Gathering to Dine Amidst History at the B&O Museum Roundhouse

Baltimore Chapter Annual Banquet
By Cynthia Atwood

Baltimore Chapter members had the unique opportunity to dine amidst history at their annual banquet on March 23, 2024, in the roundhouse of the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore. Chapter President Garry Pace, the Assistant Director of Rail Operations for the museum, opened the evening by telling everyone how pleased he was that they were sharing this unique experience.

Garry drew applause when he announced that members Joe and Patty Maloney won the award for the most distance traveled for the evening, coming to Baltimore from their home in Williamsburg, Va. Members added applause when it was announced that Joe and Ralph “Bob” Bitzer had both recently been awarded their 60-year membership pins in the NRHS. Bob is not only a Baltimore Chapter member, but a member of the Washington, D.C. and Potomac Chapters, and a member of the board of directors of the Washington, D.C. Chapter; he is currently serving as the National Treasurer of the NRHS, a member of the NRHS Board of Directors and the NRHS Conference Coordinator as well. Chapter Secretary and Programs Co-Coordinator Cynthia Atwood was thanked for her work in setting up the banquet.

In addition to the atmosphere and wonderful food, the evening offered multiple highlights. Kris Hoellen, Executive Director of the museum, gave members the first glimpse of the plans for the renovation and reuse of the South Car Shop which the museum hopes to have completed in time for the B&O’s 200th Anniversary in 2027. Since the shop was closed to its original purpose in 1990, it has served as a general storage area. A $13M project was completed recently to replace all of the broken windows in the shop and reinforce what had been a failing roof, retaining all of the beautiful architectural details of the structure. The animated architect’s design plan for the proposed $15M restoration which Kris shared includes relocating the entrance of the museum to the car shop, which will retain its open space and serve as an exhibit area. The lower level of the shop will be excavated and rebuilt to include a café to be open to the public from the street without purchasing a ticket, and the museum archives. The plan also calls for movable space for classrooms and meetings.

As the day darkened and the lit headlamps of the locomotives in the roundhouse became brighter, Garry conducted the group to the South Car Shop, built in 1871, an area rarely seen by visitors. He provided interesting details on the history of the shop and the important role it played for the B&O. Chapter member and museum volunteer docent Robert McCabe was available to answer questions members had in the roundhouse.