By RSI Staff
To commemorate 200 years of American rail in 2027, the B&O Railroad Museum has launched the website Americanrail200.org. This page is a centralized hub for rail enthusiasts to share specialized events, giving smaller organizations a platform to share their celebration to a nationwide platform.
As a proud partner of American Rail 200, RSI had the chance to chat with B&O Railroad Museum’s Executive Director Kris Hoellen about the creation of the website, the impact of rail on the greater American fabric and opportunities to join in on the celebration.
What inspired the B&O Railroad Museum to take the initiative in celebrating 200 years of American rail?
The B&O Railroad Museum is the birthplace of American railroading. Our campus contains the first mile of commercial track ever laid in the country, Mt. Clare Station – the first train station – plus the beautiful 1884 Roundhouse, among other historic buildings. We are literally on the grounds of the B&O yards. Our archival collection contains the very first stock ledger ever issued, the full set of board of directors’ minutes and over 30 million archival documents of railroad history. With over 200 pieces of rolling stock in our care, telling the story of railroading’s first two centuries is central to our mission.
Celebrating the bicentennial of American rail is not just a milestone for us — it’s a responsibility. Railroading emerged only decades after the founding of the nation and became one of the most powerful forces shaping American innovation, labor and growth. As the country currently celebrates 250 years of America, this moment provides a meaningful bridge between the ideals of the nation’s founding and the infrastructure that helped knit those ideals into a continental reality. As part of this national reflection, the Museum is proud to connect American Rail 200 with the broader America 250 commemoration, including our recent restoration of the American Freedom Train No. 1 as a symbol of railroading’s enduring role in the American story.
We encourage everyone to join us in commemorating railroading’s legacy and to be part of the chapter of its history for the bicentennial in 2027.
How has the railroad infrastructure transformed American society, culture, and economy?
The railroad was born only 50 years after the birth of the country and consequently shaped American life dramatically – it was essentially the internet of its time. Our time zones came from the railroad; the telecommunications industry owes its birth to the railroads; Americans’ favorite fruit – the banana – was spread throughout the country via refrigerated cars; field trauma surgeons sprung from the railroads; color blindness was diagnosed by railroad doctors; the journey from slavery to civil rights is completely intertwined with the railroads. There is almost no element of society past, present and future that was not or is not touched by the railroads.
What types of exhibits or interactive experiences at the B&O Railroad Museum can visitors expect in the Innovation Hall, and how will these exhibits bridge the story of rail’s past, present and future?
The museum’s new Innovation Hall will be housed in the newly restored South Car Works building, which is the oldest continuously operating railroad repair facility in the country, spanning from 1869 to 1990. The Innovation Hall will focus on the present and future of railroading technology. We are dedicating approximately 14,000 square feet to showcase how the present and future of railroading will be safer, faster and smarter. We will have three galleries within the space dedicated to these areas. We will showcase a railcar of the future outfitted with sensors, a touch table depicting a smart yard, different propulsion technologies, a digital race using the technologies and so much more! All exhibits will be interactive, to both educate and engage the public. The general public wants to understand these technologies, and this is an opportunity to highlight rail advancements and build public confidence in the industry. We receive visitors annually from all 50 states and 40 countries.
How is the museum working to ensure that American Rail 200 and the central hub website represent the full diversity of railroad heritage across different regions and communities nationwide?
Americanrail200.org is the central convening hub for the 200-year anniversary. To ensure a nationwide celebration, we are recruiting partners to join us in the celebration and to place their logo on the website, which has already amassed an amazing array of partners from multiple disciplines and geographies! Becoming a partner simply means your organization commits in 2027 to amplify the 200-year anniversary of American railroading within your sphere of influence. It could be something as simple as a series of social media posts to adding a railroad theme to an existing event or activity in 2027, to creating something completely new, such as placing labels/stickers on products, engaging schools in an essay competition or creating a community/employee fair, etc. We are happy to help anyone brainstorm activities and encourage everyone to join the celebration. We have also created an evergreen logo to be used in partnership with one’s own organizational logo. Lastly, as an organization identifies its activities, there is a section of the website dedicated to listing events so that everyone’s efforts can be uplifted. The goal is to move from a business-to-business celebration, though the industry as a whole should be aware and proud of its history, to a business-to-consumer celebration. The rail industry is often unheralded and this is an opportunity for the Americans to appreciate the contributions of rail – past, present and future.
What have been the most rewarding outcomes so far from collaborating with industry and cultural institutions as partners, and how will those partnerships enhance visitor experience during the bicentennial of American rail?
We have been amazed at the outpouring of support to celebrate this industry! We are very thankful to the leadership RSI has shown in supporting the bicentennial and connecting us to member companies whose technologies can be exhibited in the Innovation Hall! Partnerships can be large or small. Examples of partnerships include Art with a Heart in Baltimore, which creates large sculpture mosaics and will create one of a locomotive in 2027, our partnership to create a Monopoly version focused on rail, “RAILOPOLY”, and so much more! At the museum, we plan to unveil the contents of the first stone on July 4, 2027; the stone was laid as a time capsule and has never been opened. Join us to create a time capsule for the next 200 years!
If an organization is interested in joining B&O Railroad to partner for American Rail 200, what would that entail? And, how can they get started?
Reach out and contact us via 200thpartners@borail.org to start the discussion! We are happy to make presentations to organizations, engage in brainstorming for activities and share what others are doing to celebrate the industry that is the backbone of our country, past, present and future!
About the Railway Supply Institute (RSI)
The Railway Supply Institute (RSI) is dedicated to advancing safety, innovation, technology, and sustainability within the freight and passenger railway supplier industry, both in North America and global markets. As the voice of the industry, RSI strategically engages in critical and urgent industry matters by leveraging the technical expertise of our members to advocate in the legislative and regulatory arenas, foster education, host impactful events, and facilitate networking opportunities. For more information visit www.rsiweb.org, follow RSI on Twitter and LinkedIn.