines are painted in the familiar black, gray and yellow paint scheme in which EMD delivered its mid-century SW models, now a heritage scheme.

The Canton headquarters, shop and yard are located on South Newkirk Street southeast of downtown Baltimore and can be seen from the northbound lanes of I-95 on its approach to crossing the railroad.

Read more about the Canton Railroad in the August 2023 issue of Railfan & Railroad.