Looking Forward to Seeing it in Steam This Year

I’m looking forward to visiting the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad in Cumberland, Maryland, this year to ride behind and photograph Chesapeake & Ohio 2-6-6-2 No. 1309.

Back on May 22, 1988, I visited the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. At that time several locomotives were being sandblasted to be readied for a fresh painting.

The 1309 was in that group. It never crossed my mind that it would someday be restored. Hopefully this spring or summer I will be able to update this post.

Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

B&O Museum Giving Virtual Programs

Like most railroad museums, the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore is closed during the pandemic.

But it will be giving virtual programs starting Saturday as part of new online experiences.

A program, titled “The B&O Lives On: How The Founders Shaped Our Lives today” centers around an 1891 Francis Blackwell Mayer painting depicting the businessmen behind the railroad and how they changed transportation, commerce and communications.

It is available at BOLivesOn.org. The museum is also offering activities for children, caregivers and teachers and sharing images and other news on its social media platforms.

Steamtown Drew 99,000 Plus in 2016

Steamtown National Historical Site reported this week that it drew more than 99,000 visitors in 2016.

That was a 10 percent increase over the 89,500 who came in 2015. The park drew 84,200 in 2014.

Steamtown Superintendent Deborah Conway said visitation last year might have topped 100,000 but for poor weather in December. Steamtown last drew more than 100,000 visitors in 2012.

Park officials attributed the uptick in visitors in 2016 to the return of steam locomotive powered excursions and the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

Through 2000, Steamtown regularly attracted more than 150,000 visitors, hosting 211,000 in 1995. The low point was 2006 when visitation bottomed out at 61,000.

By comparison, the California State Railroad museum draws nearly 500,000 a year and the B&O Railroad Museum has annual attendance around 200,000.

Steamtown’s Baldwin Locomotive Works 0-6-0 No. 26 pulled short trips around Scranton, Pennsylvania, during 2016.

B&O Museum to Have Railfan Event

The B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore plans to conduct a Railroad Society Days event on Oct. 1 and 2 that will feature a close look at some of the rail equipment at the museum.

Among the equipment that will be on display are B&O slumbercoach Dreamland, B&O office car John T. Collinson and various first-generation diesel equipment.

There will be a train ride to the museum’s new restoration shop. Admission will be $18 for adults, $16 for seniors, and $12 for children.

Planned for the event are interactions with tourist railroads, railroad historical societies, model train groups, and other organizations from across the Mid-Atlantic region.