Happy Birthday American Freedom Train

[BurlingtonJohn]

It was thirty years ago today that the American Freedom Train pulled out of the Alexandria, Virginia station towards the train’s first display site in Wilmington, Delaware.

That a steam locomotive was on the point of the AFT is nothing short of a miracle. After an amazing restoration that lasted all of thirty days, former Reading T-1 #2101, rechristened American Freedom Train #1, started the train on a journey that was to last nearly two years and cover the 48 continental United States.

That a steam powered train filled with some of the most precious artifacts in our nation’s history was able to pull off such a feat qualifies it (at least in my humble opinion) as probably the most significant railroading event in my 42 years.

A big tip of the hat to all of the American Freedom Train veterans out there that made it happen … happy birthday!

Regards,
Burlington John

American Freedom Train Yahoo Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AmericanFreedomTrain/

(Note: to view all of the photographs, documents and posts on the AFT Yahoo group, you have to sign up for free membership … this helps keep the porn spammers down)

[Anonymous]

Another site to try out is: www.freedomtrain.org

This has features on both the first one in 1947 and the 1975 version.

Also, this site also discusses the 1975 version

http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=22757

[TheS.P.caboose]

It's hard to believe!! Thirty years already!! Seems like yesterday.