Museum Reopens

Following a catastrophic roof collapse from heavy snow, this 1884 Baltimore landmark was restored and upgraded in a fast-track $15 million design and construction effort. The work included: shoring and bracing; demolition and debris removal; structural analysis and design; historic paint analysis; and roof element reconstruction, including upper and lower roofs and the lantern. Once the lower roof was investigated and a code-compliant redesign was set, the upper roof (though undamaged) was found not to pass current building code analysis for snow loads. Also, the top of the lantern was found to be severely deteriorated and the decision was made to replace all upper roof areas. Fortunately, SM+P was able to find a Canadian slate quarry with adequate supply to cover both upper and lower roofs. The B&O Railroad Museum reopened to the public on November 13, 2004. New and expanded visitor facilities and public programs were unveiled and an on-site, state-of-the-art locomotive and rolling stock restoration facility was designed to restore the damaged collections. Flourishing in its expanded and newly restored state, The B&O Railroad Museum is hosting record numbers of visitors to its internationally-renowned campus and collections. The reconstruction project was awarded the 2005 President’s Award by Preservation Maryland.