B&O gets $500,000 to help it rebuild Railroad museum will use federal parks grant to reconstruct roof ------------------------------------------------------------------------ -------- By Reginald Fields Sun Staff Originally published October 20, 2003 The B&O Railroad Museum has been awarded a $500,000 federal grant to help reconstruct the roundhouse roof that collapsed after a snowstorm last winter. The grant equals the largest ever awarded by the National Park Service's Save America's Treasures program. B&O officials had sought $1 million, but say they're not disappointed at receiving half that amount. "I'm so pleased that of all the projects they had considered, they chose the B&O to be their top priority," said Courtney B. Wilson, executive director of the Southwest Baltimore museum. Wilson also thanked the Maryland congressional delegation, which in June wrote a letter on behalf of the B&O to the National Park Service urging that the museum be selected for funding from the annual grant program. Sens. Paul S. Sarbanes and Barbara A. Mikulski led that effort. Sarbanes and Mikulski also are trying to secure a $500,000 congressional appropriation for the museum. Wilson is seeking capital support from the city and state and meeting privately with corporations. On Friday, he was in York, Pa., at a model train collectors convention hoping to form new partnerships and raise money. On Feb. 17, during a snowstorm, half of the roof over the museum's roundhouse - its centerpiece attraction - collapsed. The museum has been closed since and is not expected to reopen before spring. A museum report blamed the collapse on what it called a poor building design that failed under the weight of six-foot snow drifts. The roundhouse was built in 1884 as a train car mechanic's shop and converted in 1953 into a museum. The cost to rebuild and restore the building and damaged exhibits is more than $15 million; much of that amount is being covered by insurance.
John- That's great news! Quick question- Is the $1 million dollar figure what they expect the cost of roof repairs to total? Don't believe I've ever seen a cost for that one item? Boxcab E50
Ken, Your guess is as good as mine! I'm not exactly sure what they were "including" into that 1 million figure. I would half believe they had asked that to refurbish a few or at least the main losses in the damaged loco's to restore the lesser damaged ones. If nothing else, I'd LOVE to see them get the William Mason #25 4-4-0 repaired, an back to its original shape, an all.. It WAS thee oldest in operation steam locomotive in the US! Which also played a roll in several movies, including "Wild Wild West" with Will Smith. And yes, was under steam in that movie as well.... So, I would believe that they asked for the 1 million figure to try an repair, recondition, restore some of the damaged items, that weren't damaged all that bad. Being I know some, will never be again, totally destroyed. But The ones that were slightly damaged I believe would be in that figure, to have them out of the way. HOWEVER, they could have went an asked that one million figure to replace the whole roof, with a better structural design, instead of just fixing the one section that fell. So, as you see, I'm not sure what they had asked one million in a grant for myself, but you see my guess on it.
Hi John- I'm sure hoping the monetary figure given will cover the entire roof repair. And strengthening. Keep that collection safe for a long time to come! Boxcab E50
You an me both Ken! I don't want to see this all repeat itself! Thats forsure, I would like as I said to see the William Mason #25, restored, an the roof fixed, an re-enforced. To prevent this acurring again...
