Wiring the Freedom Train

[Omaha Steve]

https://ibew.org/electrical_worker/wiring-the-freedom-train/?ref=news

July 1, 2025

On Feb. 4, 1975, Newberry Electric Corp. in Richmond, Calif., received a call from the Freedom Train Project asking if a crew of electricians could be ready tomorrow. Time was running short, and the company needed 12 train cars to be custom wired with only nine days until delivery.

Members of Martinez Local 302 were on site the next morning.

The Freedom Train Project was one of the many public events that were part of the U.S. bicentennial celebration in 1975-76. The project had assembled a 26-car steam-powered train dubbed the American Freedom Train and filled the 12 display cars with thousands of artifacts documenting the country’s proud heritage.

Beginning its journey in Wilmington, Del., on April 1, the train made stops in all 48 contiguous states. Over the next 21 months, it traveled up the East Coast, across the Midwest and the Great Plains, to the Pacific Northwest and down to Southern California, then to Texas and the South, finally arriving in Miami on Dec. 26, 1976.

FULL story at link above.

[AllaN01Bear]

1. i have a pic of her when she was @ la county fair in 1976.

mom and i went to see the freedom train, we were ushered to the front of the line by navy sailors in white as we had student and other tickets . the pic of me also on the rear viewing platform. i have a pic of the diseasel varint as well.

[SheltieLover]

2. Awesome!

[wendyb-NC]

4. I remember the Freedom Train

So long ago, but 50 years have passed at the speed of light. Gosh, that was an amazing time, I remember the years of planning for it in the area that I grew up in, in Upstate New York! I was just a kid, 21 years old.

Great story. Thanks, for posting, and giving the link, Omaha Steve.

[Dave in VA]

5. Thanks for the post

great memories.