B&O Railroad Historical Society Contents

What we do:

The B&O Railroad Society maintains an archives of documentation from the Offices of the Vice Presidents of Operations and Engineering from the B&O Railroad. We are also the custodians of several thousand photographs and blueprints, maps and drawings. These materials are available to members and researchers by appointment. The society collection supports the publication of our calendar and two periodicals, The Sentinel and The B&O Modeler.

The Society Archives is run entirely by volunteers. For eleven months out of the year, sorting sessions are held at the archives building in Arbutus, MD. It is preferred that you be a member of the society to participate, but non-members may attend at the discretion of the archivist, in fact we have gained several new members as a result of individuals coming to our sorting sessions. For details on attending a session please contact the Society Archivist HERE.

Got a Question? Need Photos or Research for a Publication or Article?

Have a question about the B&O? We first recommend checking out the links on the right hand side of the page, particularly the B&O Yahoo Group, there are innumerable members who have many bits of B&O knowledge there. Also the B&O Museum is a great place to check on for genealogical inquiries, along with the Railroad Retirement Board. Still don't find what you need at these sites and the other web resources? Contact the Archivist HERE.

Finds from the Archives:

Locomotive Classes Allowed on Specific Portions of the B&O: (3 MB .pdf file)

This document shows the various B&O routes and the locomotive classes that can and cannot run on them. The first page shows the dollar amount needed to upgrade the lines for certain engine classes. This is followed by a series of maps.

Various Types of Truss Bridges: (3 MB .pdf file)

This document is a report from the files of the VP of Engineering on the various truss bridge types in service during the 1914. This provides some rare photographs of Bollman Bridges in service in the 20th Century.

The Keyser Car Department-Photo Book: (5 MB .pdf file)

This document is a 1940's publication put together to show off the operations of the Car Department in Keyser, WV in refurbishing N-17b hopper cars.

Report on Ore Handling Machinery: (4 MB .pdf file)

This is a report from the Chief Engineer's File from Jan 30, 1911 on ore handling machinery.

The Hollow Headed Rail Found on Harshman Siding Three Miles Northeast of Dayton, OH

(807 KB .pdf file)

A copy of a story in the Miami Conservancy Bulletin from July 1921 about a section of old rail found on a siding.

Description of the New Westward Transportation Yard at Cumberland, Maryland-September 6, 1960 (2.41 MB .pdf file)

A 1990 B&ORRHS reprint of a 1960 B&O Railroad handout describing changes to the westbound yard at Cumberland, MD.

Transportation of Mails by Railroads (2.48 MB .pdf file)

A 1924 B&O monograph on the history of railroad mail service.

Baltimore Perishable Products Terminal-1930 Opening Brochure (2.5 MB .pdf file)