It sits, seemingly crumbling just an arm's reach from the CSX tracks that intersect West Bel Air Avenue in Aberdeen.
The blue tarp placed to protect its aging roof flaps is in shreds after a violent storm earlier this year.
But as abandoned as it may seem from outside the chainlink fencing surrounding its graffiti-tagged walls, the historic B&O train station in downtown Aberdeen remains a very active restoration initiative.
"It is still a live project. We haven’t given up on it," Historical Society of Harford County Director Maryanna Skowronski said in a phone interview with Patch Wednesday. "We ask people to please be patient with it. Our thought has always been in the end, it will be a nice thing for Aberdeen."
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What becomes of the station will be determined after it is moved back from its current location.
The Historical Society is seeking another 10 feet of property from CSX on the end of the property opposite West Bel Air Avenue, to make the move of the building simpler.
"We have to move it from the tracks. If we could restore it where it sat, it would be a done project," Skowronski said. "For safety issues, we have to move it off the tracks. The Historical Society’s job is to oversee that move."
From there a yet-to-be-determined third party would retrofit the building for new use.
The society received four bids from contractors interested in performing the train station move. All four recently reiterated their interest in the project, Skowronski said.
"From the outside, it doesn’t look like things have been happening, but behind the scenes, things have been happening," she said. "A lot of paperwork and procedures. We’re hopeful to be getting a new sign up that will update people to the progress."
The project has benefitted from two state grants, Skowronski said, including funding for the blue tarp that was to protect the building from the weather that ultimately ripped the tarp from the roof.
The society, Skowronski said, took the title of the property just last year and is in the process of submitting paperwork for reimbursement for various costs through the grants that are supporting the project.
"A project like this takes a long time," Skowronski said. "There’s so many factors involved."
Anyone interested in donating to the project may contact the Historical Society of Harford County or visit The Aberdeen Room.
Read More:
- City Council Discusses B&O Train Station Project
- The Wayback Machine: All Aboard
- The Wayback Machine: All Aboard Pt. II
- The Wayback Machine: The End of the Line
TELL US: How would you like to see the train station used once it is moved? Leave a comment.
