▁ ▁History ▁ ▁The ▁C & PD , ▁originally ▁called ▁the ▁Washington ▁and ▁Maryland ▁Line ▁Rail road ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁Columbia ▁and ▁Maryland ▁Line ▁Rail road , ▁was ▁char tered ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁The ▁C & PD ▁began ▁construction ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 , ▁as ▁another ▁rail ▁line , ▁a ▁branch ▁built ▁by ▁the ▁Philadelphia , ▁Wil ming ton ▁and ▁Baltimore ▁Rail road ▁( P W & B ), ▁approached ▁Port ▁De pos it ▁from ▁the ▁sout heast . ▁The ▁PR R , ▁which ▁controlled ▁the ▁P W & B , ▁also ▁purchased ▁a ▁cont rolling ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁C & PD ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 6 . ▁The ▁first ▁completed ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁C & PD ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁and ▁connected ▁the ▁newly ▁built ▁Philadelphia ▁and ▁Baltimore ▁Central ▁Rail road ▁at ▁Row land sv ille ▁( 4 ▁mi ▁( 6 . 4 ▁km ) ▁north ▁of ▁Port ▁De pos it ) ▁to ▁the ▁P W & B ▁branch ▁line . ▁The ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁line ▁to ▁Columbia ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 7 , ▁and ▁all ▁facilities ▁were ▁le ased ▁by ▁the ▁P W & B . ▁ ▁The ▁company ▁was ▁re organ ized ▁as ▁the ▁Columbia ▁and ▁Port ▁De pos it ▁Railway ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 0 . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 3 ▁the ▁C & PD ▁purchased ▁the ▁Perry ville ▁branch ▁line ▁from ▁P W & B , ▁and ▁then ▁P W & B ▁purchased