The Western Maryland Railroad first reached Thurmont, then called Mechanicstown, in 1871 and served the town until 1967, when the depot was closed and demolished. The H&F Railway trolley system traveled to and from Thurmont from 1908 until its final run in 1954, and this building served as the power substation for the Thurmont line of the H&R Railway. One of the original freight trolleys stands next to this building, and the entrance to the original trolley trail is directly across the street, now preserved as a hiking and biking trail for future generations.