B&O museum and hurricane

Steve Okonski · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2003 2:18 pm

I hope the structural engineers have done a good job securing what remains of the B&O Museum's roundhouse. On the currently forecasted track, hurricane Isabel will blow 70-100 mph southerly winds into Baltimore Thursday night. The way the roundhouse roof is open on the south side, it will catch the wind perfectly. Very precarious situation setting up now. Of course, we can still hope the hurricane will weaken or recurve out to sea.

B&O in Maryland Photos
intersys@insystem.com

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2003 4:10 pm

I haven't been by to check in the past couple of days, but the formerly-open-to-the-south roof is now mostly-covered, with only two "pie slices" taken out for removal and reinstallation of the new truss members. I personally speculate that, in an extreme emergency, the roof can be completely covered (albeit VERY temporarily) in a day. more photos are available at www.borail.org ; I think the primary hole at this point faces northeast, towards the downtown and the gift shop/library/etc.

Here are two things to remember, though: There are two massive cranes on site ready to hoist plywood or whatever into position, and the construction workers have several days' window to take emergency measures.

However, I REALLY don't want to think about that weakened clearstory roof and "lantern", missing windows or no.

Link to one of the current photos
LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Ted Miles · **Posted:** Mon Sep 15, 2003 11:59 pm

I hope everyone takes this one seriously, just before I moved west in 1983 a whirling lady came right over Eastern Long Island where I lived. The center went right over us! The wind howled and it threw a switch and quiet for about 20 minutes and then it went the other way!

Rain is amazing! I have never seen it pour so hard! No wonder streams and rivers flood!
The Wilmington and Western was a great ride. I am afraid that two strikes and they may be out.

Ted Miles

ted_miles@nps.gov

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Sep 18, 2003 12:12 am

As I went by the Museum this morning, only two rather small sections were still open, both at the top of the stall roof sections and both about the size of one or two pieces of plywood. It's likely the entire roof surface was at least *temporarily* sealed up in preparation for Isabel.

*battening down the hatches here..........*

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Thu Sep 18, 2003 6:54 pm

Rolled by tonight (9-18, 6 PM EDT) as the winds were kicking up to gale force........

Two stalls are now open-roofed, as if the reconstruction proceeded on schedule, hurricane or no.........

LNER4472-NOSPAM-@bcpl.net