Railroaders' Nostalgia > Yellow Ribbon Express

When and if Ross can get the sponsorship needed to make the YRE a reality, if I can get hired, I intend to keep a photo documentation and journal just like BoilingMan did in '76 with the AFT. And if it goes three years and 150 city tour as stated on the internet site I know where I'll be for three years of my life. From the very beginning until the end.

Keep your powder dry.

Ross Rowland

Worthy goal....

BUT, there will be some differences between then and NOW.

Back then we had no TrainOrders, no ubiquitous Smart phones, or social media. We had no photo-drones.

In today's world, the 'fact-capturing' will be well documented, by others --- the "What & Where".
What your "writer's challenge" will be is to capture the experiences of the 'WHO' ---- the human-side of the trip.
There will be train/loco crew stories, as well as many 'moving' veterans reunions and sad stories.
This could be an emotionally strenuous, and draining tour ---- for the train crew and the site-management folks.

Capturing the 'people side' of the stops will be what makes your future record valuable.

Start NOW, writing what you'd wish-for --- if you were to become a part of the workforce experience, what would you bring to the effort that would make you an important person to include on the crew? What is IT that you'd record?

When it becomes a reality, take lots of snapshots of folks --- relating to the the train and to each other.
There will be powerful and significant human interactions -- the stories will 'flesh-out' the human side of these wars: the protests, the crippled vets and the lives trashed; also, those lives that were changed for the GOOD. Small towns and big cities.

There will be some transient Veterans, as volunteers, on the train as well as full-time crew. Listen well to their stories --- it will make you proud to be an American!

This will be a very arduous trip, hopefully the cash and donations to be raised will be enough to repay ALL the affected families --- for the wounded and crippled soldiers that were left in the dust. Their wives and families that were deeply affected and millions of careers and educations wasted..... We owe those folks some REAL help, too.
There will be also be those families that were smashed because their loved ones will never be returning. This train can never right that tragedy.

Many future folks will be forced to wonder why our leaders so easily sent our young fighters off to fight wars that we were not committed to finishing.
Capturing those musings will be a constant challenge --the one question we will never be able to answer is: The WHY?

More chapters are still being written.... even as we plan to try to salve, to some extent, the deep & lasting wounds so crewel-ly inflicted.
What a story you could write!

Wes C.

Wow! You nailed it Wes. Writing my AFT story for TO has been a real balancing act: trying to find just the right mix of nuts & bolts info and the personal experience side of the tour.
Hopefully I've come close to giving the reader a better understanding of the "family" side of the AFT story- that was always my intent.
SR

BTW- will you be in Portland in '16? Would love to meet you! Doyle sure sings your praises! (Maybe we met back in '76, but I don't remember it- however, I was a rather small fish)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/02/14 12:41 by BoilingMan.

wcamp1472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Worthy goal....
>
> BUT, there will be some differences between then
> and NOW.
>
> Back then we had no TrainOrders, no ubiquitous
> Smart phones, or social media. We had no
> photo-drones.
>
> In today's world, the 'fact-capturing' will be
> well documented, by others --- the "What &
> Where".
> What your "writer's challenge" will be is to
> capture the experiences of the 'WHO' ---- the
> human-side of the trip.
> There will be train/loco crew stories, as well as
> many 'moving' veterans reunions and sad stories.
> This could be an emotionally strenuous, and
> draining tour ---- for the train crew and the
> site-management folks.
>
> Capturing the 'people side' of the stops will be
> what makes your future record valuable.
>
> Start NOW, writing what you'd wish-for --- if you
> were to become a part of the workforce experience,
> what would you bring to the effort that would make
> you an important person to include on the crew?
> What is IT that you'd record?
>
> When it becomes a reality, take lots of snapshots
> of folks --- relating to the the train and to each
> other.
> There will be powerful and significant human
> interactions -- the stories will 'flesh-out' the
> human side of these wars: the protests, the
> crippled vets and the lives trashed; also, those
> lives that were changed for the GOOD. Small towns
> and big cities.
>
> There will be some transient Veterans, as
> volunteers, on the train as well as full-time
> crew. Listen well to their stories --- it will
> make you proud to be an American!
>
> This will be a very arduous trip, hopefully the
> cash and donations to be raised will be enough to
> repay ALL the affected families --- for the
> wounded and crippled soldiers that were left in
> the dust. Their wives and families that were
> deeply affected and millions of careers and
> educations wasted..... We owe those folks some
> REAL help, too.
> There will be also be those families that were
> smashed because their loved ones will never be
> returning. This train can never right that
> tragedy.
>
> Many future folks will be forced to wonder why our
> leaders so easily sent our young fighters off to
> fight wars that we were not committed to
> finishing.
> Capturing those musings will be a constant
> challenge --the one question we will never be able
> to answer is: The WHY?
>
> More chapters are still being written.... even as
> we plan to try to salve, to some extent, the deep
> & lasting wounds so crewel-ly inflicted.
> What a story you could write!
>
> Wes C.

Well said Wes. Mostly I'd keep the journal for myself than for anything else, but I'd definitely reflect back on this message you posted here to keep sight of what I need to be documenting outside the city to city tour. It will be one huge balancing act to put in writing, but it's one that needs to be told through the eyes of the service men and women and their families that the YRE will represent. As for what I'd bring to the table that would make me an important person to have on the crew...... I'm versatile. There wouldn't be any job that I'd consider myself too good to do. I don't mind getting dirty to get the job done. Anything from operating an oxy acetylene torch, to cleanup and set up, I'd be up for it. The YRE isn't for the rail fans exclusively, it's for the veterans and the sacrifices they made for this country and it would be an honor and a small contribution on my part to be a part of something as great as this. Hopefully any potential sponsors will see it that way to and pitch in to help get the train built and running.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/02/14 18:26 by apollo17.

Wes, I'm amazed at all the great points you've made concerning the YRE. And Apollo17, I want to wish you the best in securing a position on the YRE. Hopefully it will become a reality. I'm looking forward to seeing your reports.

Mark

What is the YRE? I haven't heard anything on htis one!

Rob

How is this Railroaders Nostalgia....?

Good luck though.

It's RRers Nostalgia: a work in progress.

Posted from iPhone

Nicely put Wes. It's telling that 40 years after the AFT ran that over 3 dozen crew members still show up for a reunion. It speaks loudly to how much being a part of that project meant to their life experience. I'm 100% certain that the same will be true for those that are a part of getting the YRE successfully through the nation.

Sure hope we can find the necessary corporate support to make it happen as I know it will have the support of the "folks".

Stay tuned.

Ross Rowland

Re: Silverton100..... (above...)

Visit Ross's web site at "Yellow Ribbon Express" DOT (something). [Google-it...]
For a brief overview of his next project.

Ross is hard at work getting the corporate backing that is needed for building the project ---- the goal is to have the visiting-public participation and dollars amassed into a large fund of cash to make grants, and fund projects, that will help re-pay the warriors that fought so bravely and followed their commanders' orders --through hell-and-high-water.

The corporate participation is needed to get the project 'launched'. The size of the need is great, and continues to grow.
So, with the past public successes of the AFT and the GSCL, Ross has shown that he is able to tap-into the American Spirit of Patriotism, Romance of the Rails and American Genero$ity.
With today's social-networking arrangements and the train's "relationship-building capabilities", it should be possible to produce a snow-ball effect of monstrous cash-raising capabilities.
The physical presence of the train, and its celebratory environment, is a huge crowd-pleaser. Ross knows the attracting power of his events. Can he transfer that BELIEF?

The Large Challenge that the 'Contribution Fund' will generate is the public's confidence in the equitable distribution of the monies and job-creating seed-money.
Ross will need a high-integrity, and trustworthy group of citizens to manage and distribute the Fund's wealth --- for decades to come.

His challenge NOW is to build that BELIEF in a few Civic-Minded "Angels" [Money-Whales] who feel, like he does, about this Great Country and our Courageous Heroes -who asked
only for more ammunition and meager rations.

With his ability to persuade the few committed folks that will form the core source of building the train, the loco restorations and operations, Ross should be able to double the size of the crowds that went through the AFT. I wholeheartedly support Ross in this effort --- and deeply admire at his indefatigable enthusiasm and immense courage to battle behind-the-scenes the twin demons of apathy and indifference. His continuous enthusiasm and dogged determination is a reflection of his deep sense of loyalty to the brave warriors that have served so valiantly.
I stand in awe of his demonstrated commitment to that solid belief.

By comparison, though, the political background of the period 1973 through 1976 was much more caustic than today --- the common wisdom at the time was that we were not happy about the up-coming Bicentennial. All that vanished at Peoria, Ill. when tens of thousands of hopeful Americans waited for hours for the arrival of the AFT.

It was all clear sailing after that.
"Will it play in Peoria?" was the question then, and is the challenge in today's planning.
With God's help, Ross WILL be able to build that Reservoir of Beneficial Charity that is so badly needed --- for such a worthy cause. These battered troops daily face monetary, mental and physical
challenges that would make most of us dissolve into crying frustration -- yet, these folks continue to fight. Somebody has to fight FOR them!

I firmly believe that the national apathy that paralyses our country today, is a contributing factor to the horrible daily suicide-rate of our veterans ---- One of YRE's goals is to return HOPE to these folks that feel so abandoned by their country. The 614's whistle may be the clarion-call that begins to give the feeling that HOPE is on the way!

I'd also like your ideas on HOW we bring this project into being, too.

Wes C.

How about a train that promotes the USA to stop sending troops overseas to get killed and wounded?

There's one other thing I forgot to mention Wes that would make me a valuable part of the YRE. I like talking to people and hearing what they have on their minds and what their thoughts and feelings are. I'm a very good listener, so in addition to keeping a journal that details the usual things like the city to city stops we'd be making, I'd also focus on the YRE crew, the families of the vets and the vets themselves. Some of those stories as told by the vets are priceless. I remember a little over 10 years ago working a Publix, a grocery chain that has stores here in Columbus and had the REAL honor of meeting a WW II vet that was on the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion. I can't even begin to describe the conversation we had and the details he told of what he witnessed first hand. I even had the pleasure of meeting a WW I vet just over 20 years ago. T.C. Hale had the spirit of a man that was 40 years younger even thought at the time he was already in his late 80's. He died at the age of 94 in 1996, but his memory will live with me until the day I die. This is the reason I have to be a part of this.

wcamp1472 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'd also like your ideas on HOW we bring this
> project into being, too.
>
> Wes C.


There may be one possible way to speed up the process guys. Maybe a commercial could be made that could air nationally on all three big networks CBS, NBC and ABC detailing what the YRE is and what it will be and ask for not only corporate sponsors to help , but also leave the door open to the public that may be willing to make a donation if they choose to. The web address to the YER could be included for people and corporations to check out for more detailed info..It's the only way I know to get the message out there to the public, because most of the public doesn't know about it. I never knew myself until I started reading this message board about the AFT and BoilingMan told me what Ross was in the process of trying to do.

To RRTom, Most of us wish we lived in a world where military force was never needed and that the Trillions of dollars spent each year on implements of death could be spent to totally eradicate hunger,disease and poverty and that we could all " just get along".

Sadly ( at least so far) that's not yet possible as there are really nasty folks out there whose life purpose is to enslave as many people as possible and make them adhere to their way of life or die. The latest versions are on daily display courtesy of ISIS and No. Korea. If you yearn to learn more first hand perhaps you should consider living for a year or so in either Syria or No. Korea as I'm sure you'll find it very educational.

I spent 2 weeks in Jan. 1969 visiting the Soviet Union as I wanted to see first hand what life was really like under communism. It was literally the education of a lifetime and a MAJOR driver in my wanting to do the American Freedom Train project to show our youngsters how lucky they were to have been born an American.

Perhaps someday in the future mankind will learn to live at peace globally, a goal well worth pursuing. Until then those of us lucky enough to live in societies that allow us to think and say as we wish without risk of repercussions need to be strong enough to keep the madmen of the world in check. We can do that over there or in your local strip mall.....the choice is yours. And, until that day arrives when force is no longer necessary we American's need to do all possible to take care of our youngsters who are willing to step forward and defend our freedoms on the frontlines, as they are truly our real heroes.

That's what the Yellow Ribbon Express train is all about.

Best regards, Ross Rowland



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/05/14 06:03 by co614.

While Ross doesn't toot his own horn nearly enough as I think he deserves to, allow me to do it for him. This picture is of Ross giving a presentation about the YRE at the 2014 AFT Crew Reunion in Columbus this past September.

As a retired US Navy veteran with 23 years of service and an unabashed fan of the American Freedom Train, if there is anybody that can pull such a project off, Ross is it. He refuses to take no for an answer. He has been knocked down how many times, but he gets right back up. Maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but if I was a gambling man, I would bet the YRE will become a reality. As a certain QB in Green Bay said, 'relax'!!!

And when the YRE gets underway, this squid will be on board.

Regards,
Burlington John

---

In case no one has thought of this--
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of "help veterans" organizations right now. Everything from Operation Homefront to Wounded Warrior Project to Boatsie's Boxes is out there, all working separately. YRE could be a starting point to get them talking, if not working together. The current situation is inefficient and leads to waste.

Honestly John- you even make Ross look old!
SR

Hey BoilingMan, when the YRE is ready to go, do you think you'll want to get on board and do another tour like you did with the AFT?

Well, Ross HAS extended the invite to all the old AFTers, but probably not. The average age on the AFT was low-mid 20's, and there was a reason for that. It's a much tougher life than maybe I portray in my stories. By the end of the AFT tour (21 months) I would guess maybe only 10% of the staff was original. I'm not complaining, I got along quite well, but youth IS an asset.
Although, I suspect the YRE experience will be somewhat different. The AFT was constant travel and short display stops. It sounds like the YRE will reverse that by having very long stays to actually provide services to vets.

I'll be taking my Amtrak pension here in about 2 years. I'll retire with a lifetime rail pass and I intend to roam the country freely - I'll stop by the YRE and say Hi here and there.
SR