The Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail follows 19.7 miles of the former Northern Central Railway from Ashland, Maryland, north to the Pennsylvania state line. The railway operated from 1828 until 1972, providing passenger and freight service, and at its peak the mainline extended from Canton, Maryland, to Sodus Point, New York. The Northern Central Railroad began operation in 1832 and was designed to serve the growing industries of Baltimore, York, and Harrisburg; during its 140 years of operation, it had 46 stops, 22 of them in Maryland. The Department of Natural Resources purchased the abandoned line between Cockeysville and the Pennsylvania state line in 1980, and the first section of the trail opened in 1984 under the supervision of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. One of the oldest rail trails in the United States, it was inducted into the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy Rail-Trail Hall of Fame in 2015. Along the route, the restored 1898 Monkton Train Station serves as a museum, gift shop, and ranger station, preserving a site that operated as a passenger and freight station until 1959 before restoration began in 1980. The trail has become a popular recreational destination, and in 2007 it was renamed in honor of Dr. Torrey C. Brown for his strong support and advocacy.