Bicentennial Freedom Train on NY&LB? (or anywhere in NJ...)

Anyone remember the "Bicentennial Freedom Train"? along the NY&LB/NJCL? http://www.freedomtrain.org/american-fr ... n-home.htm

I'm trying to figure out if i completely made up the early childhood memories about the "bicentennial train" that i have in my head. Here's what i can recall / piece together:

I would have been a real young kid at the time but I am pretty certain that it was pulled by steam when i saw it. If I'm remembering correctly I'd guess it could have been the last steam engine on the NY&LB / NJCL?

Around that time my family spent like every warm summer day at Bradley Beach. I thought i would have seen the train there but looks like it was in Asbury Park in September of 1976. http://www.freedomtrain.org/american-fr ... ark-nj.htm In my head I thought it traveled the entire NJCL but from the links it seems not? Anyone remember?

My memory has the locomotive being typical steam black. But it and the entire train had red, white, & blue stripes down the sides. (pictures above seam to indicate my memory is faulty and the "white" in my mind was more like silver of Amtrak at the time?). I also recall an observation car at the end with flags and bunting.

There wasn't a lot of extra money back then in my family and I think you needed tickets that we couldn't afford.(or maybe there was a limited number of freebies?) So I didn't get to go inside. We basically wallked around the train, I remember it being busy but not all that mobbed. I recall a couple cars that had bigger show-pieces that you could see through windows (for some reason I have the liberty bell stuck in my head but the link above doesn't say anything about it- you would think it would mention if that was accurate). I also recall the moon rock and the website says I'm not imagining that one! For some reason I have Disney being involved in my memory but i really have no idea why- might just be mixing 2 different things a kid would have thought to be fun.

Anyone else remember anything?

Go to the first mentioned website, go to "Roster" and you will see AFT 2101 in Freedom Dress. It was the locomotive used in the northeast US because 4449 was too big and would not clear tunnels etc. in the northeast. I saw this train in Morristown on the M&E in late 76. It was quite fascinating to see the Librerty Bell, Declaration of Independence, etc. all under protective glass with Marine guards assigned to each car. @101 went thru a couple of renderings before getting its final" dress." Hope this helps!

My one view, such as it was, of this train occurred when i was a passenger on a Metroliner en-route from Newark, NJ to Washington, DC. At one point, the engineer got on the PA system and said "Freedom train on left hand side, Freedom train on left hand side." A few seconds later, I saw the train at Martin State Airport. The Metroliner engineer sounded the horn several times answered by the whistle of the 2101.

Michael:

The AFT took an interesting route to Bradley Beach. It had arrived at UNION (Rahway) from the south/railroad direction west via the old PRR main line, now the Northeast Corridor. With diesels coupled to the west end of the train, the train then proceeded down the North Jersey Coast behind diesel power. The 2101, which had been on the train’s east end and so was facing in that direction, followed the train down tender first. The 2101 paused at Red Bank for a ceremony dedicating the station following its restoration. A friend of mine, a Catholic priest named John Zec who co-authored the book “Railroads of New Jersey”, presided over the ceremony. All this took place on a weekday morning and the weather was positively dreadful so you don’t see or hear much about the train’s arrival on the NY&LB. Like the above poster, I had already toured the train on the M&E. Regarding steam on the NY&LB, you are correct in your assumption that marked the last time a live steam locomotive visited the line but, at that moment, it was the second time within a year as the former Florida East Coast 148 had powered an excursion to Bay Head the previous December.

I hope this helps.

Bob

I'll add to the "Anywhere in NJ" part of the thread that our family saw it in or near Morristown.

I have a large number of colors slides of the train that I will try to get scanned for posting for this thread. Actually spent a lot of time around it when it was there in 76. It was the first time I had ever, at age 23, been exposed to a large mainline steam locomotive in person, the size of its driving wheels and its length were just amazing to me at the time. The tour of the actual train if I recall correctly was on a moving belt walkway that took you through the displays, some of them were really cool historical artifacts and interesting.

Most vivid memories are of the CNJ blue GP 40P led trains going by and the diesel/steam whistle salutes as they passed the Freedom train. We waited in line to climb up in the cab of 2101 and talk to the fireman about running the locomotive, he was very helpful and gracious answering our questions.

I had Lionel and HO trains all through my childhood, but seeing that large engine in person at age 23 began my lifelong ( 60 years old now ) passion for trains and railroading. Actually went the next year, May of 1977, to see double headed steam on horseshoe curve ( sister 2102 and 1070 ) as a result of the enthusiasm from seeing the Freedom train.

It was sad to see the 2101 in AFT dress in the B and O museum a few years back, remembering that great day in Sept of 77. I was a great experience.

Rick

CNWMAN wrote:I have a large number of colors slides of the train that I will try to get scanned for posting for this thread. Actually spent a lot of time around it when it was there in 76. It was the first time I had ever, at age 23, been exposed to a large mainline steam locomotive in person, the size of its driving wheels and its length were just amazing to me at the time. The tour of the actual train if I recall correctly was on a moving belt walkway that took you through the displays, some of them were really cool historical artifacts and interesting.

Most vivid memories are of the CNJ blue GP 40P led trains going by and the diesel/steam whistle salutes as they passed the Freedom train. We waited in line to climb up in the cab of 2101 and talk to the fireman about running the locomotive, he was very helpful and gracious answering our questions.

I had Lionel and HO trains all through my childhood, but seeing that large engine in person at age 23 began my lifelong ( 60 years old now ) passion for trains and railroading. Actually went the next year, May of 1977, to see double headed steam on horseshoe curve ( sister 2102 and 1070 ) as a result of the enthusiasm from seeing the Freedom train.

It was sad to see the 2101 in AFT dress in the B and O museum a few years back, remembering that great day in Sept of 77. I was a great experience.

Rick

would love to see the slides if you have time to post. I'm glad it seems i didn't imagine it- lol.

Earle Baldwin wrote:Michael:

The AFT took an interesting route to Bradley Beach. It had arrived at UNION (Rahway) from the south/railroad direction west via the old PRR main line, now the Northeast Corridor. With diesels coupled to the west end of the train, the train then proceeded down the North Jersey Coast behind diesel power. The 2101, which had been on the train’s east end and so was facing in that direction, followed the train down tender first. The 2101 paused at Red Bank for a ceremony dedicating the station following its restoration. A friend of mine, a Catholic priest named John Zec who co-authored the book “Railroads of New Jersey”, presided over the ceremony. All this took place on a weekday morning and the weather was positively dreadful so you don’t see or hear much about the train’s arrival on the NY&LB. Like the above poster, I had already toured the train on the M&E. Regarding steam on the NY&LB, you are correct in your assumption that marked the last time a live steam locomotive visited the line but, at that moment, it was the second time within a year as the former Florida East Coast 148 had powered an excursion to Bay Head the previous December.

I hope this helps.

Bob

Neat info- in my memory we approached from the south and the observation car was there- so the locomotive was on the cardinal north side. I just assumed it went down to Bay Head and looped around.

You mention Bradley Beach- is that just you referencing my post or do you think it was actually there too? It seems from the site above and your info about "backing down" that my memory is probably off as it likely only went as far south as Asbury Park?

umtrr-author wrote:I'll add to the "Anywhere in NJ" part of the thread that our family saw it in or near Morristown.

Do you think it made a stop someplace or jut traveling through on the M&E?

ladder2 wrote:Go to the first mentioned website, go to "Roster" and you will see AFT 2101 in Freedom Dress. It was the locomotive used in the northeast US because 4449 was too big and would not clear tunnels etc. in the northeast. I saw this train in Morristown on the M&E in late 76. It was quite fascinating to see the Librerty Bell, Declaration of Independence, etc. all under protective glass with Marine guards assigned to each car. @101 went thru a couple of renderings before getting its final" dress." Hope this helps!

ahh- now that you mention it I do remember Guards. I think they had hokey 1970 era painted helmets (maybe white or red/white/blue).

so it did actually stop in Morristown for touring? that's interesting.

Also- i stumbled on this looking around for info- seems it actually wasn't THE liberty bell but a model of it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_L ... eedom_Bell
which is actually now on display at Union Station in Washington D.C.

Two images here of AFT No. 1 (RDG 2101) while visiting the Morristown & Erie Railroad shop in Morristown, NJ for servicing in July 1976. Just imagine that big gal coming around the M&E's curved interchange track.

The American Freedom Train was displayed at Morristown's Mennen Sports Arena during the July 23 thru 25, 1976 period. These two photos were taken by Al Holleuffer. I have some of my own photos of the train at Mennen, but the crowds were so heavy that the shots are useless.

Also is an image of the ticket for the event.

I have instamatic pics of it going through Matawan pulled by two black ConRail stenciled GP38's / GP38-2's. Standard freight power on the NY&LB at the time. The 4-8-4 followed shortly. Most likely the largest steamer to traverse the NY&LB and yes, the weather was not good. Fog and drizzle.

CNJ 4104
Scott Speed

Yes, it did go to Bradly Beach, I saw it there. Someone in the family must have some pics stashed somewhere, I`ll have to check it out. I was very young then but remember it very much like the first post. The FEC 148 (Blue Comet) did go all the way to Bay Head if I remember right. I remember standing by the tracks in Belmar with my parents, seamed like hours waiting to watch it go by.

My Memory is a bit fuzzy, but I believe the Freedom Train used the L&HR tracks and made a stop in Great Meadows. There were post cards printed of the train at the station. Wish I had one of them now.

I believe, but could be wrong. The 1278 used the L&HR through great medows not the T-1 ?? 1968 or 69 ?

Living in Morristown for over 10 years now it's hard to believe that's what the M&E looked like as well. That's all pavement now, I also believe this was where and when the 2101 went on the ground as well, due to the sharp curve or track condition at the interchange conection.