American Freedom Train - 1975
by ELDavis Photography
Title
American Freedom Train - 1975
Artist
ELDavis Photography
Medium
Photograph - Digital Photograph
Description
This is the American Freedom Train locomotive on display at the Martin State Airport, Middle River, Maryland, in 1975. AFT#1, a former Reading T-1 Class #2101, was used to haul the American Freedom Train on a grand tour of the eastern half of the country during America's Bicentennial (1975-76). The train consisted of 12 special exhibition / museum cars containing historical relics and artifacts symbolizing key aspects of the nation's first 200 years of history, culture, industrial and economic development, politics, arts and entertainment. To keep the huge crowds moving, each car was outfitted with a moving conveyor belt which took visitors past the display cases of artifacts and relics.
From May 1977 through March 1979, the AFT#1 returned to her original #2101 number to haul the "Chessie Steam Special" excursions on the entire Chessie system in celebration of the sesquicentennial (150th Anniversary) of the Chartering of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. The locomotive was painted in the Chessie colors (Red, Yellow, Black), outfitted with an auxiliary water tender, and 19 matching passenger cars. It was a beautiful sight to behold. Sadly, on March 7th, 1979, #2101 was severely damaged in a roundhouse fire where it was being stored in Silver Grove, KY. The auxiliary tender was replaced, cosmetic repairs made to the locomotive, and returned to her AFT#1 color scheme and signage as shown here. It was then donated to the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore, Maryland, where it continues to be slowly destroyed by exposure to the elements and lack of maintenance. Watching her rust away is like watching a loved one die a slow death.
Uploaded
October 14th, 2014
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