Nostalgia & History > American Freedom Train 1975

With the series about working on the AFT by BoilingMan I decide to get out the slides from my encounters of the AFT in 1975 in its first six weeks.
My first chase was following it up the West Shore from West Haverstraw, NY to Selkirk. The train was enroute from its first display at Wilmington, DE to albany, NY. Weather wasn't that great and this has been the only time I have ever followed the West Shore.
The second time to catch the AFT was in East Syracuse, NY as the train was traveling from Worcester, MA to Rochester, NY. Lousy weather, train was late and heard that poor coal was one cause. Penn Central had put on diesels on the point to speed it along. At the Syracuse stop the diesels were cut away to allow photos.
The next day I traveled to the Genesee Valley Regional Market as that was the display location for the Rochester, NY area.
1. On Penn Central West Shore AFT in West Haverstraw, NY April 5, 1975
2. West Haverstraw, NY
3. AFT Along the huson River with Bear Mt. Bridge

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4. AFT on the West Shore Storm King Mt. April 5, 1975
5. Shot from Storm King Mt.
6. Kingston, NY

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7. AFT 1 Catskill, NY April 5, 1975
8. West Camp, NY
9. Selkirk, NY

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The next two are in East Syracuse, NY on May 6, 1975 as the train is traveling from Worcester, MA to Rochester, NY. Lousy weather and diesels on the point.
AFT 1 Rochester, NY May 7, 1975

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Cre Sleeper exSP 9111 Rochester, NY May 7, 1975

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Nice. Looks like AFT #1 picked-up an auxiliary tender in the Rochester area (also looks like an Erie-Lackawanna business car at the front end as well)

Lousy weather in Syracuse, why I don't miss that place much!

I visited the Freedom Train when it was in Sacramento. About the only thing I remember was there were talking faces projected onto mannequin heads or something like that. Of course it was pulled by the red/white/blue GS loco!

Cheers, Jim Fitch

Thanks for posting these pictures. They trigger fond memories of spending the afternoon and evening in the cab of #1 while parked in Worcester, MA. Listening to stories of the steam days on the N&W told by the engineer and fireman while the loco softly panted was priceless. The engineer stayed late into the evening in his seat, tooting the whistle and calling out to the passing children, "the jolly blue giant says hello". Surely my best railfaning memory was that night with the Freedom Train.

Very Nice set of photos PCCRNSEngr. Thank you for sharing with all of us.
The saddest part today is that the American Freedom Train, steam engine #1 (ex-Reading 2101) is currently stored outside in the B&O Railroad Museum's front yard, not displayed properly and it is now rusting away and the museum management does NOT care. It has not seen a drop of paint since it was restored cosmetically in 1979 when placed in the museum. This is a real Crime for a locomotive with so much history. And many people have complained and yet the museum management will not lift a finger nor will they allow anyone else to work on it. That's what makes it a crime!
Have a nice Thanksgiving to you and your family.

John in White Marsh, Maryland

That New York Central tender must have been added to the consist some time between your April 5 and May 6 photos. Back there in my old stompin' grounds. Thanks for referring to the West Shore as it was properly known. Great photos.

The Aux tender was thought to have come from NYC Mohawk 3042 (4-8-2). Ross picked it up from the PC in Van Wert, OH.

The RW&B Passenger car is Ross' car Brothers Two (ex NYC #7) although at the time of the AFT he'd named it Splendid Spirit. It made a few runs on the AFT, but not many.

The AFT 201 was indeed SP 9111, built for the Golden State and named Golden River. Towards the end of the AFT tour I lived in adjoining rooms C&D. The car still had some of the old touches like the little fans etc, but they didn't work anymore because with the 480 HEP everything in the car was now 110.

BTW, The train was still short two cars in these photos- The tool car #76 would come out with the "49 and the ex Southern Railway baggage car AFT 33 (34 after Wash DC).

Great Photos! I've never seen the tender in primer.

SR Bush



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/26/14 21:25 by BoilingMan.