B & O Railroad Museum

NileGuide Expert tip:

Popular time that locals go to the museum is during Christmas season when Santa rides into the station and welcomes children to take pictures.

Description:

• American railroading got its start here when the B&O was chartered in 1827, and the first locomotive, the Tom Thumb, was built here. The remarkable roundhouse was restored after the roof collapsed in a 2003 snowstorm and is now more accessible for visitors with disabilities and parents with strollers. As damaged pieces are repaired, they are returned to the roundhouse (most should be back by the end of 2008), but it's still filled with an awe-inspiring collection of engines and rolling stock. A car barn has the largest locomotive ever built. Platforms enable visitors to tour trains outside, including a World War II troop sleeper, a caboose, and a refrigerated car where a train movie runs continuously. Admission includes a short ride, with trains departing daily from April through December and weekends only in January.

• © Frommer's 2013

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010