1976 Freedom Train Routing

[rcdrye]

The September issue's map shows the Freedom Train travelling between Bellows Falls, VT and Concord NH via the former Claremont and Concord route - a neat trick since the tracks were taken up in the 1960s. I'm pretty sure it just continued up the river to White River Junction and turned south to Concord there.  The Northern RR was still listed for 25 MPH in 1976.

[RME]

I believe (I am too lazy to actually look it up) that there was a reasonably recent thread on RyPN, associated with the 40th anniversary celebration, that discussed where the actual train operation deviated from the published schedule -- or, in fact, from where the train crew expected to operate.

Hopefully Ross or one of the usual-suspect posters who were "there" will contribute definitive information about this.

[samfp1943]

RME

I believe (I am too lazy to actually look it up) that there was a reasonably recent thread on RyPN, associated with the 40th anniversary celebration, that discussed where the actual train operation deviated from the published schedule -- or, in fact, from where the train crew expected to operate.

Hopefully Ross or one of the usual-suspect posters who were "there" will contribute definitive information about this.

 

    I guess Ross R. is 'unavailable' about now?   With a little 'lookin around' I found a link that may shed a little light on the "1975-76' Bi-Centenial Freedom Train" @

http://freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-timeline.htm

  And a little 'back-tracking' on the site of the "1947=1949 Freerdom Train"

This link contains an epilogue series as to the dispersal of the train and its contents @ http://www.freedomtrain.org/freedom-train-story-09-epilogue-01.htm

Part 2 @ http://www.freedomtrain.org/freedom-train-story-10-epilogue-02.htm

Followed by a discussion of the 47-49 Train's Legacy, and further discussion as to the creation of a Freedom train for the Bi-Centenial.

@http://www.freedomtrain.org/freedom-train-story-11-epilogue-03.htm

[7j43k]

The timeline is mighty interesting.

I photographed it going through Berkeley, CA towards Oakland.

Then sometime later (as I recall) a friend and I chased it over "The Hill" to Reno.

 

The highpoint of that trip was when he and I got ahead of the train at the end of a snowshed.  We figured we'd get great shots as 4449 came out.  So we're waitin'.  And waitin'.......

Eventually she shows up.  And stops.  Right in front of us.  Apparently there was a bearing problem or something.  But it was really weird.  We're looking at each other with that "Are we really that important?" look.  Well, NO.  You're not.

 

 

Ed

[nycstlrr]

I remember seeing it go through Shelby, Ohio. A 9 year old, doesn`t forget stuff like that!!!!

[wanswheel]

Pretty sure Freedom Train went from Albany to Burlington to White River Junction to Manchester.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Freedom_Train_%E2%80%93_1975%E2%80%9376_station_stops

Excerpt from wikipedia article on Northern Rail Trail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_Rail_Trail_(New_Hampshire)

The Northern Railroad built this line from Concord to White River Junction, Vermont, in 1847…

Passenger service ceased in 1965, and freight traffic in the early 1970s. The line was used by the Freedom Train in 1975 and one last time in 1982 when the B&M line along the Connecticut River was blocked after a derailment in Brattleboro.