By Stacey Coles
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
With vivid memories of driving by the historical landmark as a kid, David Long finally made his first trip to the B &O Railroad Museum, with a few family members on Oct. 17.
“It’s a learning experience,” Long said staring out the window of one of the B&O’s original steam trains, as it prepared to take on a brief excursion. “It’s been a really enjoyable afternoon, seeing the trains and walking around.”
Neither the dim lights of the train nor the gloomy skies darkened the mood of Long and his family as they laughed and reminisced about the days when they used to pass this historical landmark.
“I like trains and I still like traveling by trains,” Long said. “It’s more relaxing than planes and other transportation.”
Located at 901 W. Pratt St. in downtown Baltimore, the B&O Railroad is recognized globally as the birthplace of American railroading. Visitors are able to learn about the evolution of railroad transportation and have the opportunity to ride on a steam locomotive to enhance their experience.
“To learn the history of railroads, is to learn how people accomplished something out of nothing,” said Travis Harry, director of operations and volunteers.
The Alex Brown and Son Foundation Exhibition Gallery allows tourists to walk through a small room and see toy-sized replicas of trains from the year 1803 through 1925. Under each replica is a passage explaining how each locomotive was powered, what year it was created and its purpose.
“Railroading as we know it in the United States started here in Baltimore,” Harry said.
The B&O was the first fully commercial railroad in the country and sparked the idea that railroads could be used for the public, not just a private company or business, Harry said.
“This is a part of the history of Baltimore,” Long said. “It’s neat to think about how people got around before everyone had three cars.”
The B&O was created because Baltimore businesses feared the new C&O canal that would run from Washington, D.C. to the Ohio River would hurt business. As a result of the canal, the goods that had been coming to the Baltimore harbor would now be sent to Washington D.C. The railroad was a way to keep these goods coming to Baltimore and it allowed businesses to grow economically, Harry said.
“When people come to this historic museum, they will get a perspective of railroad history from its birth to current day,” said Doug Stoll, a volunteer docent at the historic site.
The museum is beneficial to the area of Baltimore, attracting tourists and providing education to visitors, Harry said.
“I like trains, so I want my daughters to get interested in trains,” said Eric Meyer, a tourist from Arlington, Virginia, who came with his wife, Karina, and their two daughters, ages 3 and 4.
The couple noticed that their children had taken a particular interest in planes, so they wanted to “diversify them.”
“I think the railroads are an important part of U.S. history,” Meyer said. “I think to understand U.S. history, you have to understand a little bit about the railroads too.”
The museum provides video and audio features for visitors as well, making it more inviting for children.
“Education wise, this museum gives a railroad history exclusive to its visitors,” Harry said. “It is the evolution of railroad technology.”
During the month of October, the museum focuses on its steam locomotives by providing visitors with a pamphlet that points out each steam powered model and the opportunity to ride an original steam fueled train.
“To see a steam engine actually work and to understand the noise and the steam, it brings back the opportunity to imagine and experience what used to be,” Harry said. “Most people have never experienced that before because they don’t operate all the time now-a-days.”
Visitors who wanted to experience the train ride were presented with a red round-trip ticket that read “Mile One Express.” Fifteen minutes prior to departure, an announcement was made for passengers to begin boarding. The sound of the train’s “choo” could be heard as spectators walked out of the building and onto the tracks
Upon exiting the building, visitors came face to face with a black steam engine from 1949, with thick dark grey smoke flowing from its pipe, followed by silver polished coaches. The St. Elizabeth steam locomotive was ready for departure. As passengers stood in line to board the train, they were greeted by various staff members.
“I have been a volunteer here for eight years, like many of the others that work here,” said Dunkin Keir, conductor and mechanic of the train. “It’s a lot of hard physical work, but it’s a lot of fun.”
Visitors sat in blue plastered seats chattering on the dimly lit train. The train began rumbling as it slowly proceeded on its one mile route. A few minutes into route, the inspector came around to punch a hole in each passenger’s ticket.
“I’m excited for them (my daughters) to go on a real train ride, but especially because it’s a steam locomotive,” Meyer said. “That’s a unique experience and you can’t do it at a lot of museums. We wanted to show them about transportation.”
As the locomotive traveled through some of the neighborhoods in Southwest Baltimore, children could be seen running and waving alongside the tracks, intrigued by the history taking place right in the back yards of their homes. Tall grasses, plants, and rusted graffiti painted locomotives provided most of the view from the coach’s glass window.
“The train ride is historic, but not particularly scenic,” Keir said. “It allows visitors to see what a (steam) train is like.”
Stories of past experiences on trains, such as Amtrak, was the topic of one family, while another family gazed out at the route ahead of them.
“I hope that everyone really liked the railroads and that they really had fun,” Keir said. “I really enjoy the children. They make it worth it.”
The “choo choo” of the train’s whistle excited children, such as the daughters of Meyer, who couldn’t sit still as they listened to their father point out different characteristics of the locomotive. The historical background of the experience amazed others.
Announcements over the intercom, the silver bag racks, the tickets, the loud chatter of the passengers and the official blue suit and hat of the conductor, provided visitors like Long with a trip to the past.
He reminisced on his trips passing the museum as a kid, and was happy that years later he’d finally had the chance to visit.
“It’s nostalgic,” Long said.