CSX Corp. (NASDAQ: CSX) today announced a gift of $5 million to the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum in Baltimore, MD towards the Museum’s $30 million capital campaign in anticipation of the B&O Railroad’s bicentennial anniversary in 2027.

“CSX is proud to support the future of the B&O Railroad Museum and help expand its role in the community,” said Joe Hinrichs, CSX president and chief executive officer. “As the successor to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, CSX has been an integral part of the Maryland economy for generations. We are thrilled to be able to deliver this substantial contribution and serve as a catalyst of growth for this iconic institution and the Baltimore community.”

The donation will be used to build the “CSX Bicentennial Garden,” an amphitheater and multiuse space that can host local organizations and hold community gatherings. This installation will serve as a vibrant event space and provide a fresh, new location to welcome visitors to the Museum. CSX is the first corporate patron to pledge support for the campaign, which will improve the overall campus flow, add state-of-the-art educational space, including an Innovation Hall focused on present-day and future railroad technology, house extensive historical archives, and spark community economic development.

“Today, we celebrate another great partnership between CSX and the State of Maryland as we honor the birthplace of American railroading, the B&O Railroad Museum,” said Governor Wes Moore. “This campus transformation will serve our administration’s goals of connecting institutions with their neighboring communities, expanding workforce training opportunities on campus, creating publicly accessible open space, and remodeling the South Car Works building, our nation’s oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility as the new entryway to the Museum. Maryland will be ready to celebrate the 200th anniversary in 2027.”

The donation will be used to build the “CSX Bicentennial Garden,” an amphitheater and multiuse space that can host local organizations and hold community gatherings. This installation will serve as a vibrant event space and provide a fresh, new location to welcome visitors to the Museum. CSX is the first corporate patron to pledge support for the campaign, which will improve the overall campus flow, add state-of-the-art educational space, including an Innovation Hall focused on present-day and future railroad technology, house extensive historical archives, and spark community economic development.

“Today, we celebrate another great partnership between CSX and the State of Maryland as we honor the birthplace of American railroading, the B&O Railroad Museum,” said Governor Wes Moore. “This campus transformation will serve our administration’s goals of connecting institutions with their neighboring communities, expanding workforce training opportunities on campus, creating publicly accessible open space, and remodeling the South Car Works building, our nation’s oldest, continuously operating railroad repair facility as the new entryway to the Museum.

With $5 million would could see the William Mason, the tank engine, and one other steam locomotive in operation easy! But why do that when you can build an amphitheater.

An amphitheater can get used by lots of people and groups any time it's needed. You don't need a "licensed engineer" and crew. That's conceivably more "public appeal."

Just like their Roundhouse possibly makes more revenue, and maybe gets more visitors, being rented for private events with secure, off-street parking. (I've been to some of them. This is not a wild-a$$ed speculation.)

My only real problem with all of this is that the grant from the State of Maryland, and the whole scope of the project, will once again get misinterpreted by the general public as the B&O Museum being "run by the City/Maryland" and thus a "publicly-funded" museum "sucking at the public teat."

Awesome. Is the mission of the museum to host private events and provide a facility to host “lots of people and groups” and/or provide “public appeal”?

Awesome. Is the mission of the museum to host private events and provide a facility to host “lots of people and groups” and/or provide “public appeal”?

I haven't analyzed the "amphitheater" plans in detail, but I say the more positive public interaction of any kind, the better (as long as it doesn't involve rioters, SWAT teams, paramedics, or the fire department!).

With $5 million would could see the William Mason, the tank engine, and one other steam locomotive in operation easy! But why do that when you can build an amphitheater.

Awesome. Is the mission of the museum to host private events and provide a facility to host “lots of people and groups” and/or provide “public appeal”?