B&O Railroad Station Threatened
Aberdeen's B&O railroad station, built in 1898
Credit: Historical Society of Harford County, Inc.
July 29, 2003
Dear Preservation 911,
As someone involved in railroad preservation, I have learned that CSX Transportation is preparing to demolish the last wooden B&O passenger station between Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Located in Aberdeen, Md., the Victorian station was built in 1898, designed by Philadelphia architect Frank Furness. The station is in a state of deterioration and sits in its original location next to the track of the Philadelphia Subdivision. In fact, part of the roof was cut back many years ago to allow for the wider clearances of modern equipment.
The equipment to do the job is in place, but town leaders have managed to put off the deed for now and are seeking assistance in securing permanent preservation. CSX has a reputation for being very aggressive in carrying out demolition projects of old structures once they have made up their minds, so stopping this will not be easy.
However, unlike the Western Maryland roundhouse that was demolished in Hagerstown, Md., in 1999, there is community support for preservation of this station outside of the "railfan" community. I have started the process of letting the railroad-preservation community know about the threat to this historic building, and hopefully we will be able to garner support and contributions to save it. Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Paul W. Woodring
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