BALTIMORE — The B&O Railroad Museum on Wednesday marked the start of work to prepare its campus for the 200th anniversary of American railroading, with a groundbreaking for construction including transformation of the South Car Works Building, the 1869 structure that remained in operation until 1990. That building will be turned into the new museum entrance.
“Railroads changed the course of American history, and it all started here in Baltimore,” said CSX CEO Joe Hinrichs, the event’s keynote speaker. “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.”
Hinrichs was named as chair of the museum’s capital campaign in 2023 [see “CSX’s Hinrichs to chair …,” Trains News Wire, Nov. 15, 2023]. He was later joined in that role by Ben Griswold, a partner at investment firm Brown Advisory, and great-great-great-grant grandson of the banker who hosted the meeting that led to formation of the Baltimore & Ohio.
“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,” Griswold said in a press release. “I’m particularly excited about the transformation for Southwest Baltimore, a city I love.”
Along with the restoration of the South Car Works Building, the Campus Transformation Plan launched on Wednesday includes:
— An interactive “Innovation Hall” to showcase the present and future of railroading technology.
— Creation of the CSX Bicentennial Garden, an amphitheater and garden space named in recognition of the railroad’s $5 million gift toward the museum’s $30 million capital campaign.
— Relocation of the museum’s archival collection of more than 30 million documents, which will be placed on public view for the first time to create greater access for researchers.
— Two classroom spaces, to be located adjacent to the archives, to accommodate the museum’s growing educational program.
For more information, visit the museum website.
How about a reprise of the “Fair of the Iron Horse”? Have a gala with every operating steam locomotive in the U.S.