Steam & Excursion > The Yellow Ribbon Express

I just got word that Ross Rowland is trying to put together a 21st century version of the American Freedom Train. I don't have any details, but I'd sure like to know more as I'm sure some of you here on this board would to. It's rather ironic, because I've been thinking about having a sew on 4 inch patch made with a new updated AFT design as a what if. I know of a patch maker that's top of the line to do it down to even the finest details.

He has been trying to put the yellow ribbon express together since Bush was President. I believe.

Posted from Android

Yep, since at least 2007.

Posted from Android

Gotta give the man credit for trying, and for perseverance.

nycstl Wrote:
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> He has been trying to put the yellow ribbon
> express together since Bush was President. I
> believe.
>
> Posted from Android

This is very true and there is a phone number 610-970-0614 and an address:
The Yellow Ribbon Express Foundation, Inc.
191 S. Keim Street, Suite 110
Pottstown, Pennsylvania 19464



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/14 12:13 by ClubCar.

Seems odd about this very old information, especially since the "Greenbrier Express" is currently auctioning off all those passenger cars.

Hmmm, sounds like this something that's been floating around for awhile. I'll put it to everyone this way. It's the first I heard about it.

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/search.php?0,search=Yellow+Ribbon+Express,author=,page=1,match_type=ALL,match_dates=0,match_forum=ALL,match_threads=0

We've been working on thhe Yellow Ribbon Express concept since 2008 attempting to find sufficient corporate sponsorships to pay the estimated $ 100 million it will cost to build the train and operate it on a 3 year, 125 cities tour of the 48 states. We've come close a couple times but so far not all the way.

Lord willing we'll keep trying. It took nearly 5 years to finally get the sponsors needed to make the American Freedom Train a reality so perserverence is a mandatory ingredient.

More soon I hope. Ross Rowland



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/31/14 04:40 by co614.

Author: co614
Date: 7 years ago
Forum: Steam & Excursion

We are still actively persueing the funding for the Yellow Ribbon Express project which IF we get it will see 614 returned to service. As I've stated earlier it is a long shot that we'll be successful in getting all the [...]

______________________
Better to have known and lost, then to have never known at all.
I'm sure it XwasX IS a valiant attempt - thanks for the hard work.

What lies ahead, we can only dream.

Speaking of what lies ahead - how's the book coming along?

/Mitch

Edit - changed "was" to "IS"!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/30/14 14:41 by Mgoldman.

co614 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> We've been working on thhe Yellow Ribbon Express
> concept since 2008 attempting to find sufficient
> corporate sponsorships to pa the estimated $ 100
> million it will cost to build the train and
> operate it on a 3 year, 125 cities tour of the 48
> states. We've come close a couple times but so far
> not all the way.
>
> Lord willing we'll keep trying. It took nearly
> 5 years to finally get the sponsors needed to make
> the American Freedom Train a reality so
> perserverence is a mandatory ingredient.
>
> More soon I hope. Ross Rowland



Besides 614 are there plans for any other steam locomotives to be pulling the train/trains or is it too early to know?

A few relative comments:

1) With the current business levels on the railroads throughout the entire North American Continent, would anyone think this concept would actually work?

2) With the serious drought from the Midwest all the way to California/Washington, would a coal burning steam locomotive really be allowed to operate?

3) With the continuing down sizing of our military, what would be the real purpose of such a train?

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A few relative comments:
>
> 1) With the current business levels on the
> railroads throughout the entire North American
> Continent, would anyone think this concept would
> actually work?
>
> 2) With the serious drought from the Midwest all
> the way to California/Washington, would a coal
> burning steam locomotive really be allowed to
> operate?
>
> 3) With the continuing down sizing of our
> military, what would be the real purpose of such a
> train?

1: It's feasible. Considering the proposed locomotive would need repairs/upgrades/restoration, the businesses could allow it to change. All of the railroads which the proposed train would have to travel could chip in and sponsor at least the portion of the trip for the "good publicity" sake.

2: Why not do what Loram does with their rail grinders? Have an additional one or two tank cars on the back of the train for fire control or even have a fire patrol of some sort following the train, such as a small, dedicated team of hi-rail equipment.

3: Considering the Yellow Ribbon is generally looked at as a way of honoring or showing support for military veterans, the current size of our military shouldn't be an issue. It can be a tribute for those who serve/served past & present. In my eyes, the purpose of this train would be used as a nationwide "thank you" tour for the service of our military veterans. Let them be the centerpiece of train. The steam locomotive(s) would draw the crowds and at each stop, the crowds would converge on, not only the train, but any military veterans. A lot of folks would then have the opportunity to thank these vets for their service and let them truly know that they are not forgotten.

When this was discussed a few years back the plan had been to convert the 614 to burn oil. I would assume that would still be the case.

Vanakatherock Wrote:
> 2: Why not do what Loram does with their rail
> grinders? Have an additional one or two tank cars
> on the back of the train for fire control or even
> have a fire patrol of some sort following the
> train, such as a small, dedicated team of hi-rail
> equipment.

Thinking of the 3985 trips from Salt Lake City to Provo and return back in the early 1980's, I am not sure the fire fighting equipment on train would work as it set approximately 65 right of way fires and it is as dry out this way now as it was then. Even beyond dry the prairie grass cures and is flammable also.
Even our last trip in coal to Laramie set so many fires the MOW guys had to bring in local fire departments to try and control the fires we set. The narrow guage lines do ok since they run daily and keep much of the fuel burned back and control the rest with spark arrestors and fire trains. I do not think coal in the west on a class 1 railroad would be a good idea and converting to oil would be better.
And oil is cheaper to burn in that you do not have to have clamshell operators and coal cars located all along the line to fuel up from. An oil truck can pull up next to you almost anywhere.

Bob Krieger
Cheyenne, WY

Hotwater...We won the war with coal. Think of Horseshoe Curve in the hot summer of 1943 and 1944. Would you like to have been there with a camera?

Keystone1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hotwater...We won the war with coal.

Try telling the Southern Pacific, the Great Northern, the Rock Island, the Missouri Pacific, the Frisco, to name just a few, THAT!

Think of
> Horseshoe Curve in the hot summer of 1943 and
> 1944. Would you like to have been there with a
> camera?

Nope! I would rather have been a Fireman ON any of those locomotives. I have wasted way too many experiences looking through the viewfinder of various cameras.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keystone1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Hotwater...We won the war with coal.
>
> Try telling the Southern Pacific, the Great
> Northern, the Rock Island, the Missouri Pacific,
> the Frisco, to name just a few, THAT!
>
> Think of
> > Horseshoe Curve in the hot summer of 1943 and
> > 1944. Would you like to have been there with a
> > camera?
>
> Nope! I would rather have been a Fireman ON any of
> those locomotives. I have wasted way too many
> experiences looking through the viewfinder of
> various cameras.

Ah yes, a Baldwin built 74" drivered 4500 class Northern with a long matching consist of tank cars filled with OIL!!