BALTIMORE — Beginning Wednesday, the B&O Railroad Museum will launch its “B&O Unlocked” series, a 12-month program offering limited access to locomotives and railcars in the museum’s collection not previously open to the public.
One piece from the museum’s collection will be open for three days each month between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., beginning this month with B&O tunnel clearance car No. CE-15, dating to 1904. It will be open on Jan. 10, 13, and 14.
“We are excited to open these locomotives and cars for the first time for guests to experience and immerse themselves” Kris Hoellen, the museum’s executive director, said in a press release. “This is a true behind-the-scenes opportunity and we are proud as an institution to make our collection even more accessible.”
Other locomotives and cars to be included, with the dates they will be open, are:
Feb. 14, 17, 18: MARC cab car No. 7100, originally B&O F7A No. 4553.
March 13, 16, 17: St. Elizabeth Hospital 0-4-0T No. 4, built by H.K. Porter in 1950
April 10, 13, 14: B&O business car John T. Collinson, built in 1917 and rebuilt as a steel car in 1926.
May 8, 11, 12: PEPCO No. 43, a fireless 0-4-0 built by Heisler in 1938.
June 12, 15, 16: B&O Budd Speedliner RDC-2 No. 1961, built in 1956.
July 10, 13, 15: B&O wooden “bobber” caboose No. C-1775, built in 1907.
August 14, 17, 18: B&O Slumbercoach sleeping car No. 7701, Dreamland, built by Budd in 1958.
Sept. 11, 14, 15: Pere Marquette SW1 switcher No. 11, built by EMD in 1942.
Oct. 9, 12, 13: B&O Pullman dining car No. 1083, built 1924, rebuilt 1954.
Nov. 6, 9, 10: Domino Sugar switcher No. 50, Sweet Toot, built in 1950.
December, dates TBA: B&O 2-8-2 No. 4500, a class Q-3 Mikado built by Baldwin in 1918.
Visitors will have a chance to acquire limited-edition collector’s pins as each month’s item is opened for display. The Museum’s admission is $20 adults, $12 children, $17 senior or alternatively membership are available for purchase with the ability to apply the cost of admission to the membership. The B&O Railroad Museum offers free, onsite parking and is open 10am – 4pm daily.
More information is available at the museum website.
I rode RDC 1961 when it was still on commuter service in the DC area. Got a cab ride from Baltimore to Laurel MD on one trip.