The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum
A very well-spent morning after the conference was over
I visited the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum during a short visit I made to Baltimore in June 2006, which was the only time I have ever been to the United States. It was the last day of my stay in the city, the conference I had attended was over, and I had time to kill before leaving for the airport and an evening flight home. Railways have always been a keen interest of mine, and the museum was an obvious place to go.
As it was only about a mile from my hotel it was within easy walking distance, so it was a surprise to find that the only entrance appeared to be from the car park. Don’t you Americans ever walk anywhere? I had to dodge under the barrier to find the front door! Having found my way in, it was good to be welcomed personally and given a one-to-one introduction by an elderly lady who was as clearly enthusiastic about historical railways as I am.
She explained the history of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, of which the museum complex represented the eastern terminus. It was interesting to learn that this site is of major importance in the history of railroads in the United States, as the B&O can lay claim to being the nation’s first passenger railroad, the first section having opened in 1830. As I live very close to one…
