Latest news with #B&ORailroadMuseum
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The B&O Railroad Museum Celebrates 200th Anniversary of American Railroading with Campus Transformation Plan Groundbreaking
BALTIMORE, May 14, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The B&O Railroad Museum, the birthplace of American railroading, will mark a milestone in its history on Wednesday, May 14, with a groundbreaking ceremony for its Campus Transformation Plan, in preparation for the 200th anniversary of American railroading in 2027. The Museum will restore its South Car Works building, the oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility in the country (1869-1990). The South Car Works will become the Museum's new entrance, thereby reconfiguring the Museum's campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore for the purpose of sparking community economic development. This landmark project will usher in a new era for the Museum. The celebratory event will begin with a keynote address by CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) President and Chief Executive Officer, Joe Hinrichs, at 1:30 p.m., titled Bridging History and Progress: Economic Outlook of CSX, Baltimore, and Freight Rail. Following the keynote, the official groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 3 p.m., featuring remarks from the Capital Campaign co-chairs, Mr. Hinrichs and Benjamin H. Griswold, IV of Brown Advisory, as well as State Senator Antonio Hayes, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, and Museum Executive Director Kris Hoellen. A choir and a brass quintet from the Baltimore School for the Arts will open the ceremony with a performance of Hail to the B&O, which was composed by Walter Goodwin to celebrate the 100th anniversary of railroading in 1927. A ceremonial shovel dig, toast, and reception will follow the ceremony. CSX will also bring its 1827 heritage locomotive to the groundbreaking ceremony. This special commemorative locomotive, numbered in recognition of the year the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad was founded, combines colors from the modern CSX and the B&O Railroad. It carries the modern CSX logo on the front and the B&O's iconic capitol dome logo on the rear. "Railroads changed the course of American history, and it all started here in Baltimore," said Joe Hinrichs, President and CEO of CSX. "Today, we're not just honoring that legacy, we're investing in what comes next. This transformation will spark curiosity, honor the rich history of the railroad, and strengthen the connection between freight rail and the communities we serve." "This is such a momentous day to see the grounds of the railroad my relatives and many others helped to charter almost 200 years ago be transformed in preparation for the next 200 years," said Mr. Griswold. "I'm particularly excited about the transformation for Southwest Baltimore, a city I love." "Today is the start of something bigger than a renovation, it's a reinvestment in Southwest Baltimore. Bank of America is thrilled to support the B&O Railroad Museum's transformation, which preserves our history while also creating opportunities for learning, tourism, cultural engagement, and community connection," said Bank of America Greater Maryland President Janet Currie. "At Bank of America, we're committed to investing in projects that strengthen neighborhoods and enrich our society." "Preparing to celebrate the 200th anniversary of American railroading and its contributions to the country while simultaneously preserving a railroading landmark, the South Car Works building, and positively contributing to our community with a $38 million investment is a trifecta of a project," said Ms. Hoellen. "We are deeply grateful to Joe, Ben, our Board of Directors, our donors, and everyone who has and will play a role in making this campus transformation a reality." Key elements of the Campus Transformation Plan include restoring the South Car Works Building to the become the Museum's new entrance and to include the following elements: Innovation Hall: This dynamic space will be dedicated to showcasing the present and future of railroading technology using interactive exhibits. Amphitheater for Community Use: The plan will re-orient the Museum campus to face Southwest Baltimore. This will include the creation of a new amphitheater and garden, known as the CSX Bicentennial Garden, providing a vibrant free community space and acting as a catalyst for the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood. Archival Space: The Museum's nationally significant archival collection, currently housing over 30 million documents, will be relocated and placed on public view for the first time. This will create greater access for researchers to study the Museum's invaluable historical collections and students to learn about railroading careers and history. Smart Educational Classrooms: The project will introduce two smart classroom spaces, to help the Museum accommodate its growing educational program. The classrooms are intentionally placed adjacent to the archives to allow students to learn how to use original source material. The B&O Railroad Museum is grateful for the leadership support of the following for the Museum's 200th Anniversary Campus Transformation Plan to date: CSX Foundation Inc., South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, The Marvin H. Weiner Foundation, Harbor Bank, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Bunting Family Foundation, Sherman Family Foundation, France-Merrick Foundation, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, Truist Charitable Fund, Allegis Foundation, members of the Museum's Board of Directors, Staff, Volunteers and Friends, and the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore. The B&O Railroad was our nation's first public-private partnership infrastructure project built with both public and private funds. The Museum appreciates that its next two hundred years campus transformation plan is supported by both public and private funding. About the B&O Railroad Museum The B&O Railroad Museum, located in Baltimore, Md., is the birthplace of American railroading. The Museum is a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site as designated by the National Park Service. It is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American railroading and its impact on American society, culture, and economy. The Museum is home to the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere, including an unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment, the 1851 Mt. Clare Station, the 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse, and the first mile of commercial railroad track in America. View source version on Contacts Media Contact: Stephanie JayakanthanB & O Railroad MuseumSjayakanthan@ 520-233-3947 Sign in to access your portfolio
Business Wire
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
The B&O Railroad Museum Celebrates 200 th Anniversary of American Railroading with Campus Transformation Plan Groundbreaking
BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The B&O Railroad Museum, the birthplace of American railroading, will mark a milestone in its history on Wednesday, May 14, with a groundbreaking ceremony for its Campus Transformation Plan, in preparation for the 200 th anniversary of American railroading in 2027. The Museum will restore its South Car Works building, the oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility in the country (1869-1990). The South Car Works will become the Museum's new entrance, thereby reconfiguring the Museum's campus flow to face Southwest Baltimore for the purpose of sparking community economic development. This landmark project will usher in a new era for the Museum. 'Railroads changed the course of American history, and it all started here in Baltimore,' said Joe Hinrichs, President and CEO of CSX. 'Today, we're not just honoring that legacy, we're investing in what comes next." Share The celebratory event will begin with a keynote address by CSX (NASDAQ: CSX) President and Chief Executive Officer, Joe Hinrichs, at 1:30 p.m., titled Bridging History and Progress: Economic Outlook of CSX, Baltimore, and Freight Rail. Following the keynote, the official groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 3 p.m., featuring remarks from the Capital Campaign co-chairs, Mr. Hinrichs and Benjamin H. Griswold, IV of Brown Advisory, as well as State Senator Antonio Hayes, Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott, and Museum Executive Director Kris Hoellen. A choir and a brass quintet from the Baltimore School for the Arts will open the ceremony with a performance of Hail to the B&O, which was composed by Walter Goodwin to celebrate the 100 th anniversary of railroading in 1927. A ceremonial shovel dig, toast, and reception will follow the ceremony. CSX will also bring its 1827 heritage locomotive to the groundbreaking ceremony. This special commemorative locomotive, numbered in recognition of the year the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) Railroad was founded, combines colors from the modern CSX and the B&O Railroad. It carries the modern CSX logo on the front and the B&O's iconic capitol dome logo on the rear. 'Railroads changed the course of American history, and it all started here in Baltimore,' said Joe Hinrichs, President and CEO of CSX. 'Today, we're not just honoring that legacy, we're investing in what comes next. This transformation will spark curiosity, honor the rich history of the railroad, and strengthen the connection between freight rail and the communities we serve.' 'This is such a momentous day to see the grounds of the railroad my relatives and many others helped to charter almost 200 years ago be transformed in preparation for the next 200 years,' said Mr. Griswold. 'I'm particularly excited about the transformation for Southwest Baltimore, a city I love.' 'Today is the start of something bigger than a renovation, it's a reinvestment in Southwest Baltimore. Bank of America is thrilled to support the B&O Railroad Museum's transformation, which preserves our history while also creating opportunities for learning, tourism, cultural engagement, and community connection,' said Bank of America Greater Maryland President Janet Currie. 'At Bank of America, we're committed to investing in projects that strengthen neighborhoods and enrich our society.' 'Preparing to celebrate the 200 th anniversary of American railroading and its contributions to the country while simultaneously preserving a railroading landmark, the South Car Works building, and positively contributing to our community with a $38 million investment is a trifecta of a project,' said Ms. Hoellen. 'We are deeply grateful to Joe, Ben, our Board of Directors, our donors, and everyone who has and will play a role in making this campus transformation a reality.' Key elements of the Campus Transformation Plan include restoring the South Car Works Building to the become the Museum's new entrance and to include the following elements: Innovation Hall: This dynamic space will be dedicated to showcasing the present and future of railroading technology using interactive exhibits. Amphitheater for Community Use: The plan will re-orient the Museum campus to face Southwest Baltimore. This will include the creation of a new amphitheater and garden, known as the CSX Bicentennial Garden, providing a vibrant free community space and acting as a catalyst for the revitalization of the surrounding neighborhood. Archival Space: The Museum's nationally significant archival collection, currently housing over 30 million documents, will be relocated and placed on public view for the first time. This will create greater access for researchers to study the Museum's invaluable historical collections and students to learn about railroading careers and history. Smart Educational Classrooms: The project will introduce two smart classroom spaces, to help the Museum accommodate its growing educational program. The classrooms are intentionally placed adjacent to the archives to allow students to learn how to use original source material. The B&O Railroad Museum is grateful for the leadership support of the following for the Museum's 200 th Anniversary Campus Transformation Plan to date: CSX Foundation Inc., South Baltimore Gateway Partnership, The Marvin H. Weiner Foundation, Harbor Bank, Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Bunting Family Foundation, Sherman Family Foundation, France-Merrick Foundation, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh, Truist Charitable Fund, Allegis Foundation, members of the Museum's Board of Directors, Staff, Volunteers and Friends, and the State of Maryland and City of Baltimore. The B&O Railroad was our nation's first public-private partnership infrastructure project built with both public and private funds. The Museum appreciates that its next two hundred years campus transformation plan is supported by both public and private funding. About the B&O Railroad Museum The B&O Railroad Museum, located in Baltimore, Md., is the birthplace of American railroading. The Museum is a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution and a National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site as designated by the National Park Service. It is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American railroading and its impact on American society, culture, and economy. The Museum is home to the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere, including an unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment, the 1851 Mt. Clare Station, the 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse, and the first mile of commercial railroad track in America.
Miami Herald
12-05-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
B&O Railroad steams toward its 200th anniversary
BALTIMORE - A college lad spent his Christmas days off in the winter of 1937 working as extra help on the Camden Station platform near today's Oriole Park at Camden Yards. What made an impression that day was the arrival of President Washington, one of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's fanciest steam locomotives that headed a string of passenger coaches bound for Philadelphia and Jersey City. That 19-year-old on the platform was my father, Joe Kelly, who long after recalled his experience as temporary Christmas help unloading orange and grapefruit crates (and the occasional bicycle) sent via express baggage car to Baltimore. He didn't much like the job, but he never forgot the steam locomotive. He called it "majestic," a visually stunning piece of rolling machinery painted dark olive green and striped in gold and maroon. It's three, 80-inch driving wheels dwarfed him as the train slid away into the darkness of the Howard Street Tunnel and soon roaring through Remington, Charles Village and Waverly. The words "President Washington," lettered in gold under the engineer's cab lookout window, announced this was a bespoke, rail aristocrat. Other people continue to regard President Washington as very special. Today, that locomotive and its coal and water tender rest temporarily in a metal-sided building in the 600 block of South Fulton Avenue, just across from the Mount Clare Mansion in Southwest Baltimore's Carroll Park. The locomotive never suffered the fate of its similar steam-powered machines that were routinely scrapped as newer technologies arrived in the 1950s. The President Washington was a Baltimore treasure, one of 20 built in 1927 for the 100th anniversary of the railroad's founding. The 19 other presidents (Jefferson, Adams, etc.) in this class of locomotive were built in Philadelphia at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. As they arrived in 1927, they were assigned to the B&O's passenger trains - the Washington to Jersey City and Washington to Chicago runs. Two B&O Railroad Museum staff members, George Harwood and Jamie Partridge, are readying the Washington, known as No. 5300, for another majestic appearance. "We are an army of two," they said of their work description. Harwood is the son of rail executive and historian Herbert Harwood. His late mother, Janice, was a Walters Art Museum docent. Partridge, who once worked for the Loizeaux demolition firm, says, "I'm dyslexic and have to be using my hands." The President Washington will reappear a few blocks away at the main museum campus at Pratt and Poppleton streets in time for the 200th anniversary of the oldest class-one railroad in the U.S. Conservators Harwood and Partridge work in an amazing environment. They run a locomotive and passenger car hospital for the rehabilitation of heavily used railroad equipment. The spotless, towering workshop contains a working coal-fired blacksmith forge and machines that look as if they could bend the girders of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into toothpicks. Next week, the B&O Railroad Museum will be breaking ground for a $38 million Campus Transformation Plan, which will entail a public garden and amphitheater, as well as an Innovation Hall, an enlarged archival research center, and more classrooms for the students who take field trips here. The event marks the B&O's 1827 founding in Baltimore. The train repair facility, connected by rail to the main museum, is not open to the public. Here, Harwood has devoted months to mending the rusty and disintegrating sections of steel. When an oil chamber needed a new cap, he made one. A missing headlamp part? He gets creative. And in the final years of President Washington's active service, it was minimally maintained and assigned to less glamorous runs. "When locomotives get old, they begin to eat themselves," Harwood said of the fate of these aging assemblages of valves, pistons, boilers and driving rods. While the two men do most of the work (Harwood on metal repairs and Partridge on painting and interior restoration), they are also helped by students from the Baltimore City Community College enrolled in a restoration pilot program. The main museum, a few blocks away, sees 200,000 visitors a year who inspect its collection of railroad equipment, much of its from the 19th Century, and many pieces that were put on display at the 1892 Chicago Columbian Exposition. The President Washington, numbered 5300, was a star of the 1927 Fair of the Iron Horse, a celebration of the centenary of the B&O, alongside several other B&O steam locomotives. The event, the closest pageant Baltimore ever had to a world's fair, was held at Halethorpe just off the main line to Washington. The President Washington was a lucky survivor. After about 30 years of hard work, it was retired and was sold to a former B&O fireman, Ed Striegel, who ran a supply and equipment business on Chemical Road in Curtis Bay. Striegel knew its value and donated it to the museum, where it was displayed outdoors along West Pratt Street. "It has had a hard life. Most of the coal bunker had so many holes it was Swiss cheese," Harwood said of the locomotive. "It's a composition - a blend of art overlapping with engineering." Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
B&O Railroad steams toward its 200th anniversary
BALTIMORE — A college lad spent his Christmas days off in the winter of 1937 working as extra help on the Camden Station platform near today's Oriole Park at Camden Yards. What made an impression that day was the arrival of President Washington, one of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's fanciest steam locomotives that headed a string of passenger coaches bound for Philadelphia and Jersey City. That 19-year-old on the platform was my father, Joe Kelly, who long after recalled his experience as temporary Christmas help unloading orange and grapefruit crates (and the occasional bicycle) sent via express baggage car to Baltimore. He didn't much like the job, but he never forgot the steam locomotive. He called it 'majestic,' a visually stunning piece of rolling machinery painted dark olive green and striped in gold and maroon. It's three, 80-inch driving wheels dwarfed him as the train slid away into the darkness of the Howard Street Tunnel and soon roaring through Remington, Charles Village and Waverly. The words 'President Washington,' lettered in gold under the engineer's cab lookout window, announced this was a bespoke, rail aristocrat. Other people continue to regard President Washington as very special. Today, that locomotive and its coal and water tender rest temporarily in a metal-sided building in the 600 block of South Fulton Avenue, just across from the Mount Clare Mansion in Southwest Baltimore's Carroll Park. The locomotive never suffered the fate of its similar steam-powered machines that were routinely scrapped as newer technologies arrived in the 1950s. The President Washington was a Baltimore treasure, one of 20 built in 1927 for the 100th anniversary of the railroad's founding. The 19 other presidents (Jefferson, Adams, etc.) in this class of locomotive were built in Philadelphia at the Baldwin Locomotive Works. As they arrived in 1927, they were assigned to the B&O's passenger trains — the Washington to Jersey City and Washington to Chicago runs. Two B&O Railroad Museum staff members, George Harwood and Jamie Partridge, are readying the Washington, known as No. 5300, for another majestic appearance. 'We are an army of two,' they said of their work description. Harwood is the son of rail executive and historian Herbert Harwood. His late mother, Janice, was a Walters Art Museum docent. Partridge, who once worked for the Loizeaux demolition firm, says, 'I'm dyslexic and have to be using my hands.' The President Washington will reappear a few blocks away at the main museum campus at Pratt and Poppleton streets in time for the 200th anniversary of the oldest class-one railroad in the U.S. Conservators Harwood and Partridge work in an amazing environment. They run a locomotive and passenger car hospital for the rehabilitation of heavily used railroad equipment. The spotless, towering workshop contains a working coal-fired blacksmith forge and machines that look as if they could bend the girders of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge into toothpicks. Next week, the B&O Railroad Museum will be breaking ground for a $38 million Campus Transformation Plan, which will entail a public garden and amphitheater, as well as an Innovation Hall, an enlarged archival research center, and more classrooms for the students who take field trips here. The event marks the B&O's 1827 founding in Baltimore. The train repair facility, connected by rail to the main museum, is not open to the public. Here, Harwood has devoted months to mending the rusty and disintegrating sections of steel. When an oil chamber needed a new cap, he made one. A missing headlamp part? He gets creative. And in the final years of President Washington's active service, it was minimally maintained and assigned to less glamorous runs. 'When locomotives get old, they begin to eat themselves,' Harwood said of the fate of these aging assemblages of valves, pistons, boilers and driving rods. While the two men do most of the work (Harwood on metal repairs and Partridge on painting and interior restoration), they are also helped by students from the Baltimore City Community College enrolled in a restoration pilot program. The main museum, a few blocks away, sees 200,000 visitors a year who inspect its collection of railroad equipment, much of its from the 19th Century, and many pieces that were put on display at the 1892 Chicago Columbian Exposition. The President Washington, numbered 5300, was a star of the 1927 Fair of the Iron Horse, a celebration of the centenary of the B&O, alongside several other B&O steam locomotives. The event, the closest pageant Baltimore ever had to a world's fair, was held at Halethorpe just off the main line to Washington. The President Washington was a lucky survivor. After about 30 years of hard work, it was retired and was sold to a former B&O fireman, Ed Striegel, who ran a supply and equipment business on Chemical Road in Curtis Bay. Striegel knew its value and donated it to the museum, where it was displayed outdoors along West Pratt Street. 'It has had a hard life. Most of the coal bunker had so many holes it was Swiss cheese,' Harwood said of the locomotive. 'It's a composition — a blend of art overlapping with engineering.'
