2023-03-15 B&O Railroad Museum

I had a chance to visit the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD recently and
this is a review of what I saw.  The museum houses a large collection of train
engines in a huge roundhouse.  The engines range from early 19th century wood
or coal steam engines to 21st century diesel engines.  Most of the collection
is made up of the old steam engines.  Seeing all those old engines in one place
is a really cool experience.  That is to say, if you like trains, it is a
really, really cool experience.

The museum is housed in what was once Mt. Clare Station in Baltimore, a
building which also housed one end of the line used in Samuel Morse's famous
May 24, 1844 long-distance telegraph demonstration.  The historical
significance of the building is more than just that, however, so the place
itself an interesting destination.  The B&O Railway was "first common carrier
railroad and the oldest railroad in the United States with its first section
opening in 1830" (Wikipedia).  The B&O was responsible not only for an enormous
amount of innovation in early train technology, but it also established a
significant amount of rail infrastructure that still stands today.  The museum
covers quite a bit of this history both through written signage and through
many different sizes of model trains and train components.

I didn't count how many engines I saw in the museum (there were *that* many)
but the Wikipedia page says there are over 40 in its rolling stock.  I'm not
entirely sure what that entry means by "rolling stock" but there are definitely
at least a handful of trains that are kept in working condition, and there are
even events when train rides will depart from the museum.  I unfortunately
wasn't there at a time when any trains were operating, and that made a huge
difference in my experience.  Whether or not the engines are in working
condition, they are maintained in absolutely beautiful condition.  Some are
generic black, but others are decked out in gorgeous full colors.  And they are
huge.  I found one engine with wheels over 6" (1.82 meters) tall. 

Another part of the museum, attached to the roundhouse, has exhibits about the
history of the B&O Railroad and railroads generally.  One covers the historical
development of the steam engine train and varying designs over time. It traces
designs back to predecessor steam engines in England and through many
iterations of both engine and wheel configurations needed to meet the
constraint of US rails.  Another section covers the underground railway and the
significance of both the B&O and of the Mt. Clare Station itself in it.  And
another section covers the importance of railroads in the evolution of modern
time keeping, including the implementation of standard time and time zones in
the US.

Outside of the museum there are a large number of other engines and several box
cars.  Because I was under time constraints during my visit I wasn't able to
explore the outdoor part. I probably missed quite a bit.  There was a caboose
there, something I am old enough to remember seeing on regular trains "in the
wild". 

Over all, I would say this museum is absolutely not to be missed if you're in
the Baltimore area.  I do regret that I wasn't there when any trains were fired
up, and I definitely think that would have added enormous depth to my
experience. If I were a curator at this museum, one thing I would add would be
more sensory experience in the round house. I would add either a
steam-mechanical device to puff smoke and blow a horn, or even just hi-fi
speakers playing the chug-chug and whistle noises of old trains.  If you've
ever been around old engines, or even modern diesel electric engines, you know
that the rumbling feeling and the sound of the train is in itself quite an
experience. 

Again, highly recommended.

B&O Railroad Museum website
https://www.borail.org

B&O Railway Museum Wikipedia entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%26O_Railroad_Museum