BALTIMORE — CSX has joined the B&O Railroad Museum as a presenting sponsor of 175 Years: America on Track, celebrating the 175th anniversary of railroading in America, the museum announced in a press release.
CSX’s $500,000 gift will enable the B&O Railroad Museum to offer special exhibitions, programs, a rail excursion and special events for families, children, railroad enthusiasts and visitors from around the world interested in America’s heritage.
“We are proud to partner and celebrate with the B&O Railroad Museum as they embark on this significant celebration,” said Michael J. Ward, president of CSX Transportation and a Baltimore native. “As an international transportation company that provides rail transportation in 23 states, Washington, D.C. and Canada, we celebrate the birthplace of American railroading and all it has taught us as well as salute what the future holds for railroading and the nation.”
Through July 2003, the B&O Railroad Museum will host this national event with a series of monthly events and the debut of new educational programs and exhibits. Most recently, the Museum unveiled Portraits of American Railroading, an exhibit that includes images of important American railroad figures from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery. The 16-month celebration culminates with The Fair of the Iron Horse 175 – a10-day pageant of rare locomotives and citywide festival at Carroll Park in July 2003.
“We are delighted that CSX has joined us to help show the world how railroading touches each of our lives everyday. Through their generosity, visitors from around the world will have the opportunity to take part in an enriching cultural and educational experience as we celebrate the anniversary of America’s first railroad,” said Courtney Wilson, executive director of the B&O Railroad Museum.
CSX Corporation (NYSE: CSX), headquartered in Richmond, Va., is an international transportation company offering a variety of rail, container shipping, intermodal and contract logistics services. CSX Transportation, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is the largest railroad in the eastern United States. CSXT’s earliest predecessor was the B&O Railroad.
Comprising the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad history in the Western Hemisphere, the B&O Railroad Museum is a unique cultural and educational asset for the City of Baltimore and the nation. An unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment, original shop buildings, and historic Mt. Clare Station provide an integrated resource to present many aspects of American railroad development and its impact on our society, culture, and economy. The B&O collections date back to the founding of the B&O Railroad in 1827 and include historic buildings, over 200 pieces of rolling stock, 15,000 small artifacts, 20,000 photographs, assorted fine art and a research library facility.