Meet the Tender of Locomotives

by John Geist

Herman “Obie” Oberender was born in Baltimore in March 1895 to German immigrant parents Anna Strauber and Richard Oberender. The family lived on Port Street in East Baltimore, some blocks east of Johns Hopkins Hospital. The 1910 US census reports him living or working at a home for boys as an errand boy in the electric shop.

World War I found him as a Navy Fireman on the USS Delaware, a battleship that traveled to England but never saw active combat during the war. After his honorable discharge in November 1918, joining the ranks of B&O Railroad employees set Obie on a lifetime path. Following a start as a machinist’s helper at the B&O Riverside Yards in South Baltimore in 1922, Railroad personnel records show a promotion to machinist.

Now, the B&O Railroad, rather unique among its contemporaries, had saved an extensive and extraordinarily valuable collection of old locomotives, cars and other railroad equipment tracing back to the American Civil War, as well as reproductions from much earlier days. The Chicago World’s Fair in 1893 and the St. Louis Exposition in 1904 included early exhibitions of these historic pieces. Becoming the centerpiece at the upcoming 100^th anniversary of the founding of the B&O in 1927 was their next destination.

Back to Obie. A double page spread in the Baltimore Sun Metrogravure Magazine on June 28, 1953 reported extensively about his unique career. No longer just a machinist, in 1925

“he was assigned to the job of helping whip them (the old locomotives) into shape for the “Fair of the Iron Horse” in 1927, and was also told at the time to learn to run all of them”.

That opportunity catapulted Herman Oberender into a demanding but exciting role with full responsibility for overseeing and operating all the antique engines for the remainder of his railroad career. He was still a machinist at Riverside Yards, but repeated lengthy transfers to the Public Relations Department for his locomotive duties now defined Obie’s life.

Perhaps because of the phenomenal success of its 100^th birthday extravaganza, the 1927 Fair of the Iron Horse, the B&O started receiving requests to loan its antique equipment to movie companies. This meant Obie was often on the road to movie or other events at widely separated locations across the U.S. In 1937, that meant taking the replica of the 1837 engine No. 13, Lafayette, to Chino, CA for the filming of Paramount Pictures’ “Wells Fargo.” Later film trips included “Stand Up and Fight” (1939), again to California, “Rock Island Trail” (1950), “The Great Locomotive Chase” (1956) with the William Mason to Georgia and North Carolina (1956); and “Raintree Country” (1957) with the William Mason, to Kentucky. Non-movie events included the Chicago World’s Fair – A Century of Progress (1933), Chicago Railroad Fair (1948), Western Maryland Railway’s “Lincoln Goes to Gettysburg” with the Thatcher Perkins (1952), and appearance on television episodes of “Omnibus,” the “Today Show,” and “The Gray Ghost” with the William Mason. On July 23, 1954, NBC produced the first color telecast from Baltimore featuring Obie at the throttle of the Tom Thumb from the B&O’s Mt. Winan’s yard. The pinnacle of his television appearances undoubtedly was the March 30, 1958 nation-wide telecast of a segment of NBC’s “Wide, Wide World”. This 90-minute tribute to American railroading, “Flagstop at Malta Bend,” provided Obie, a man of extraordinary self-confidence and not bashful about self-promotion, with the opportunity to be featured in the cab of the William Mason for live shots from Baltimore and conversation with then nationally known TV personality Dave Garroway, moderator of the documentary.

Over many years, the B&O’s beautiful and unique collection had been gathered and preserved in the B&O‘s old south Baltimore roundhouse at Bailey’s. The 1953 Baltimore Sun Metrogravure Magazine article quoted above later described a big move from Bailey’s with these words:

“One of the neatest pieces of engineering in a decade, they’re saying down around Bailey’s Roundhouse, has been the persuading of Herman Oberender to let the movers take his babies away without first wrapping them carefully in cotton wool. Oberender’ s babies are a dozen or so locomotives, freight cars, and passenger cars which, with hundreds of smaller pieces of railroad equipment, have just been transferred from Bailey’s Roundhouse to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad’s new transportation museum in the roundhouse at Mount Clare Station.”

With this move, “Obie” left his machining duties at Riverside and joined the brand-new Museum staff.

Obie was soon off to his next movie or television gig after first settling into his museum office with business cards naming him as full-time Custodian of his “babies”.  From then until the Museum was later temporarily closed in June 1958, Obie was the “tender of the locomotives”. He rounded out his B&O career in 1960 and retired to his home in Middle River.

John Geist, Archives Volunteer, October 2020

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References

Family records

Baltimore Sun, Pictorial Review, October 12, 1952

Baltimore Sun Metrogravure Magazine, June 28, 1953

B&O Railroad Magazine, September 1954

NBC, script for “Wide Wide World” program, March 30, 1958

Baltimore Sun, July 10, 1960

 

Image Citation

 B&O Railroad Magazine, June 1955

GILMOR'S RAID

Major Harry Gilmor

On February 11, 1864, Major Harry Gilmor of the Confederate Army conducted his first of two war-time strikes against the B&O Railroad. Major General J.E.B. Stuart ordered Gilmor's command to split the B&O line, with the objective of preventing Union forces from moving eastward to reinforce the Army of the Potomac. Gilmor chose 28 men under his command to carry out the mission. He chose a halfway point between Duffield's Depot and Kearneysville, two stops along the B&O line in West Virginia, to carry out his mission.

Gilmor during the Civil War

The small confederate force was unable to dismantle the securely fastened track, so they laid down fence rails and logs to derail the next train. The B&O Engineer who sighted the timbers on the track tried to come to a stop in time, but was unsuccessful. Fortunately the engine slowed down enough to the point where it gently hopped off the rails, remaining largely undamaged. Despite explicit orders not to rob anyone on the train, Gilmor's men removed the passengers of their pocket watches and wallets. Gilmor was unable to break into the large iron safe located in the baggage car. With the threat of capture behind enemy lines, Gilmor's force fled before the arrival of federal troops.

Harry Gilmor, circa 1875

In the post-war, Gilmor had a brief stint as a commander of cavalry in the Maryland National Guard. In 1874 Gilmor became a Baltimore City Police Commissioner. In July 1877 Gilmor would find himself leading mounted police at Camden Station in Baltimore during the Great Railroad Strike of 1877. Thirteen years after leading an attack on a B&O train, he defended B&O Railroad property around the city.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS SAFETY, STRENGTH, SPEED: The B&O’s Centenary Medal

On February 28, 1927, the B&O Railroad held a formal dinner at the Lyric Theatre in downtown Baltimore. The occasion was the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. Such a significant event called for an ostentatious celebration held in grandest style possible.  Over 1,000 guests were treated to a formal dinner and an on-stage presentation depicting three significant events of the early history of the B&O. It was during the dinner that plans were announced for an even larger celebratory pageant that would highlight not only “…the story of rail transport in the United States, but of all inland transport here since the first settlement of the nation.” Named The Centenary Pageant of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, it would be more widely known and remembered as the “Fair of the Iron Horse,” and bring over 1.2 million visitors to Halethorpe, Maryland.  As a memento of the evening’s festivities, each diner was presented with a unique, specially designed and newly minted medal, which museum staff refers to as the Centenary Medal.

Those who own or have seen the medal will instantly recognize it and its imagery. The medal’s obverse depicted one of the B&O’s then “modern” steam locomotives being touched by “the spirit of transportation.” The steam engine is ringed with the text "ONE HUNDRED YEARS SAFETY STRENGTH SPEED." The reverse shows the B&O’s first steam engine, Peter Cooper's Tom Thumb, and text "THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAILROAD COMPANY 1827-1927."

 The B&O commissioned sculpture Hans Schuler (1874-1951), to create the medal and the proof was delivered to the Medallic Art Company, located in New York, in 1926. Schuler was a German-born sculptor, and graduate of the Rinehart School of Sculpture at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). He taught at MICA and served on the board and as the institute’s Director from 1925-1951. This well-known and award winning artist opened a studio in Baltimore and created many important works that can still be seen throughout the Baltimore-Washington region today. His legacy continues and his studio became the home to the Schuler School of Fine Arts founded by his son in 1959 (http://www.schulerschool.com).

Medallic was a New York based company with roots in the early 1900s. It has produced many notable medals including the Pulitzer Prize Medal, the George Foster Peabody Award Medal, and the Randolph Caldecott Medal.  It is currently still in business with offices in Nevada and more information is available at www.medallic.com. Medallic took Schuler’s work and made two sets of dies: 1 ¼ -inch (31mm) and 2 ¾ -inch (70mm). Of the two versions, the 2 ¾ inch medal is by far more common since 7,500 copies were produced for the railroad. Very few copies of the 1 ¼ inch medallion are known to exist and any found should be considered extremely rare.

The larger 2 ¾ inch medal was struck in bronze and delivered to William Hay, Baggage Agent at the B&O’s New York City Baggage Department on 23^rd Street and then shipped to Baltimore via the B&O in several lots. The initial lot of 1,000 was produced for the February 28^, dinner and came in special blue enclosure cases. Fifty medals were presented in custom Moroccan leather cases. The B&O also purchased enclosure cards that could be customized prior to distribution with an individual or institution’s name (although not all medals were given with the descriptive insert or enclosure card).

Besides the 1,000 distributed to guests at the dinner, 3,400 were designated to be given to B&O employees with 40 years or more of service and B&O pensioners. The total distribution plan was as follows:

                13           President of the United States and his Cabinet officials

                12           Members of the ICC

                13           Governors for the 13 states the B&O passed through

                69           Public Service Commissions of the 13 states the B&O passed through

                203         Mayors of cities on and off the B&O’s line over 100,000 (several additional sites were

added)

413         Presidents of Colleges and Universities along the line having an attendance of 350 or more students

248         Leading museums and libraries on and off the B&O’s line including a few outside the system (notables named include: Boston, Cambridge, Hartford, New Haven, and Princeton).

                140         Historical Associations and Societies

                62           Traffic and Railway clubs

                239         Specials (not clear, but mentions from the dinner list)

                57           Unacknowledged from the dinner list

                73           Small Connecting, switching and belt lines

                1,800     B&O Officers and employees serving 40 years or more

                1,600     Pensioners

                215         Entertainers who participated in the February Lyric dinner

                1,000     Dinner guests

               

6,366     Total

Those not accounted for in the list were given to B&O executives and offered for sale to other B&O employees. Several remaining medals were given to loyal employees not fitting in the above mentioned 40 years of service that had requested a medal. Files contain letters of request and it appears that the medals were still distributed based on years in service.  

 The B&O spent $13,361.43 to produce the medal. Cost per medal was $1.10 for the first 5,500, the remainder cost $1.52 each due to ordering in smaller lots, cases cost $.35-$.375 each depending upon quantity ordered and enclosure cards cost $29.75. The special Moroccan leather cases cost $4.50 ea. 

Later versions received the insert card, which reads:

"This medal is issued on the one hundredth birthday of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company to commemorate not merely an important milestone in its own history but the rounding out of a century of a definite American railroad achievement.

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was the first American railroad to operate its lines for the public handling of passengers and freight. This was early in 1830. In all the one hundred years of its life it has changed nether its corporate name, its charter nor its fundamental organization.

The obverse of the medal depicts one of the most modern trains of the Baltimore & Ohio - The Capitol Limited or the National Limited - drawn by one of the largest and most modern passenger locomotives ever built. The spirit of Transportation guides the locomotive in its onward flight.

The reverse shows the Tom Thumb, designed by Alderman Peter Cooper of New York and the first steam locomotive to be built in the United States, even though it was never put into practical service.

Mr. Hans Schuler, director of the Maryland Institute in Baltimore, is the sculptor who designed the medal and it was reproduced direct from his models by the Medallic Art Company of New York City."

A sample of the medal was presented to the Metropolitan Museum of Art; however, it was not accepted in to the collection and actually returned.  B&O President, Dan Willard, was not pleased with this decision and efforts by Medallic to smooth over the incident were only partially successful.  Centenary Director, Edward Hungerford expressed Willard’s feelings best, saying “…it was a shame that really artistic efforts on the part of large business institutions should meet such a wet blanket from the chief art gallery of America,” and he doubted that Willard would consent to send the medal there after such treatment.

The 1 ¼” medallion was struck in bronze and gold, and was only produced as a sample. Artist Hans Schuler received one of these proofs to judge the quality of the sample and commented that the quality of the smaller medallion was exemplary. Records show that at one of these small medallions was struck in 14K gold and presented to President Daniel Willard.  This one-of-a-kind medallion had his name engraved on the side and modified to be worn on the end of his watch as a fob. Hungerford reported to Medallic that when Willard received his medallion in June of 1927, “His eyes sparkled when he first saw it and I know that it is one of his cherished treasures.”

At least three other samples of the smaller medallion were struck in bronze in June of 1927. The samples were created during discussions between Hungerford and Medallic to potentially fabricate 15,000 for distribution to all B&O employees. The idea was dropped due to cost concerns and the belief it would detract from the impact of the larger medal.  Records confirm the creation of the samples; however, none exist in the museum’s collection and museum staff has not seen any examples.

The museum’s staff receives inquiries several times a year concerning the rarity and value of the medallion. The large bronze medal comes on the numismatic market every so often and one example of a typical auction was Presidential Coin & Antique auction sale #70 December 1, 2001 (lot 1325 where it brought $41.40).

While the larger version is not extremely rare, and one can find an example if they are really searching for it, it is truly a work of art. The medal was illustrated in an article when it was first issued in The Numismatist April 1927 (vol. 40 no. 4). The description is just as valid today as it was when the medal first appeared: “The designs are excellent and the execution is splendid, making an attractive medal.” It truly is a representative piece expressing the pride and values of the B&O Railroad, as it celebrated its milestone anniversary and rich heritage as one of the nation’s most significant railroads.

Dave Shackelford, Chief Curator

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad: Old Main Line

Westbound CSX train rolling by Ellicott City

The second most frequently asked question at Ellicott City Station is, “Do trains still come by here?” Yes, freight trains still do roll by just like they have for over 180 years.

Construction of the railroad began with a grand groundbreaking celebration in Baltimore on July 4, 1828. Since no one had built a railroad through such difficult territory before, construction proved very costly. Civil engineers had to invent new techniques as they built west, such as using wooden crossties instead of stone sills to lay the rails. The line reached Ellicott's Mills in  

                                                                                                        May 1830.

In 1835, the B&O opened the Washington Branch to provide service to the nation’s capital. The line being built to Wheeling then became known as the Main Stem. After 24½ years of difficult labor and litigation, the Main Stem finally opened for service to Wheeling on January 1, 1853.

In 1873, the B&O completed the Metropolitan Branch northwest from Washington to join the Main Stem at Point of Rocks, MD. The section of the Main Stem between Relay and Point of Rocks then became known as the Old Main Line. It is still in use today as the Old Main Line Subdivision by CSX Transportation freight trains.

The original route the line followed caused many operational issues later on. At the time the route was surveyed, steam power was still in its infancy. The directors of the B&O chose to go with horse drawn cars, which were small and lightweight. As the horses gave way to steam locomotives in the mid 1830’s, it became apparent that the tight curves of the line would be problematic. As traffic increased, locomotives and the cars they pulled became larger and unable to safely run on the line. Over the years, the track was relocated in many areas to allow higher speeds and safer operation.

In the early 1900’s, the B&O began a major reconstruction project. Several tunnels were bored through the granite hills of the Patapsco Valley to provide a modern track alignment. The section in Ellicott City is still in the original surveyed location.

CSX continues the traditions of the B&O railroad. Coal is still transported from mines in West Virginia to Baltimore to be loaded on ships for export. If you travel through Baltimore on I95 and I895, just outside of the north tunnel portals is one of the coal piers. Trains consisting of special cars called auto racks carry new automobiles and trucks from factories in the Midwest to distribution yards in Baltimore and Pennsylvania. Near the north side of the I895 steel bridge is one of the Baltimore auto unloading yards. And mixed freight trains carrying all kinds of products continue to pass through Ellicott City in both directions. Today, most freight trains do not operate on a fixed schedule. A train could appear at any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Pioneer outside the station

On display at Ellicott City Station is a replica of the Pioneer, a small wooden car that would be pulled by one horse at a time when the line first opened in back in 1830. If you’re lucky, you might get to see a 20,000 ton coal train pulled by several locomotives, producing over 12,000 horsepower rumbling by! Or one of the many other trains that pass thorough. We just don’t know when the next one might be.

(To answer the #1 FAQ, restrooms are in the Gift Shop!)