THIS PROGRAM IS MADE BY MPT TO ENRICH ALL OF OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITIES AND IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR MEMBERS.

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LIVE FROM MARYLAND PUBLIC TELEVISION, THIS IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" WITH JEFF SALKIN.

*] >> JEFF: GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO YOUR "DIRECT CONNECTION."

COMING UP TONIGHT A TOP LOCAL MUSEUM IS CHANGING ITS NAME.

WE WILL FIND OUT WHY.

BUT WE BEGIN TONIGHT TALKING ABOUT YOUR HEALTH.

JOINING US IS Dr.

ZAINEB MAKHZOUMI DERMATOLOGIC SURGEON AND A PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY.

MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER.

IT'S LIKE THE SUMMER SOLSTICE FOLLOWED BY A TREATMENT WITH OUR FAVORITE DERMATOLOGIST.

>> JULY HITS GET YOUR DETERMINE TOLL GIST ON.

>> THERE'S NEWS ON SUNSCREEN THERE IS A NEW INGREDIENT USED IN EUROPE AND IS COMING HERE.

IS IT A BIG DEAL?

>> IT'S EXCITING.

IT IS A NEW CHEMICAL WE TALK ABOUT SUNSCREENS WE TALK ABOUT PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL BLOCKER THIS IS A NEW CHEMICAL BROKER AND IT'S BEEN 20 YEARS SINCE THE F.D.A.

APPROVED THE NEW SUNSCREEN THIS NEW DEMIA BEMOTRIZINOL IT HAS LESS SYSTEMIC ABSORPTION.

>> Jeff: WHICH SCARES PEOPLE WHEN YOU START THINKING ABOUT I'M ABSORBING THIS.

>> WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT LONG-TERM, SOME PEOPLE ARE WORRIED ABOUT LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS OF THE CHEMICAL BLOCKERS.

IT IS EXCITING WE HAVE A NEW BLOCKER THAT IS SHOWN TO HAVE LESS SYSTEMIC ABSORPTION.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT GAME CHANGERS, I THINK IT WILL REASSURE PEOPLE WHO DO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT SYSTEMIC ABSORPTION.

ONE THING I THINK IS EXCITING IT HAS A LITTLE BIT OF A LESS OF A WHITE TINT.

A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THE WHITE CAST THAT THE PHYSICAL BLOCKERS CAN LEAVE AND THIS NEW BEMT SUNSCREEN LEAVES A CLEAR FINISH.

SO YOU DON'T HAVE THAT YOU KNOW, SORT OF WHITE CAST.

I'VE LEANED INTO THE WHITE CAST.

AND I GET A KICK OUT OF IT.

BUT SOME PEOPLE DON'T LIKE THAT.

IT GIVES A MORE APPEALING OPTION.

>> Jeff: IF YOU GO TO A DETERMINE TOLL GIST YOU DON'T WANT TO BE THE ONE WITHOUT THE WHITE CAST.

>> THEY LOOK LIKE BEEKEEPERS THAT IS WHAT I LOOK LIKE WHEN I PLAY TENNIS.

A RUNNING JOKE.

>> Jeff: IMPORTANCE OF SUNSCREEN WHICH WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, THE STUFF WORKS NOT ONLY TO PREVENT SUNBURN BUT SKIN CANCER.

>> IT WORKS THERE, THE DATA IS THERE THE SCIENCE IS THERE.

WE DON'T FIXATE ON THE BRAND, THE SUN PROTECTION NUMBER ONCE YOU GET ABOVE 30, 35 YOU ARE NOT ACHIEVING ADDED BENEFIT AS LONG AS YOU WEAR THE SUNSCREEN YOU REAPPLY OUTSIDE AND YOU'RE MINDFUL ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE AT PEAK SUN HOURS WHICH TEND TO BE BETWEEN 10:00 A.M.-2:00 P.M.

YOU FOLLOW THE RULES SUPPOSE SCREEN WORKS.

WE KNOW THAT ONE SUNBURN DOUBLES YOUR RISK FOR THE MOST DEADLY FORM OF SKIN CANCER WHICH IS MALIGNANT MELANOMA H WE AS DERMATOLOGISTS URGE PEOPLE TO USE THE SUNSCREEN.

>> Jeff: WITHIN THE STUFF ON THE MARKET, YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT SPF NUMBER, UVA, UVB, DO WE CARE ABOUT THAT WE WANT BOTH?

>> BOTH.

THE BROAD SPECTRUM, BEMT IS A BROAD SPECTRUM BLOCKER UVA AND UVB BLOCKER.

THE TITANIUM AND ZINC ARE GOOD BLOCKERS.

BUT YOU DO WANT SOMETHING THAT CAN BLOCK UVA AND UVB.

WHAT WE DON'T FIXATE ON IS THE SPF NUMBER.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE GRAPHS OF THE SORT OF BLOCKING CAPABILITIES OF SPF ONCE YOU GET ABOVE 35 YOU ARE NOT ACHIEVING ADDED BENEFIT IT'S MORE GIMMICK THEY MAKE SPF100 AND IT'S GREAT BUT YOU DO NEED TO REAPPLY EVERY 90-120 MINUTES WHEN YOU ARE OUTSIDE.

>> Jeff: IF YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT DERMATOLOGY YOU CAN SEND US AN E-MAIL WE WILL HAVE THE ADDRESS ON THE SCREEN.

WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PICTURES OF VARIOUS TYPES OF SKIN CANCER THAT PEOPLE MAYBE DON'T WANT TO LOOK AT BUT OUGHT TO SEE.

THESE CAME FROM THE NIH AND ALL THREE ARE DIFFERENT MELANOMA CASES WHICH IS THE MOST SERIOUS LIFE-THREATENING.

>> YES.

THEY ARE.

MELANOMA IS BY FAR AND AWAY THE MOST DEADLY FORM OF SKIN CANCER.

SKIN CANCERS ARE LUMPED INTO TWO BROAD CATEGORIES.

NON-MELANOMA WHICH IS FORT D EXCEPT FOR MELANOMA.

AND MELANOMA.

IT HAS ITS OWN CATEGORY BECAUSE IT HAS SUCH A CAPABILITY OF SPREADING TO ORGANS.

AND WHAT YOU WILL COUNSEL PEOPLE ABOUT ARE THE ABCDE CRITERIA WHICH THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY PUT OUT.

YOU WANT TO APLAY IT TO YOUR MOLES AND IF THREE OR MORE FIT CALL YOUR DERMATOLOGIST.

>> Jeff: A IS ASSEMBLY INDUSTRY.

THEY LOOK LIKE A WEIRD ISLAND.

>> IF IT'S NOT SYMMETRIC AND THAT'S WORRISOME.

THE B STANDS FOR BORDER IRREGULARITIES YOU WANT TO HAVE A NICE SMOOTH BORDER IF YOU HAVE A MOLE WITH SCALLOPED EDGES, ONE OFF SHOOT THAT'S SUSPICIOUS.

C IS COLOR.

SO BENIGN MOLES ARE SAFE TYPICALLY HAVE ONE EVEN COLOR.

BROWN, PINK, THEY CAN BE DARK AS LONG AS THEY ARE EVENLY PIGMENTED.

ONCE YOU GET DIFFERENT COLORS WITHIN THE SAME MOLE, LIGHT, PINK, THAT IS CONCERNING.

>> Jeff: A SECOND IMAGE HAS ONE MELANOMA IMAGE AND BASIL AND SKWA MUST.

THE THING ON THE RIGHT SAYS MELANOMA BUT IT IS NOT THAT ASYMMETRICAL.

>> THE ONE ON THE RIGHT IS A WHOLE PEOPLE MIGHT LOOK AT AND SAY THAT SEEMS FINE I'VE HAD IT FOR YEARS.

BUT WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, JEFF, IS THAT 50% OF MELANOMAS DEVELOP FROM PREEXISTING BENIGN.

50% OF THIS HIGHLY AGGRESSIVE FORM OF SKIN CANCER IS DEVELOPING FROM A PREEXISTING BENIGN MOLE.

IF I SEE A MOLE AND IT COMES BACK AS BENIGN AND THAT IS FINE.

IF I BIOPSIED THAT MOLE EIGHT YEARS FROM NOW THAT IS NO TELLING THAT CAN'T BECOME A MELANOMA.

HALF ARE ARAISING FROM BENIGN MOLES THAT WITH SUNBURNS ARE ACCRUING ENOUGH MUTATIONS THAT THOSE BENIGN CELLS ARE BECOMING MALIGNANT.

>> Jeff: SOMEBODY A VIEWER WITH A QUESTION WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IS THE LATEST FINDING REGARDING SUNSCREEN FOR DARKER SKIN TONES.

I WANTED TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT DIFFERENT SKIN TONES FOR THE SUNSCREEN BUT ALSO SUSCEPTIBILITY TO SKIN CANCER AND THE ABILITY TO SEE IT DEPENDING WHAT YOUR COLORING IS.

>> ONE OF MY FAVORITE SAYINGS BECAUSE I GET THIS QUESTION A LOT FROM PATIENTS IS THEY SAY BUT I'M SORT OF HEAVIER PIGMENTATION CAN I GET SKIN CANCER AND I SAY WELL IF YOU HAVE SKIN YOU CAN GET SKIN CANCER.

ANYBODY CAN DEVELOP SKIN CANCER.

THAT MAY NOT AT THE SAME RATE IS SOMEONE MORE FAIR SKINNED.

THE MORE FAIR SKINNED THE HIGHER YOUR RISK FOR SUN CANCER.

SKWA MUST BEING ONE OF THEM THAT ARE QUITE COMMON IN ASIAN SKIN, TYPE FOUR, TYPE FIVE.

THEY ARE A SUNSET THAT IS QUITE COMMON.

IN THAT POPULATION.

JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE MORE HEAVILY PIGMENTED ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL NOT DEVELOP SKIN CANCER.

IF YOU HAVE SKIN YOU CAN GET SKIN CANCER.

YOU NEED TO SEE A BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST TO SEE WITH WHAT FREQUENCY YOU NEED TO BE CHECKED.

THE OTHER THING A LOT OF THE CARCINOMAS ARE VIRALLY MEDIATED THEY ARE NOT NECESSARILY CAUSED BY THE SUN THEY CAN BE CAUSED BY VIRUSES, SOME CANCERS ARE CAUSED BY VIRUSES ANYBODY WITH SKIN CAN BE PREDISPOSED TO SKIN CANCER.

>> Jeff: AND IT IS NOT TRIGGERED BY THE SUN.

YOU.

>> INDUCED BY VIRUS.

EXACTLY.

>> Jeff: DO YOU NEED TO REAPPLY THE SUNSCREEN OUTSIDE BECAUSE YOU SWEAT IT OFF OR BECAUSE IT LOSES EFFECTIVENESS BECAUSE OF THE TIME?

>> BOTH.

IT'S INACTIVATED YOU CAN SWEAT IT OFF.

THEY DO MAKE WATERPROOF SWEAT PROOF, SWEAT RESISTANT SUNSCREENS THERE'S ALL CATEGORIES, WATERPROOF, WATER RESISTANT YOU DO GET DEGRADATION OF THE PRODUCT WITH SWEAT AND WITH WATER AND IT IS NATURALLY ACTIVATED WITH TIME.

THEY HAVE A HALF LIFE.

WE WILL TELL PEOPLE TO REAPPLY IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE ON A BEACH, PLAYING TENNIS, YOU WANT TO REAPPLY EVERY NAN 0-120 MINUTES.

>> Jeff: WHAT IS THE LATEST FINDING REGARDING SUNSCREEN FOR DARKER SKIN TONES?

DO PEOPLE WANT A DIFFERENT PRODUCT?

MAYBE ASSUME I DON'T NEED IT AS MUCH.

>> THERE WAS AN ASSUMPTION THAT PERHAPS BECAUSE I'M DAMAGERRER I DO NOT NEED SUNSCREEN OR I CAN TAN ONE OF MY LEAST FAVORITE SAYINGS.

LIKE WHAT IS THAT NAILS ON A CHALKBOARD FOR THE TEACHERS FOR ME THAT VERSION IS SAYING I'M DARKER SO I CAN TAN AND IT'S SAFE.

THERE IS NO SAFE AMOUNT OF SUN NO MATTER UNSKIN TONE.

IN TERMS OF SUNSCREEN ONE OF THE MORE POPULAR USES OF THE CHEMICAL SUNSCREEN IS IN SORT OF A DARKER SKIN POPULATION BECAUSE IT DOESN'T LEAVE A WHITE CAST.

PEOPLE ARE BOTHERED BY THE ZINC AND TITANIUM BECAUSE THEY LEAVE A WHITE CAST.

WHICH A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IS OFF PUTTING.

>> Jeff: LIFEGUARD DAYS HALF A CENTURY AGO WE USED TO LOVE THAT.

GET THE DARK SUNGLASSES AND THE WHITE STUFF AND STILL, I THINK, I REMEMBER GETTING SUNBURNS YOU KNOW.

MY ROLE AS A LIFEGUARD IT CAME WITH THE TERRITORY.

AND YOUR POINT NOW IS YOU DON'T KNOW SUNBURNS AND WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU GET A BAD SUNBURN DESPITE EVERYTHING IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO TREAT IT AND MAYBE TO REVERSE THE DAMAGE?

>> YES, AN EXCELLENT QUESTION.

I CAN ANSWER THIS QUESTION, NOT ONLY AS A BOARD CERTIFIED DERMATOLOGIST BUT AS A MOTHER.

BECAUSE IT'S SO SHAMEFUL THAT MY TWIN BOYS HAVE HAD SUNBURNS SEVERAL OCCASIONS.

I KNOW EXACTLY HOW TO TREAT IT AS A PHYSICIAN AND A MOTHER.

IN THE ACUTE SETTING SUNBURN IS PAINFUL.

IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT A SUPERFICIAL BURN.

>> Jeff: IF YOU BLISTER IT IS A SECOND-DEGREE BURN.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT YOU WANT TO DO DO ICE WHEN POSSIBLE.

SYSTEMIC PAIN RELIEF WITH ASID MINUTE FINISH, AND THE USE OF TOPICAL STEROIDS I'VE FOUND IN MY CHILDREN TO BE REALLY USEFUL IN MITIGATING THE IMMEDIATE AND THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF ACUTE SUNBURN YOU USE THE IBUPROFEN IMMEDIATELY YOU CAN CALL YOUR PEDIATRICIANS.

I LIKE TO USE TOPICAL STEROIDS IT HELPS WITH THE DISCOMFORT AND THE BRINGSTERRING THAT COULD -- BLISTERING THAT COULD COME LATER.

>> Jeff: WE'VE HEARD MOHS MICROGRAPHIC THE FIRST TIME I HEARD IT WAS NOSE SURGERY.

>> MOHS MICROGRAPHIC IS MY SPECIALTY.

IT'S NAMED AFTER THE INDIVIDUAL WHO INVENTED THIS TECHNIQUE.

WHAT IT IS, IT'S REMOVAL OF SKIN CANCER ON THE FACE PIE ONE PERSON, THE SURGEON WHO IS THE PATHOLOGIST.

WHAT I DO, EVERYDAY IS I REMOVE SKIN CANCERS ON THE FACE I TAKE THE TISSUE TO THE LAB.

I HAVE A TECHNOLOGIST WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE SLIDES I LOOK AT IT AND I CAN TELL LITERALLY ON A CELLULAR LEVEL IF THE ROOTS ARE REMOVED OR IF I HAVE TO GO BACK AND TAKE MORE AND I REPEAT THE PROCESS UNTIL ALL THE CANCER IS REMOVED.

THEN I DO THE RECONSTRUCTIONS MYSELF.

>> Jeff: Dr.

ZAINEB MAKHZOUMI IS A DERMATOLOGIC SURGEON AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL CENTER AND ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND MEDICAL SCHOOL.

WE WILL BE RIGHT BACK.

>> Jeff: NOW ONE OF THE LEGION EMOST POPULAR MUSEUMS IS CHANGING ITS NAME.

JOINING US FROM BALTIMORE IS KRIS HOELLEN THE CONTRADICT FOR OF THE DIRECTOR FOR THE NATIONAL RAILROAD INDUSTRY AND INNOVATION.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THE PLACE, EVERYBODY RECOGNIZES THE SCENE BEHIND YOU THE B&O RAILROAD MUSEUM.

WHY ARE YOU MAKING THE NAME CHANGE?

>> WELL, HI JEFF, HOW ARE YOU?

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US.

WE ARE MAKING THE NAME CHANGE TO IN HONOR OF THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF AMERICAN RAILROADING IN 2027.

WE DID AN INFLECTION POINT AND REALIZE WE NEEDED A NAME THAT CAUGHT UP WITH WHO WE ARE.

WE TELL THE STORY OF AMERICA THROUGH THE LENS OF THE RAILROADS, SOCIALLY, CULTURALLY, ECONOMICALLY.

AND WE TALK ABOUT IT PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

AND WE REALIZED THAT YOU KNOW, THE RAILROAD DIDN'T STOP IN THE 19TH CENTURY AND NEITHER DO WE AND WE NEEDED A NAME THAT REFLECTED WHO WE ARE TODAY.

>> Jeff: WELL, TELL US SOME OF THE HISTORY.

THIS IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN RAILROADING.

WHAT HAPPENED THERE ALL THOSE CENTURIES AGO?

>> SO WE ARE A HISTORIC SITE THAT BECAME A MUSEUM.

WHICH MEANS THAT WE WILL ALWAYS INTERPRET THESE GROUNDS, THESE BUILDINGS, THIS COLLECTION WE ARE IN THE BEAUTIFUL B&O ROUND HOUSE BUILT IN 1884.

AND WHY ALL OF THIS IS SO IMPORTANT IS THAT WE ARE WHERE THE VERY FIRST STONE WAS LAID.

THE B&O RAILROAD WAS OUR NATION'S FIRST RAILROAD AND CHARTERED ON FEBRUARY 28, 1827.

AND THIS IS THE SITE WHERE THE FIRST STONE AND THE FIRST MILE OF COMMERCIAL TRACK WAS EVER LAID.

BALTIMORE IS THE BIRTHPLACE OF THIS NATIONAL INDUSTRY.

>> Jeff: SO THIS IS A NATIONAL STORY BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN YOU ARE DOWN-PLAYING THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO HISTORY, ARE YOU?

>> ABSOLUTELY NOT.

THE B&O IS OUR FOUNDATION.

WE WILL NEVER LEAVE THE B&O BEHIND.

BY EXPANDING OUR AUDIENCE BASE AND EXPANDING OUR INTERPRETATION TO MORE RAILROADS, IN ADDITION TO THE B&O BY LOOKING AT THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF RAILROADING, WE ENSURE THAT THE B&O WILL ALWAYS BE INTERPRETED.

I MEAN WE COULD NEVER LEAVE THE B&O BEHIND AND WE WOULD NEVER WAND TO LEAVE THE B&O BEHIND.

>> Jeff: I BET A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WATCHING US AROUND THE STATE, AROUND THE REGION HAVE BEEN THERE AT SOME POINT.

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN REALLY POPULAR WITH KIDS FOR SOME REASON.

RAILROAD BUFFS, SO LET'S FOCUS ON THE B&O MUSEUM WART OF IT THAT IS NOT GOING AWAY.

WHAT ARE THE TOP EXHIBITS AND THEN WE'LL GET TO THE NEW STUFF THAT IS COMING DOWN THE TRACK, YOU MIGHT SAY?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WELL, THE TOP EXHIBITS WE ARE A FAMILY FUN PLACE.

WE ALWAYS HAVE PROGRAMMING EVERY WEEKEND THERE'S SOMETHING NEW TO DO HERE.

BUT JUST COMING IN AND SEEING THIS BEAUTIFUL ROUND HOUSE, SEEING THESE CARS EACH ONE WITH ITS OWN STORY.

THAT IS A FAN FAVORITE.

EVERYBODY WALKS INTO THE ROUND HOUSE AND EXCLAIMS WITH AWE BECAUSE IT'S MAGNIFICENT.

BUT ALSO, THEY LOVE RIDING ON THE FIRST MILE OF COMMERCIAL TRACK.

IT IS A HISTORIC PRESERVATION.

AND YOU GET TO TAKE A TRAIN RIDE ALONG THAT FIRST MILE.

THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING TO DO HERE AT THE B&O.

AND PEOPLE HAVE THEIR FAVORITE COLLECTION PIECE.

SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO COME DOWN.

>> Jeff: ALL RIGHT.

OPENING SOON, THE NEW INNOVATION HALL.

WHAT WILL BE IN THAT?

>> WELL, SO WE ARE DOING A HUGE TRANSFORMATION PROJECT IN PREPARATION FOR THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF RAILROADING IN 2027.

WE ARE RESTORING THE HISTORIC B&O SOUTH CAR WORKS BUILDING.

IT IS THE OLDEST CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING RAILROAD REPAIR FACILITY IN THE COUNTRY.

SO IT'S NATIONALLY SIGNIFICANT.

1869 TO 1990 WAS THE YEARS OF OPERATION.

IT'S 33,000 SQUARE FEET.

AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE IT WASN'T UP TO CODE.

SO WE HAVE BEEN RESTORING IT.

AND IT WILL BE COMPLETE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

AND OPEN IN JANUARY.

AND SO THE BUILDING ITSELF IS JUST MAGNIFICENT.

BUT THEN, ON THE FIRST FLOOR WE'RE GOING TO TURN OUR ENTRANCE AND MAKE IT OUR NEW ENTRANCE.

AND OUR BACKPACKERRING LOT WHICH IS HUGE WILL BECOME OUR FRONT PARKING LOT IT WILL BE FREE ON-SITE PARKING.

THE NEW ENTRANCE WE WILL PLACE OUR ARCHIVES ON THE FIRST FLOOR AND WE HAVE OUR ARCHIVES HAVE 30 MILLION DOCUMENTS THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ON PUBLIC DISPLAY THEY WILL BE ACCESSIBLE.

AND THEN WE WILL PLACE TWO SMART CLASSROOMS WE'RE EXPANDING OUR EDUCATIONAL SPACE RIGHT NEAR THE ARCHIVES.

AND THEN UPSTAIRS, ABOUT A 14,000 SQUARE-FOOT EXHIBIT WILL BE OUR INNOVATION HALL.

AND IT WILL SHOWCASE THE PRESENT AND FUTURE OF AMERICAN AND OTHER RAILROADING TECHNOLOGY.

SO THE FUTURE IS FASTER, SAFER, SMARTER MORE CONNECTED, AND IT WILL BE ALL INTERACTIVE AND GAMEFIED AND THERE IS NO OTHER EXHIBIT OF ITS KIND IN THE COUNTRY.

SO THIS MAGNIFICENT BUILDING WILL HOUSE BOTH THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.

SO THAT'S WHY WE LIKE TO SAY THAT WE FOCUS ON THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE POSSIBLE AND INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION.

>> Jeff: WELL, TELL US ABOUT THE PLANS FOR THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY?

I BELIEVE AMTRAK IS STILL USING SOME OF THEIR ORIGINAL ROLLING STOCK IF THAT LONG AGO?

>> OH, YES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO FOR THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY IS THE FIRST STONE IT WAS LAID ON JULY 4TH.

AND WHO A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE IS THAT IT WAS A TIME CAPSULE.

SO WHEN YOU FIRST WALK INTO THE MUSEUM WITH THE CURRENT ENTRANCE YOU SEE THE FIRST STONE AND IT'S NEVER BEEN OPENED.

JULY 4TH NEXT YEAR WE ARE GOING TO UNVEIL THE STONE AND SEE WHAT'S INSIDE.

AND THEN CREATE A TIME CAPSULE FOR THE NEXT 200 YEARS.

SO THAT'S JUST ONE OF THE ACTIVITIES.

THE WEEKEND OF FEBRUARY 27 AND 28, THE ACTUAL B&O RAILROAD BIRTHDATES THE CHARTERING OF THE RAILROAD IN THIS COUNTRY WE'RE GOING TO HOLD A HUGE PARTY.

WE'RE GOING DO THE RIBBON CUTTING THE BUILDING WILL HAVE BEEN OPEN WE WILL DO THE OFFICIAL CEREMONY IT WILL BE A WEEKEND OF ACTIVITIES FOR EVERYONE.

WE HAVE A LOT OF EVENTS PLANNED THROUGH THE YEAR OF 2027.

AND SOMETHING ELSE I SHOULD TELL YOU, IS THAT WHEN WE OPEN OUR NEW ENTRANCE THERE WILL BE A HUGE COMMUNITY AMPHITHEATER THAT IS GOING TO BE KNOWN AS THE CSX BICENTENNIAL GARDEN AND IT WILL BE FREE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO HOLD EVENTS IN AND TO ENJOY THE SPACE AND TO COME AND EAT LUNCH IT'S ALSO ABOUT PLACE MAKING IN SOUTHWEST BALTIMORE.

>> Jeff: SO I MEAN ALL THIS IS GOING TO BE EXPENSIVE.

YOU ARE RAISING TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WHEN YOU MENTION THE CSX FACILITY I'M SURE THEY ARE CHIPPING IN FOR THAT.

OVERALL HOW IS IT GOING AND WHERE ARE YOU TURNING FOR THAT LARGE AMOUNT OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT?

>> WELL, IT'S ALL GOING VERY WELL.

THE BUILDING ITSELF THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT IS 70% COMPLETE RIGHT NOW.

AND SO WE ARE ON SCHEDULE TO BE DONE BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN IS A $38 MILLION CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AND WE HAVE RAISED 33 MILLION OUT OF THE 38.

SO WE'VE DONE VERY WELL BUT WE ARE NOT DONE YET IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE WE ARE NOT DONE YET BUT WE ARE MARCHING TOWARDS IT.

AND YOU KNOW, GET ONBOARD AS THEY SAY.

>> Jeff: I GUESS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE, I CAN THINK OF THERE IN RECENT DECADES, IS WHAT HAPPENED ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO.

THERE WAS A SNOWSTORM.

THE ROOF CAME DOWN I THINK WHERE YOU ARE STANDING NOW.

WOULD HAVE BEEN BURIED IN ROOFING MATERIAL AND SNOW.

TALK ABOUT THE RECOVERY FROM THAT THE FINANCIAL SIDE BUT ALSO BRINGING BACK THE TRAFFIC THE VISITORS THAT YOU NORMALLY GET?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

SO THE MUSEUM ITSELF WHEN THAT STORM OCCURRED IN 2003 IT CLOSED THE MUSEUM FOR ABOUT 18 MONTHS.

AND I THINK THE MUSEUM AT THE TIME THOUGHT THEY MIGHT NOT SURVIVE IT.

SUPPORT CAME IN WORLDWIDE TO SAVE THE BIRTHPLACE OF AMERICAN RAILROADING.

SO THEN THE CARS THAT WERE DAMAGED, THE BOARD AT THE TIME WAS VERY SMART.

THEY TOOK SOME OF THE INSURANCE MONEY AND BUILT OUR RESTORATION FACILITY.

WE HAVE A 27,000 SQUARE-FOOT RESTORATION FACILITY THAT CONTAINS A PAINT BOOTH AND THE LARGEST PAINT BOOTH IN THE MID-ATLANTIC, A WOOD SHOP AND METAL SHOP AND WE RESTORED ALL THE DAMAGED CARS AND WE CONTINUE TO DO THAT WITH SUPPORT.

SO IT IS ACTUALLY A FASCINATING PLACE TO TOUR TO SEE THE RESTORATION SHOP.

AND SIMILAR TO THAT PERIOD OF TIME, WE ARE GETTING SUPPORT BOTH FROM BALTIMOREANS FOR THIS WONDERFUL HISTORIC SITE AND WE ARE GETTING SUPPORT FROM THE RAIL INDUSTRY, HISTORIC PRESERVATIONISTS AND OTHERS WHO CARE.

AND WE USUALLY HAVE VISITORS EVERY YEAR FROM ALL 50 STATES AND ABOUT 40 COUNTRIES WHO WANT TO SEE THE BIRTHPLACE.

AND NOW, THEY CAN SEE THE BIRTHPLACE AND FOCUS ON THE FUTURE AS WELL.

>> Jeff: KRIS HOELLEN THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF RAILROAD HISTORY AND INNOVATION WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND BEST OF LUCK GOING FORWARD.

THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, SO MUCH.

>> Jeff: AND THAT IS "DIRECT CONNECTION" FOR THIS WEEK.

WE'RE BACK FRIDAY WITH "STATE CIRCLE" AND THE LATEST ON MARYLAND POLITICS.

JOIN US FOR THAT FRIDAY EVENING AT 7.

YOU CAN SEE OUR PAST EDITIONS OF OUR PROGRAMS AT VIDEO.MPT.TV.

AND THROUGH THE FREE PBS APP AND WE ARE ON SOCIAL MEDIA AT MPT NEWS.

NOW FOR ALL OF US AT MPT THANK YOU FOR WATCHING "DIRECT CONNECTION" AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.

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