B&O Trivia – Round  3: 1880s-1920s

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  The US time zones were established by the Standard Time Act of 1918. The nation’s railways (like the B&O) were the first to institute the standardization of time zones. What motivated the railroads to move away from solar-based local time to a standardized time?

  • A.
    With the increased success and demand on rail, scheduling departure and arrival times for trains moving cross-country was increasingly becoming a logistical nightmare
  • B.
    Two trains had head-on collisions, which led to multiple deaths
  • C.
    When setting time by the sun, a traveler would have to advance their clock by one minute for every 13 miles traveled eastward, which meant numerous time changes often inside of the same city
  • D.
    All of the above
• 2.
  The historic and distinctive roundhouse at the B&O Railroad Museum was originally built in 1884 to service and repair passenger cars. Built of wrought-iron, brick, wood, and slate, it contained 22 bays, a 60 foot turntable, and three rows of windows that maximized the amount of natural light inside the building. Which world-famous American architect designed this magnificent building?

  • A.
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    Alexander Jackson Davis
  • B.
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    Benjamin Henry Latrobe
  • C.
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    Ephraim Francis Baldwin
  • D.
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    Frank Lloyd Wright
• 3.
  Established in 1890, the Royal Blue Line was the B&O Railroad’s premier passenger line between Washington, DC, and New York City. It was known for its opulent decor, high-class amenities, and speeds of up to 90 miles per hour. However, the B&O was unable to secure the complete length of the route on its own and was forced to partner with other railroads. Which railroad was NOT a partner with the B&O on the Royal Blue Line?

  • A.
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    Central Railroad of New Jersey
  • B.
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    Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company
  • C.
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    Pennsylvania Railroad
• 4.
  The B&O Railroad once again became a pioneer in 1895 by implementing the first use of electrification on a railroad’s main line in North America. The electrified tracks stretched through the Howard Street Tunnel under downtown Baltimore. 3.75 miles long, it still runs from Camden Station to Mt. Royal Station in Baltimore. What inspired the B&O to pursue this new technology for moving trains within the city?

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  • A.
    The city council issued a strict noise ordinance
  • B.
    The build-up of soot and smoke from the steam engines inside tunnels was toxic and dangerous
  • C.
    Faults in the tunnel caused by dangerous vibrations from the huge steam engines
  • D.
    As a promotional tool to showcase the strength and ingenuity of the B&O
• 5.
  What major catastrophe led to the destruction of the original B&O Railroad headquarters?

  • A.
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    Fire
  • B.
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    Hurricane
  • C.
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    Earthquake
  • D.
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    War
• 6.
  The emergence of diesel-fueled locomotives in the early 20th century stoked a revolutionary change for American railroads. The first diesels were used as yard engines in areas where there were restrictions on the use of smoky steam locomotives. Unsurprisingly, the B&O was among the first railroads to begin to switch to diesel with the purchase of a 60 ton switcher for use in the yards in Manhattan. In what year did the B&O buy its very first diesel locomotive?

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  • A.
    1885
  • B.
    1901
  • C.
    1925
  • D.
    1948
• 7.
  To celebrate the 100th anniversary of its founding in 1827, the B&O Railroad’s Fair of the Iron Horse was described by the Baltimore Sun as “the biggest thing that has ever happened in Baltimore.” The Fair took place in Halethorpe, MD for three weeks in 1927. How many people experienced this pageant of transportation history?

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  • A.
    1,500
  • B.
    50,000
  • C.
    125,000
  • D.
    1,250,000

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  Better luck next time...

  Image Source

  You can perfect your B&O knowledge for next time at www.borail.org. MORE QUIZZES & ACTIVITIES: Check out all our trivia rounds as they come out, as well as more quizzes, games and activities by the B&O Railroad Museum at www.BOLivesOn.org/games PRIZES: Every Wednesday at 5 PM until May 6, 2020, a new #BOTrivia quiz will be released on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To be entered to win a premium puzzle from the B&O Railroad Museum Store, just share the quiz and shout out your score on Facebook, comment your score and tag a friend on Instagram, or reply with your score on Twitter. Repeat for the new quiz each week to boost your entries! Winners will be randomly selected on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - one week after the final quiz is released.
• 2.
  Better luck next time...

  Image Source

  You can perfect your B&O knowledge for next time at www.borail.org. MORE QUIZZES & ACTIVITIES: Check out all our trivia rounds as they come out, as well as more quizzes, games and activities by the B&O Railroad Museum at www.BOLivesOn.org/games PRIZES: Every Wednesday at 5 PM until May 6, 2020, a new #BOTrivia quiz will be released on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To be entered to win a premium puzzle from the B&O Railroad Museum Store, just share the quiz and shout out your score on Facebook, comment your score and tag a friend on Instagram, or reply with your score on Twitter. Repeat for the new quiz each week to boost your entries! Winners will be randomly selected on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - one week after the final quiz is released.
• 3.
  Congrats!

  Image Source

  You can perfect your B&O knowledge for next time at www.borail.org. MORE QUIZZES & ACTIVITIES: Check out all our trivia rounds as they come out, as well as more quizzes, games and activities by the B&O Railroad Museum at www.BOLivesOn.org/games PRIZES: Every Wednesday at 5 PM until May 6, 2020, a new #BOTrivia quiz will be released on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To be entered to win a premium puzzle from the B&O Railroad Museum Store, just share the quiz and shout out your score on Facebook, comment your score and tag a friend on Instagram, or reply with your score on Twitter. Repeat for the new quiz each week to boost your entries! Winners will be randomly selected on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - one week after the final quiz is released.
• 4.
  You're awesome!

  Image Source

  Great job! Can't get enough railroad knowledge? Check out www.borail.org. MORE QUIZZES & ACTIVITIES: Check out all our trivia rounds as they come out, as well as more quizzes, games and activities by the B&O Railroad Museum at www.BOLivesOn.org/games PRIZES: Every Wednesday at 5 PM until May 6, 2020, a new #BOTrivia quiz will be released on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To be entered to win a premium puzzle from the B&O Railroad Museum Store, just share the quiz and shout out your score on Facebook, comment your score and tag a friend on Instagram, or reply with your score on Twitter. Repeat for the new quiz each week to boost your entries! Winners will be randomly selected on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - one week after the final quiz is released.
• 5.
  Perfect - You're a true rail fan!

  Image Source

  A true B&O genius. Make sure you keep playing out trivia quizzes and check out www.borail.org for even more B&O facts! MORE QUIZZES & ACTIVITIES: Check out all our trivia rounds as they come out, as well as more quizzes, games and activities by the B&O Railroad Museum at www.BOLivesOn.org/games PRIZES: Every Wednesday at 5 PM until May 6, 2020, a new #BOTrivia quiz will be released on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. To be entered to win a premium puzzle from the B&O Railroad Museum Store, just share the quiz and shout out your score on Facebook, comment your score and tag a friend on Instagram, or reply with your score on Twitter. Repeat for the new quiz each week to boost your entries! Winners will be randomly selected on Wednesday, May 13, 2020 - one week after the final quiz is released.