THIS IS AMERICA - B&O Railroad Museum

THIS IS AMERICA -May 20, 2002: B&O Railroad¹ Museum

By George Grow
VOICE ONE:

The American city of Baltimore, Maryland is home to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Museum. Museum
officials have organized a special sixteen-month event. It celebrates the one-hundred-seventy-fifth anniversary² of
railroads³ in America. I’m Sarah Long.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. This celebration of American railroads is our
report today on the VOA Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

((Sound of old steam engine and whistle))

VOICE ONE:

The one-hundred-seventy-fifth anniversary celebration honors⁴ two
important dates in railroad history. The first is when lawmakers in Maryland approved a resolution to create the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. That happened on February twenty-seventh, eighteen-twenty-seven. The other
event is the ceremonial laying of the first stone to build the railroad. That happened on July fourth, eighteen-
twenty-eight.

(Pictures -The B&O Railroad Museum
Collection)
The B-and-O Railroad Museum in Baltimore has planned a number of activities
during the anniversary period. The museum will present special shows, train trips
and other events through July of next year. The celebration is called “One-
Hundred-Seventy-Five Years: America On Track.
”

VOICE TWO:

Courtney Wilson is the Railroad Museum’s executive⁵ director and a historian⁶. He
says one way to study American history is through the development of American
railroads.

Baltimore, Maryland is a major port in the eastern United States. Early in the
nineteenth century, the Erie Canal threatened Baltimore’s economy. The Erie
Canal was the first major waterway built in America. It provided⁷ an easy way to
transport goods from the Great Lakes area to the port of New York City.

Mister⁸ Wilson notes that people in England created what we know today as the railroad. He says businessmen
from Baltimore sent representatives to England to study the early railroad technology. When the railroad was
brought to the United States, the technology almost had to be reinvented. The English countryside was mostly
flat. The Baltimore area, however, had large rivers, mountains, and roads that were not straight.

VOICE ONE:

The name Baltimore and Ohio comes from the idea of operating a railroad from Baltimore in the East to the Ohio
River in the Middle West. At first, there were disputes¹⁰ about exactly where the railroad would be built.
Organizers asked United States Army engineers to design a path to the West. Difficult negotiations¹¹ and a political
debate followed. Finally, the Carroll family, one of the oldest in Maryland, provided land for the railroad’
s
headquarters¹². The B-and-O Railroad Museum now occupies the property.

((Sound of railroad crossing and old steam engine))

The B-and-O Railroad was the first railroad built in North America. The first railroad line was powered by


horses. By Eighteen-Thirty, the B -and-O operated three horse-powered trains each day to the nearby town of
Ellicott’s Mills¹³. Soon, the railroad was carrying more than four-hundred passengers a day. The company added
new cars to the system as soon as they were built.

VOICE TWO:

By this time, trains powered by steam had been successfully tested in England. This development was of great
interest to Peter Cooper, an inventor from New York. He told B-and-O officials that he had an idea for building a
steam-powered engine. Mister Cooper developed the first steam engine for the new railroad. The engine was later
called “Tom Thumb.
”

One story says the Tom Thumb steam engine once raced against a horse pulling a passenger train car. Just as the
little engine moved into the lead, a piece of equipment broke. After that, the horse easily won the race. The
details have never been confirmed, but the story is often repeated.

VOICE ONE:

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad was never the largest or most powerful railroad in the United States. However,
it was the first railroad in many ways. The B-and-O was the first to publish a timetable --the list of the times the
trains left and arrived. The B-and-O operated America’s first train station to earn money from paying
passengers. The B-and-O was the first railroad to enter the nation’s capital, Washington, D-C. It also was the
first railroad to have an agreement with the federal¹⁴ government to transport the mail.

The B-and-O was the first railroad from the eastern United States to reach
the Ohio River. That happened in Eighteen-Fifty-Two. Forty-three years
later, the B-and-O was the first American railroad to use an electric-
powered train.

((Sound of old steam engine))

VOICE TWO:

One reason for the B-and-O’s success was the Mount⁹ Clare Shops in Baltimore. This is where workers repaired

engines, train cars and other equipment. The Mount Clare Shops also were active in research and development.
Courtney Wilson says the shops developed all the ideas for railroads in America. This included how to build a
rail line and what kinds of materials would be used.

At one time, the Mount Clare Shops employed more than four-thousand people. Steam engines, passenger and
freight¹⁵ cars were built here. Once, workers built a bridge, and then transported it by train to its new home.

For more than one-hundred years, the B-and-O and the Mount Clare Shops were the largest employers¹⁶ in
Baltimore. Mount Clare is now part of the museum.

VOICE ONE:

Today, the B-and-O Railroad Museum occupies fifteen hectares of land in the center of Baltimore. It is a short
walk from the city’s popular Inner¹⁷ Harbor¹⁸ area. About one-hundred-sixty-thousand people visit the museum
each year. It operates as a private business. The government provides little financial help.

Much of the money comes from people who pay to visit the museum or to become supporting members. Other
money comes as gifts from individuals, businesses and non-profit groups.

VOICE TWO: The B-and-O Railroad Museum occupies five buildings. One is called The Roundhouse. The
Roundhouse is not really round, but has twenty-two sides. It also may be the world’s largest circular¹⁹ industrial
building. It is more than thirty-seven meters tall.

When first built, the Roundhouse was a place where passenger cars were repaired. In the center is a turntable. It
turns in a circle to move engines and cars from one train track to another.

The museum has more than two-hundred major pieces of railroad equipment, records and other objects. Visitors


are permitted to study and explore a number of historic²⁰ railroad engines and cars. Some are more than one-
hundred years old.

((Train sounds))

VOICE ONE:

One room in the museum has paintings of people who were important to the development of American railroads.
For example, one painting shows the man who started the meat business Swift²¹ and Company. In the late
eighteen-hundreds, Gustavus Swift developed the first refrigerator car
–
a railroad car that was kept cold. He
had the idea of killing²² farm animals in one area and transporting their meat across the country. For this to be done
safely, the meat had to be kept cold in such a refrigerator car. Mister Swift’s idea was a great success.

Another painting at the Railroad Museum shows a young Abraham Lincoln. Before he became President, Lincoln
worked as a lawyer for a railroad company. As President, Lincoln supported calls to build a railroad across the
country. He died in Eighteen-Sixty-Five, four years before the railroad line was completed.

((Train sounds))

VOICE TWO:

For many months, B-and-O Railroad Museum officials have been organizing the celebration of American
railroads. The main event will be held next summer. It is called “The Fair of the Iron Horse, One-Hundred-
Seventy-Five.
”
It will include historic trains from railroads and private collections around the world. The trains
will operate on the first mile of railroad built in the United States. The event also will include railroad
technology, toy trains and other activities.

Museum officials say they expect as many as two-million visitors during the railroad anniversary. The visitors
will help celebrate an important part of American history.

For more information, you can write to the B-and-O Railroad Museum, nine-oh -one West Pratt Street; Baltimore,
Maryland, two-one-two-two-three, U-S-A. Computer users²³ can find this information at w-w-w-dot-b-o-r-a-i-ldot-
o-r-g.

(THEME)

VOICE ONE:

This program was written by George Grow. It was produced by Cynthia Kirk. I’m Sarah Long.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Steve Ember. Join us again next week for another report about life in the United States on the VOA
Special English program, THIS IS AMERICA.

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1 railroad   

n.铁路；vi.由铁路运输

参考例句：

• The railroad connects two cities,namely,New York and Chicago.这条铁路连接两个城市，即纽约与芝加哥。
• My brother is working on the railroad.我兄弟在铁路系统工作。

2 anniversary   

n.周年(纪念日)

参考例句：

• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。
• Today is my parents'30th wedding anniversary.今天是我父母结婚30周年纪念日。

3 railroads   

n.铁路，铁道( railroad的名词复数 )；铁路系统v.铁路，铁道( railroad的第三人称单数 )；铁路系统

参考例句：

• Water transportation was outmoded by railroads and good pikes. 水上运输已因铁路和良好的税道而变得过时了。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• A severe snowstorm blocked up railroads. 一场暴风雪使铁路中断。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 honors   

n.礼仪；荣典；礼节； 大学荣誉学位；大学优等成绩；尊敬( honor的名词复数 )；敬意；荣誉；光荣

参考例句：

• He aims at honors. 他力求名誉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We did the last honors to his remains. 我们向他的遗体告别。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 executive   

adj.执行的，行政的；n.执行者，行政官，经理

参考例句：

• A good executive usually gets on well with people.一个好的高级管理人员通常与人们相处得很好。
• He is a man of great executive ability.他是个具有极高管理能力的人。

6 historian   

n.历史学家，编史家

参考例句：

• As a historian,he was most typical of the times in which he lived.作为历史学家，他是他所处时代最有代表性的人物。
• He calls himself a historian,but his books are a mere journalism.他自称为历史学家，但是他的书都是些肤浅的通俗作品。

7 provided   

conj.假如，若是；adj.预备好的，由...供给的

参考例句：

• Provided it's fine we will have a pleasant holiday.如果天气良好，我们的假日将过得非常愉快。
• I will come provided that it's not raining tomorrow.如果明天不下雨，我就来。

8 mister   

n.(略作Mr.全称很少用于书面)先生

参考例句：

• Mister Smith is my good friend.史密斯先生是我的好朋友。
• He styled himself " Mister Clean ".他自称是“清廉先生”。

9 mount   

n.山峰，乘用马，框，衬纸；vi.增长，骑上（马）；vt.提升，爬上，装备

参考例句：

• Their debts continued to mount up.他们的债务不断增加。
• She is the first woman who steps on the top of Mount Jolmo Lungma.她是第一个登上珠穆朗玛峰的女人。

10 disputes   

n.辩论( dispute的名词复数 )；争端；（劳资）纠纷；罢工v.辩论，争论( dispute的第三人称单数 )；争夺；阻止；就…进行辩论

参考例句：

• a legalistic approach to family disputes 死抠法律条文解决家庭纠纷的方法
• a party riven by internal disputes 由于内部分歧而四分五裂的政党

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

12 headquarters   

n.司令部，指挥部；总部，总店

参考例句：

• Several great guns from the headquarters are coming to see us today.总部的几个大人物今天要来看我们。
• The bank has its headquarters in Pairs.这家银行的总行在巴黎。

13 mills   

n.磨坊( mill的名词复数 )；磨粉机；作坊；工厂

参考例句：

• He was tall, dark and handsome, like a Mills and Boon hero. 他个头高大、皮肤黝黑、相貌堂堂，像通俗爱情小说的男主角。
• The captain wants to play Mills as defence in our next game. 队长想让密尔斯在下次比赛中打后卫。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 federal   

adj.联盟的；联邦的；(美国)联邦政府的

参考例句：

• Switzerland is a federal republic.瑞士是一个联邦共和国。
• The schools are screaming for federal aid.那些学校强烈要求联邦政府的援助。

15 freight   

n.货物，货运；vt.运送（货物）看，装货于

参考例句：

• Tons of freight were flown into this airport every day.每天有许多吨货物被空运到这个机场。
• There is ten yuan in the bill for freight.发票中包括运费十元。

16 employers   

雇主( employer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。
• The onus is on employers to follow health and safety laws. 雇主有义务遵行健康安全法。

17 inner   

adj.内部的，里面的；内在的，内心的；精神的

参考例句：

• The label is on the inner side of the box.标签贴在盒子内侧。
• Other people seek the mountains for renewal of their inner lives.另一些人到深山中去，寻求新的精神生活。

18 harbor   

n.海港，港口；vt.庇护，藏匿；心怀(怨恨等)

参考例句：

• The harbor lies to the south of the city.港口在城市的南边。
• At that time,our ship was tied up at this harbor.当时我们的船停靠在这个港口。

19 circular   

adj.圆(形)的，环形的；循环的；n.传单，通报

参考例句：

• The bright boy altered it to a circular form.这个聪明的男孩把它改成了圆形。
• The lamp stands on a circular base.这盏台灯是装在圆形底座上的。

20 historic   

adj.历史上著名的，具有历史意义的

参考例句：

• This is a historic occasion.这是具有重大历史意义的时刻。
• We are living in a great historic era.我们正处在一个伟大的历史时代。

21 swift   

n.雨燕，大滚筒；adj.迅速的，快的，敏捷的，立刻的；adv.迅速地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He is swift to hear,but slow to speak.他听力敏锐，但不善言辞。
• He made a remarkably swift recovery.他康复得相当快。

22 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

23 users   

用户，使用者( user的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new software will prove a boon to Internet users. 这种新软件将会对互联网用户大有益处。
• Ramps should be provided for wheelchair users. 应该给轮椅使用者提供坡道。