About the B&ORHS

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society, Inc. (B&ORHS) is a Pennsylvania 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational corporation founded in 1979. The B&ORHS exists to: 

  • preserve tangible historic artifacts from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad; 

  • further historical research about the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad;

  • educate the public on the history, purpose, and social benefits of railroading; and

  • encourage the publication of writings concerning the history, development, economic impact, social impact, and operations of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad.

The B&O, like railroads everywhere, touched virtually all areas of American life. This diversity is reflected in the more than 1,000 members of our Society: members' interest range from motive power and railroad architecture to modeling and artifact collecting. Most importantly, the Society provides a forum for the exchange of information and news, the publication of original research, and for members to simply get to know each other.

The fellowship of common interest and the opportunities for mutual assistance are two of the Society's greatest assets. Through the Society, members may participate in various field trips, research projects, and locally sponsored get-togethers. Each year, the Society holds an Annual Convention, with workshops, photo and model shows, displays, and an Annual Membership Meeting and Banquet. Additionally, two regional mini-conferences are held annually in the Eastern and Western territories of the B&O Railroad. The purpose of these mini-conferences is to bring together fans to conduct workshops, attend presentations by noted B&O historians, and just generally discuss the B&O.

The Society maintains a formal archive and library that includes documentation from the B&O’s Office of the Vice Presidents of Operations and Engineering. The archives facility houses several thousand photographs, blueprints, maps, and drawings. The library collections include publications and records, many of which are primary source materials. The Society publishes a quarterly magazine, The Sentinel, which is intended to provide articles and news items of historical significance to those interested in the B&O. Other publications include reprints of B&O documents that have been saved throughout the years. The Society also produces a calendar each year. The Society also distributes the B&O Modeler, which is dedicated to modeling B&O equipment and structures.

Society Management

The B&ORHS is an all-volunteer organization governed by an 11-member Board of Directors, which is responsible for all business functions of the Society. The Board consists of six at-large directors, four officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary), and the immediate past President. All Board positions are elected by the membership, with all officers and two of the six directors-at-large up for election each year. For a current listing of Society’s officers and directors, as well as other contact information, please see our Contact page.

The Board establishes formal committees on an as-needed basis for special projects, such as cataloging the archives. The bulk of the day-to-day jobs, including management positions (such as Company Store Manager, Archivist, Membership Chairperson, Convention Chairperson, etc.) are performed by dedicated volunteers, some of whom hold full-time jobs elsewhere and help the Society in their spare time.

Corporate Documents

  • The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Historical Society is an IRS- and Maryland-qualified 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that files the annual IRS Form 990. The Society’s latest Form 990 can be found on our Candid profile.

  • The latest copy of the Society’s bylaws can be found here.