The year 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of America's independence

The railroad industry was in a frenzy in 1976, the bicentennial year. Many locomotives and rolling stocks were painted in patriotic schemes. I wonder if anything is planned for next year.







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The Baltimore & Ohio RR Museum is going to repaint the American Freedom Train #1 steam locomotive. Other projects-?

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July 4, 2026 will mark the 250th anniversary of the declaration of independence from Great Britain. Independence was not realized until the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, officially recognized United States independence from Great Britain.

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As far as the Americans were concerned our independence date was decided by us and not anyone else. We date our independence from July 4, 1776.

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Models like these were released during the Bicentennial.



Have both the manufacturers and us buyers changed in the 50 years since then?

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April 19th will be the 250th anniversary of the Battle of Lexington and Concord, which started the Revolutionary War. I had the pleasure of seeing the battlefields 15 years ago at the behest of my father-in-law. An amusing side note was looking through was looking through an issue of Traction Heritage, I came across a reprint from a 1900 issue of Street Railway Journal with pictures of Lexington Green.

Another rail related note: An 1890 book about rails for railroads written by J.Effreth Watkins mentioned that the prohibition of any kind of heavy metal working machinery in the colonies was one of the grievances aired prior to the war.

An article has been created on Wikipedia (website):

The United States Semiquincentennial, also called the Bisesquicentennial, the Sestercentennial or the Quarter Millennial, will be the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.
No mention is made of the railroad industry.

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DFF

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Lionel certainly got busy with their “Spirit of '76” series cars in the bicentennial years of 1975-1976. Here’s some samples:





Just so everyone knows these cars weren’t sold as a complete set, they were sold individually. The customer could buy as many as they chose. Lionel is producing cars for the 250th Anniversary (I think the proper term is Semiquincentennial?) but they’re a tad on the expensive side this time around, $110 each! Ouch! But be advised, original “Spirit of '76” complete collections are showing up at train shows now with prices ranging from $325 to $400.

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I recently added this hopper to my rolling stock roster:

BLE 1776 HT Quad Hopper by Edmund, on Flickr

And a while back I decided that I needed an Erie Lackawanna SDP 45:

Erie Lackawanna 3638 Bicentennial by Edmund, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Reading 2100 is being restored as American Freedom Train 250 here in Cleveland.

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Good to hear! Also, the B&O Museum in Baltimore is sending their original Reading T1 American Freedom Train (AFT-1) locomotive into the shops for a badly needed repaint. It’s not capapble of being run again but the cosmetic re-do is welcome indeed.

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A non-railroad post:

In 1976, I was on a bowling team. Anyone who rolled a 200 or over game got a special “Bicentennial” 200 game patch. I have mine downstairs in a box somewhere – the kids will find it cleaning out the house when I die.

I doubt there would be very many 250 patches given. :laughing:

It will be nice to have one freedom train on permanent display while another (fingers crossed) is running excursions.

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The day before the actual Bicentennial I was aboard the Rio Grande Zephyr from Denver to Salt Lake City. The dining car food (my first Colorado Rainbow Trout Amandine, expertly de-boned by the waiter) was as memorable as delicious. Nonetheles, the highlight of the ride was being in the rounded-end dome car when a guy with a banjo was joined by a guy with a guitar as we all sang songs like Shenandoah, She’ll be comin’ round the mountain’, Yankee Doodle, Over There, and the like. I had tears in my eyes. None of us were from Colorado or Utah, but from every part of the nation and proud as hell. A good time was had by all.

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That ‘other’ Freedom Train!

Photograph of Marine Guard Standing at Attention by U.S. National Archives, on Flickr

Photograph of Freedom Train by U.S. National Archives, on Flickr

https://www.freedomtrain.org/main.htm

Cheers, Ed

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They are at “dress right,” not “attention.”

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I’m not sure if the General Services Administration is one of the Federal Agencies still functioning in D.C. but you could perhaps drop them a line and they can correct the caption?

U.S. National Archives

Photograph of Marine Guard Standing at Attention

Original Caption: Photograph of Marine Guard Standing at Attention

U.S. National Archives’ Local Identifier: 200-AHF-21

From: Historic Photograph File of National Archives Events and Personnel, 1935 - 1975

Created By: General Services Administration. National Archives and Records Service. Office of Educational Programs. Education Division. ?-4/1/1985

Production Date: 1947 - 1949

Persistent URL: research.archives.gov/description/18520034

Repository: National Archives at College Park - Still Pictures (RD-DC-S)

For information about ordering reproductions of photographs held by the Still Picture Unit, visit: www.archives.gov/research/order/still-pictures.html

Reproductions may be ordered via an independent vendor. NARA maintains a list of vendors at www.archives.gov/research/order/vendors-photos-maps-dc.html

Cheers, Ed

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Thanks. I’ll look into it tomorrow.

I spent six years in the Marine Corps. You are correct!

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