Railroad Museum

Fair of the Iron Horse 175, the pageant of locomotives and rail cars that was to be the biggest ever of its kind in the United States and boost the B&O Railroad Museum's stature, has been canceled. The decision was a blow but a necessary one, officials said, as the B&O tries to recover from a Feb. 17 roof collapse over the museum's centerpiece roundhouse where many railway artifacts and several vehicles were destroyed or damaged. The 10-day fair was expected to draw a national and international crowd of more than 350,000 people to Baltimore this summer and was to be the highlight of the museum's 16-month celebration marking the founding of the B&O Railroad in 1827.

With an ear-splitting hiss, a rumble and a thump, and a hearty Whooooo-hoooo-wooooo! the 57-year-old locomotive St. Elizabeth lugged away from Baltimore's historic Mount Clare Station yesterday with a load of passengers happy to be going nowhere on a steam train. David Hendrix, on board with his son Cameron ("I'm almost 5!") and daughter Sarah, 3, was clearly getting his money's worth. "My son's a fanatic. Everything's about trains," the 39-year-old Towson resident said. Toy trains aren't good enough.

For railroading aficionados, it's enough to say the blue china is back. Without hesitating, they'll jump in their cars and head for the B&O Railroad Museum to pick up a set.After being out of production for several years, the blue and white B&O Railroad Centennial china is once again available at the museum's gift shop.The china was first made in 1927 to mark the 100th anniversary of the B&O Railroad. Its patterns were based on a set of blue and white china made in England 100 years earlier that was sent to Baltimore to celebrate the first train ride in America, which began here at Mount Clare station.

Volleyball House in Elkridge will be the host for the Bob Bertucci Volleyball Camp for youth ages 11-18. Bertucci, a head coach at Temple University, and his staff will offer two individual skills camps, a team camp and a beginners' camp for elementary and middle school children Aug. 7-13. The cost is $170 a camp; $305 for two. Information or to register: 410-608-8979 or visit www.vbhouse.com or www.bobbertucci.com. Countdown to 'Breaking Dawn' Barnes & Noble Booksellers in the Long Gate Shopping Center will hold a Breaking Dawn party at 10 p.m. Friday to celebrate the release of the fourth book in Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn.

Train fans, this week you can see scale-model replicas and miniatures of railroad circus equipment on display during Railroad Circus Days at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Lancaster County, Pa. Visitors can check out more than 100 authentic locomotives, railroad cars and a freight engine-cab simulator. The event runs 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday at the museum, 300 Gap Road, Strasburg, Pa. Admission is $7; $6 for seniors; $5 for ages 6-17; free for ages 5 and younger. Call 717-687-8628 or go to rrmuseumpa.

It took a lot of brains and brawn to build and operate the B&O Railroad. This weekend the B&O Railroad Museum is recognizing the efforts of the people who helped create the famous railroad, which started service in 1827. The program "I've Been Working on the Railroad" is presented as part of the museum's "175 Years: America on Track" 16-month celebration of American railroading. Visitors to the museum can watch track-laying demonstrations, take free train rides behind the WM 236, meet engineer Harry Eck and watch living-history presentations featuring maintenance crews, firefighters, timekeepers and others.

Bet you've never seen a turntable like this. Today, the B&O Railroad Museum's program "Round and Round" allows visitors to watch as the Roundhouse turntable moves locomotives. The turntable, a 50-foot rotating hardwood circle with train tracks in its center, is able to move a 100,000-pound locomotive 360 degrees. It only takes one person to control the 1884 turntable, which is the centerpiece of the Roundhouse. Three locomotives - America's first steam locomotive, the Tom Thumb; America's first horizontal boiler steam locomotive, the Lafayette; and America's oldest operating steam locomotive, the William Mason - will be rotated and placed in their bays today.

Diesel daysThe "All Aboard Days -- Diesel Weekend" will offer train fans an opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes peek at the diesel railroad equipment housed at the B&O Railroad Museum this weekend.Some of the exhibits usually are not open to the public. Theweekend activities include tours, educational programs, musical entertainment and films. Other highlights include HO model diesel train demonstrations and N-Gauge layout in the roundhouse.The B&O Railroad Museum is at 901 W. Pratt St. and will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday.

Halloween Kids' Night OutYou may be climbing the walls Halloween night at Gerstung's sports place. Not out of fear, but for an evening of indoor sports fun, including rock climbing, trampolining, races, games, arts and crafts. And since it is Halloween, bring your costume and enjoy some creepy activities. Dare to enter the haunted cave, take part in spooky adventures, follow the costume parade, get your fill of Halloween candy and receive a goodie bag to take home. Event is geared toward kids ages 4 and up.The event gets under way Saturday at 6 p.m. and runs until 10 p.m. at Gerstung, 1400 Coppermine Terrace.

Art Picasso at the BMA at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Jan. 12, 13 and 14, and at 2 p.m. Jan. 14 and at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at the Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center, 12 N. Eutaw St. $19-$59. Call 410-547-SEAT. FAMILY Where the buck stops True, one dollar doesn't buy a lot these days. But this weekend, it's got plenty of value at three attractions downtown. As part of Dollar Day Weekend, visitors to the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the B&O Railroad Museum and the Top of the World Observation Level can enjoy $1 admission all day Saturday and Sunday.