With its ties to mining and manufacturing, the railroad industry played a huge role in the development of America. Railroads tie the country together. It’s not just freight. Passengers too.

Railroads became the way for politicians to campaign, for the circus to travel between towns and twice the tracks that tie the country together hosted a patriotic train tour. Dubbed the “American Freedom Train” each of these trains visited every one of the 48 contiguous states. Sorry Hawaii and Alaska! Let’s take a look at these special trains, put on the rails to celebrate how the liberty that American rightly treasure.

Both trains would feature patriotic colors on their passenger cars and locomotives, and carry artifacts and displays about the American experience. Interestingly each Freedom Train would be powered by different types of locomotives – although each were rare and of special interest to the public at the time.

The Freedom Train (1946-1949)

Plans for the first Freedom Train were introduced by US Attorney General Tom C. Clark in April 1946. There was a renewed sense of patriotism during and shortly following World War II, which had officially ended the previous September, but Clark believed that Americans were taking freedom for granted.

He sensed the boost in patriotism was beginning to subside, so he joined the American Ad Council, Paramount Pictures, various civic groups – and America’s railroads – to make a “Freedom Train” a reality.

The Freedom Train was led by an Alco PA Diesel locomotive that was given #1776 and nicknamed ‘Spirit of 1776’. Diesel power was in its early stages at the time, so the locomotive provided many visitors with their first close up experience with the new type of locomotive and inadvertently served as an advertisement that sped up dieselization throughout the country.

The Spirit of 1776, a diesel locomotive, led the Freedom Train beginning in 1947.

The tour began in Philadelphia on September 17th, 1947, and would tour then all 48 states over the next 13 months.  The train featured multiple exhibits and historical documents including the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and US Constitution among them. Due to the importance of the documents, security and crowd control was provided by Marines that were hand selected for the honor.

Controversy arose when the train visited states in the Southeast. African-American author Langston Hughes released a poem titled “Freedom Train” which pointed to the fact that trains still had segregated cars. The poem and related public response led the Truman administration to announce that the train would be desegregated for the tour. Although this policy was mostly accepted, stops in Memphis and Birmingham were cancelled after town officials refused to have desegregated visiting hours.

By the time she pulled into Havre de Grace, Maryland, for her last official appearance on October 26, 1948, the Freedom Train had visited more than 300 cities across the country. The tour would officially end in Washington DC the following January.

The American Freedom Train (1974-76)

Nearly three decades after the Freedom Train toured the country, Ross Rowland Jr., a businessman and locomotive engineer, wanted to celebrate America’s upcoming Bicentennial. Rowland and a group of friends knew the crowds that a stream train exhibit would draw, so in 1974 they began planning a touring exhibit of American culture and artifacts, similar to the original Freedom Train, which would be called the American Freedom Train (AFT).

Reading #2101 chugs along with the Freedom Train in tow.

Although Rowland initially envisioned the tour a few years earlier, sponsorships and securing the locomotives necessary for the event took the organizers right up to the wire. Fortunately, when Opening Day happened in April 1975, the train was ready to steam. Throughout the tour, the train was led by 3 different steam locomotives:

• Reading #2101 led the train throughout the eastern portion of the United States. Built by Baldwin in 1923, the locomotive was converted to a 4-8-4 wheel arrangement at Reading’s shops in 1945. Her participation in the AFT was remarkable because crews had just 30 days to restore her both mechanically and cosmetically; and the locomotive was not in great shape at the time after many years in the scrap line.
• Texas & Pacific #610, a 2-10-4 (Texas Type) locomotive built by Lima in 1925, was selected to pull the train through the “Lone Star” state. Similar to Reading #2101, T&P #610 was static as the time of her selection and required significant work to get her ready. Following the AFT, she was able to enter excursion service.

T&P #610 on static display in Palestine. (Photo: Renelibrary via CC by 4.0)

• Southern Pacific #4449, a streamlined 4-8-4 built by Lima in 1941, had the honors of leading the tour through the western half of the US. Since the AFT, #4449 has remained in active excursion service.  In 2002, she was reoutfitted as the AFT following the 9-11 attacks.

Between opening day on April 1, 1975, and the final day on December 31, 1976, the locomotives led the tour across the contiguous 48 United States and made stops to be on display in 138 cities. Organizers estimate that 7 million people visited the train over the course of the tour, and that doesn’t include the countless number of children and adults who visited nearby tracks to catch the train as it chugged through the country.  

Southern Pacific #4449 leading the American Freedom Train. (Photo: Drew Jacksich via CC by 2.0)

Post American Freedom Train Tour

Following the tour, the three locomotives went their separate ways. Fortunately all three locomotives are still preserved today. #4449 continues to steam up for excursion trips in the Pacific Northwest while #2101 (B&O Museum) and #610 (Texas State Railroad) are on static display.

For more information about the train and tour, visit this website dedicated to the history of the AFT.