Baltimore and Ohio Roundhouse and Shop Complex

Baltimore and Ohio Roundhouse and Shop Complex (HMBCW)

Location: Martinsburg, WV 25401 Berkeley County
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Country: United States of America
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N 39° 27.588', W 77° 57.678'

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Inscription
National Civil Engineering Landmark. The re-construction of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Roundhouse and Shop Complex commenced soon after the end of the American Civil War in 1865. This complex included two roundhouses and two significant shop buildings. The centerpiece of the railroad complex was the West Roundhouse, which can be seen in the immediate foreground. Roundhouse construction started in 1965 and was completed in 1966. The shop buildings, Bridge and Machine Shop and Frog and Switch Shop, were completed in 1967 and the East Roundhouse was completed in 1872. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad needed to re-build quickly to keep up with the competition. The post-war western expansion of the United States was underway, and the reconstruction and growth of the railroads were a key factor in making it possible.

The shop buildings were designed by architects John Niernsee and James Nielson, and the two roundhouses were based on designs developed by Albert Fink, a noteworthy figure in the evolution of civil engineering in the United States. Fink, a German born and educated engineer working with the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, collaborated with Benjamin H. Latrobe, Jr. and developed designs in the early 1950's using cast iron framing components to support the walls and magnificent roof structures for roundhouses at Grafton and Piedmont, West Virginia. The Fink designs were adapted for the Martinsburg roundhouse, which is the only surviving structure using this creative design.

Albert Fink went on to become not only a significant designer of railroad bridges and structures, but also a respected railway economist who helped establish a regulatory framework for American railroads that helped restore their financial health in the late 1800's. As further recognition of his stature as an engineer, in 1880 he served as president of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Details
HM NumberHMBCW
Series This marker is part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (B&O) series
Tags
Year Placed2006
Placed ByAmerican Society of Civil Engineers
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, October 23rd, 2014 at 4:10pm PDT -07:00
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Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)18S E 245221 N 4371989
Decimal Degrees39.45980000, -77.96130000
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 39° 27.588', W 77° 57.678'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds39° 27' 35.28" N, 77° 57' 40.68" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)304, 540
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 131-199 E Race St, Martinsburg WV 25401, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

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