Nostalgia & History > Preamble Express arriving Houston Union Station -- Sept 74

The Preamble Express traveled the route of the upcoming Freedom Train to help local communities prepare.
Here the train with UP E8 951 is arriving at Houston Union Station.
This was less than 2 months after the last regularly scheduled passenger train had departed the station (Amtrak Lone Star). There was still 4 tracks and a shed left. Even the double searchlight signal was still there.
It was evening and starting to get darker - I did a poor job of focusing but still, it wasn't a bad looking train.

Gary

---

---

NICE pictures Gary.....maybe you already have but I would guess Todd would like to have these on the Freedom Train web site. Arlen

I believe the coaches were former Reading Company.

Good photos. I like the arriving image.
Bob

Definitely memorable photos. Especially like photo with the train tied down at HUS.
ALLEN

This is exactly where the Freedom Train DID display about a year and a half later.  Cool.
SR

Most interesting, Gary. Thanks for sharing.

Were those commuter coaches? Lots of windows and vestibules. What did this train do to prepare for AFT? Host politicians and media to promote AFT? Set up advertising?

Yes, they were Reading RR cars.  Someone converted them for a PR train (Springfield?  Who-ever-that-was).  The AFT acquired them for use as an advance train to beat the drum for the AFT- explore a proposed route, meet local officials, etc.   I was not originally planned that they would be included in the AFT itself (one of the SP triple-unit diners was supposed to replace them) but in the end they DID become part of the AFT to save money.
The 1st car, AFTX 202, was the crew diner (we called it the "Pie Car", a circus train term).  It was set up as a lunch counter type car.  It also had a generator (named Old Maud, or something like that) and a room for the cook.
AFTX 203 had a bar and tables and was used for entertaining The Swells. Food came from the 202, much the way the ATSF served food in the Pleasure Dome on the Super Chief.
AFTX 204 was a parlour  a with an enclosed office at the trailing end.
AFTX 205 had been converted into an open obs by Springfield.  It served the AFT as the Press Car.  It was mostly tables for the press to use.  The local press & officials were usually picked up about an hour out of the train's destination.  It was hoped they'd be impressed ans say nice things about us in the morning paper.  The press were not allowed forward of the 205.
SR