B&O Railroad Museum hosts newly restored Civil War locomotive

Baltimore, MD – On September 16, the B&O Railroad Museum is honored to haveone of America’s most famous Civil War locomotives, B&O Railroad #25 “William Mason”, returned to public display in the B&O Railroad Museum’s historic Roundhouse. For the past three years, the Museum’s restoration staff has worked diligently to restore this beloved locomotive back to its 1856 livery.

William Mason next to a Pennsylvania Railroad K4 streamliner at the 1939 New York World's Fair. Join the B&O Railroad Museum on September 16 to see the newly restored William Mason.

The restoration of B&O #25 represents one of the highest achievements of the Museum’s restoration program. The day’s debut celebration offers its fans special programing and tours, highlighting the locomotive’s history, celebrity, and restoration process. Archival artifacts and images of the Mason, not usually on public display, will be available for everyone to see at the Museum’s annual Civil War Days for this special weekend.

The first 250 visitors who arrive for this festive celebration will receive a free commemorative postcard of the #25 “William Mason Locomotive”.

The last restoration that B&O #25 received was back in the mid-1990s, when it was briefly renamed “Wanderer” for the 1999 film: “Wild Wild West” that starred actors Will Smith, Kevin Kline, and Selma Hayak. For its 100th birthday, in 1956, the B&O #25 appeared in the feature film: “The Great Locomotive Chase” that starred Fess Parker and James J. Andrews. This “celebrity” locomotive would go on to be featured in four other major motion pictures.

The B&O Railroad Museum™, a full affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American railroading and its impact on American society, culture and economy. The Museum is home to the oldest, most comprehensive collection of railroad artifacts in the Western Hemisphere including an unparalleled roster of 19th and 20th century railroad equipment. The 40-acre historic site is regarded as the birthplace of American Railroading and includes the 1851 Mt. Clare Station, the 1884 Baldwin Roundhouse and first mile of commercial railroad track in America. For further information on the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum, please call 410-752-2490 or visit www.borail.org.

B&O Railroad Museum
901 W. Pratt St. Baltimore, MD 21223
410-752-2490
www.borail.org
Monday-Saturday (10am-4pm), Sunday (11am-4pm
$18 Adults, $16 Seniors (60+), $12 Children (2-12),
B&O Members - Free