All Aboard America
Here Comes The American Freedom train
A memorable mix of dazzling displays, striking scenes,
and exciting sounds of America, the steam powered American Freedom Train may be remembered
as perhaps the only truly national Bicentennial event. Just as the Constitution bounded
together in common purposes the original thirteen colonies, so too, did America’s
railroad play a major role in uniting the American continent. As one of the major national
events of the Bicentennial celebration, the purpose of the American Freedom Train was
steam across all 48 contiguous states, bring 12 cars filled a Kaleidoscope of the American
experience to almost 140 cities, and the by doing so bring us all a little closer
President Gerald R. Ford dedicated the American Freedom
Train at Alexandra Virginia on April 1, 1975, and the train began it’s 24,000 mile
journey. The Freedom Train is schedule to end its historic journey in Miami Florida on the
last day of 1976. The Freedom Train was really two shows in one. The first show was a
journey of the Freedom train. Trains Magazine stated, will all due respect to the contents
of the cars behind, the engines hauling the American Freedom Train are what make 1975 and
1976 years to remember. Transcontinental steam powered trains simply do not happen anymore
– but in fact the American Freedom Train did make it happen and nearly 40 Million
people have watched the passage of this train along thousands of miles of Railroad tracks
The sound show takes place on board the exhibits cars.
Cars that were formally baggage cars reconverted, rebuilt and designed to house on of the
most impressive exhibits ever put on rails. The Freedom Train is a unique experience
because of the highly diversified collection of Americana that has been assembled together
at one time. Materials and artifacts were selected by a panel of experts from more than
200 museums, libraries, and private collections throughout the United States and Puerto
Rico.
Ross Rowland, a 35-year Wall Street broker with a passion
for both trains and America ( photo 1 ) had a dream – that a steam powered red, white
and blue train filled with exhibits about America would be a memorable way to celebrate
the nation’s 200 birthday. Four of America’s largest corporations got interested
in the project and each made an initial contribution of one million dollars to help get
the American Freedom Train the American Freedom Train rolling.
Note !!!!! Page Numbers 3 through Page
Number 5
Are Dedictated To The American Freedom Train
Revised:
September 03, 2007
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