I will always love the bicentennial locomotives. They hold a very special place in my heart.
When I first posted on this forum. I told how my grandfather bought me a Bachmann N Gauge starter set. It was the sea board coast Bicentennial locomotive and caboose. That was over forty five years ago when I was very young.
What does a kid do.....Well yeah, they see how fast it goes and watch it flip off the curve and fly across the room.
I still have that locomotive. It sits on the fireplace mantel under the big screen TV in my living room. It's beat to a frazzle and doesn't run. It's set facing to the right with the best side out. It's very special to me. I like keeping it where I can always see it. When I look at it I see my grandfather's smiling face. He was such a great Scotsman.
Please share pictures of your Bicentennial locomotives and, or anything you have to say about them as it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I liked the Bicentennial engines too. During their time I was stationed in the Navy in Norfolk. The N&W brought their beautiful SD-45 in a couple times and I also saw the SCL U-boat there, One trip swhen it came in from Roanoke I remember one of the N&W mechanics told me the SD-45 had a blown piston and they were going to take it out of service.
When I got out of the Navy I went back to Texas and really got into the MOP. They had 2 GP-18 Bicentennials and I saw them several times running between Dallas and Ft. Worth.
I got involved with the T&P 610 rebuild in the Ft. Worth Stockyards and when she got running and pulled the AFT through Cleburne I drove down and watched her heading to Ft. Worth with an AT&SF Bicentennial behind the tender.
I think my favorite was that huge N&W high hood SD-45. Something about the simplicity of the paint job on such a bulky engine. As if the high short hood weren't enough those radiators flared out coming at you were awesome.
Roger Huber
Deer Creek Locomotive Works
I'm not in a position to share photos, but I did follow and photograph AFT 4449 eastbound over Donner Summit.
Ed
I wouldn't mind owning a MKT GP38-2 in Bicentinnial colors.
Right now I have three, and will add the GT 1776 when I get around to painting and decaling the engine, as Athearn's was a complete foobie!
One of my favorites of course, also one of the few that was factory painted by the manufacturer rather than a shop repaint as most of them were. Jim Hediger rode this engine from Springfield to Ironton and took many pictures enroute. Stated the engineer had a carpet on the walkway and one had to clean their shoes/boots before entering the cab. Also the only 4 digit numbered loco on the DT&I.
Another of my favorites, nice simple repaint.
Erie-Lackawanna repaint of the SDP45, unit went to Conrail where it kept the paint but had the CR added, was used in Cleveland hauling ore from Whiskey Island to the steel plants.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Unfortunately the ever economical D&RGW never painted a bi-centenal diesel, but many connecting roads did, like WP and SP. But so far I haven't sprung for any although I've been sorely tempted to buy one of the Cotton Belt bicentenial SD45T-2's.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
GP7 BM 1715 was repainted in a simplified bicentennal scheme. I custom painted an Athearn BB from a photo taken in 1979, it shows a lot of use.
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
When I was a kid I got to see the Freedom Train. It toured the country in 1976 and had the Liberty Bell in one of it’s cars. I can’t remember if I saw it in Portland or in California. It was running on Southern Pacific tracks for that part of the tour. The same summer we rode the Coast Starlight from Portland to Los Angeles and spent a week at Disneyland including the fourth of July. Disneyland had the full on bicentennial celebration going on including America on Parade. I have really great memories of the whole bicentennial celebration. Good times. I noticed on page 11 of the current issue (July 2017) of MR that Athearn made a Spirit of 76 locomotive. The description says its for the bicentennial but the picture shows the locomotive with 1876. What the heck? I’m confused.
Thanks all for sharing. I did see a few I never seen before. I enjoyed reading the stories too.
thanks
The STRATTON & GILLETTE also has a bicentenial locomotive. The powers in charge ordered an E-8 repainted into patriotic colors in 1976 to celebrate the countries big anniversary.
This is a VERY old model. I am sure i painted this one over 20 years ago. This is way back in the N scale days. I painted it to pull my string of Micro-Trains bicentennial cars I picked up at auction in Miami many years ago.
Of course, the SGRR never existed in 1976, so this is kind of a Sci-Fi model in a way. Oooooh... the future!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Bachmann is selling the Freedom Train with DCC and sound
https://www.walthers.com/gs4-4-8-4-amer-freedom?ref=1
The 'other' 4-8-4 AFT #1 is the better one
Tyco made two Bicentennial locos - the big Alco and also the "Spirit of 76" steam loco with was their standard 4-6-0 with the offset rear driver painting in a red white and blue scheme with 1876 on it. I don't know about Athearn. The one called "Spirit of '76" is definitely a Tyco product, i had one.
The new Athearn release replicates the actual BN loco - road number 1876. There WAS a 1976 as well, but it was an SDP40, not an SD40-2 which the Athearn model is. Image from the Fallen Flags site:
Looks like Athearn got it pretty much correct.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinkerThe new Athearn release replicates the actual BN loco - road number 1876. There WAS a 1976 as well, but it was an SDP40, not an SD40-2 which the Athearn model is. Image from the Fallen Flags site: Looks like Athearn got it pretty much correct.
OK now that makes sense since they did have a #1776. I didn't realize that 1876 was the road number. I just thought it was decoration.
Lionel did make a HO scale Freedom Train train set with some of the cars including the Liberty Bell car which of course was the main attraction. I'm sure the locomotive wasn't nearly as nice as the Bachmann model. I had a chance to get the Lionel set when I was a kid but decided do get something average instead of something once in a life time because back then I only had a very limited collection.
Kader made the HO GS-4 AFT for Lionel - so more or less it is the same as the Bachmann one.
This is the N gauge Seaboard coast my grandfather gave to me 41 years ago.
This is the real one. Thanks for the replies I really enjoyed this post.
That's the one Tyco did in HO as well, that I used to have. Apparantly I had the more rare version that had the Presidential Seal on it like the prototype - there was some sort of kerfluffle and Tyco had to redo it without the seal. Despite being worn and generally a typical piece of Tyco 70's train set junk, I got a good price for it on ebay.
Here is one I wish Athearn would do with their GP7 Genesis Line, or if somebody would produce the decal, I would do it myself.
dti406 Here is one I wish Athearn would do with their GP7 Genesis Line, or if somebody would produce the decal, I would do it myself. Rick Jesionowski
Yup. That's a good one. I like the high nose locomotives. They look mean. Check this one out with the banner painted on front. I like this one too.
Edit. I'm not very knowledgeable on engine classifications. I don't think this is a GP7, so help me out. What is it ?
P&LE had a complicated one. Even has the official bicentennial logo!
Track fiddler dti406 Here is one I wish Athearn would do with their GP7 Genesis Line, or if somebody would produce the decal, I would do it myself. Rick Jesionowski Yup. That's a good one. I like the high nose locomotives. They look mean. Check this one out with the banner painted on front. I like this one too. Edit. I'm not very knowledgeable on engine classifications. I don't think this is a GP7, so help me out. What is it ? Thanks
The BAR engine is a GP7, based on the louvers on the long hood end.
I have the decal for the BAR engine, and will be doing it in the future.
Pappa & Son
Edit. Thanks Rick for letting me know what it was.
BN had three bicentennial locomotives:
1776 – A U30C, former BN 5325
1st 1976 – A SD40-2, former BN 6325. It was involved in a wreck on it’s first run after being painted / numbered as 1976. As BN had a major PR event on the schedule involving 1776 and 1976, it was temporarily renumbered back to 6325, still wearing r/w/b.
2nd 1976 – A SDP40, former BN 6397. It took the SD40-2’s place.
1st 1876 – the SD40-2 that was former 1976, nee BN 6325. As it’s bicentennial paint was not damaged in the accident, BN decided to renumber it to 1876 and added the plaques of Sitting Bull and Custer on either side of the locomotive.
I won’t even get into the GP9s that were renumbered to make way for the bicentennials. Confused yet?
HO scale models have been done of 1776 and 1876; I’m thinking about buying another Athearn 1876 and renumbering it to 1976. I hope that Athearn will update their SDP40 and that a model of 1976 will be offered ….
Regards,
Burlington John
THE site for American Freedom Train fans http://www.freedomtrain.org
Burlington John. Interesting stuff. I've only seen models from internet video clips of the prototype information you shared. One was a youtube video of two BN green machines (sorry thats what we called them when we were kids in the mid 70's) with a BN bicentennial locomotive in front. A rather impressive layout . I watched that video clip more than once.
I grew up right next to a BN High-Speed triple Rail line that brought in long drag taconite from the Iron Range to the steel mill just outside of Minneapolis. Full loads coming in, empties going out.
I guess looking back that must have been the Industrial Steel boom era when our country was strong. Unions self-sufficiency and American Worker Pride.
I went back to where I grew up to the same place 40 years later. There is only one line, a tall chain link fence and a bike path.
SOMETHING WRONG HERE. As far as I know the Iron Range still has plenty of available resources. It makes me wonder what happened to the other two lines.
A speculatory view of what I think it is. BN would of course be more than willing to still be running three lines. But the rumor has it. An overseas country (you know who it is) buys all our scrap metal and steel. Melts it down, refabricates it and sells it back to us.
Corporate fat cats get fatter. Good paying American jobs get thinner.
Oh well what are you going to do? Don't sweat the small stuff.
PS. I really like Burlington Northern as I grew up with it. I chose to model Great Northern so I can mix the steam into the picture. I know I'm going to cheat though. I'll put all that stuff away and buy a couple Green Machines.
Just gotta !