Dear Friends of the B&O Railroad Museum:

On Wednesday, May 5, 2004, the construction team successfully secured the lantern cap back on the Roundhouse, marking another reconstruction milestone.

Over the last 120 years the original lantern had experienced varying degrees of damage, mostly weather, and had been repaired several times. When the metal covering was removed from the cap, close inspection revealed areas of rot in the wooden frame timbers and decking. It was determined that a new, exact replica, lantern should be constructed in order to maintain uniformity and guarantee structural integrity in all the areas of the roof: lower, clerestory, and lantern. As when it was originally constructed in 1884, the new cap of the lantern is covered with lead coated copper and is unpainted. The crown at the very top and the access ladder are original components, which were reused on the replicated lantern.