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TIMELINE for the 1974 PREAMBLE EXPRESS
 
     
 

The 4-Car Preamble Express scouted the route of The American Freedom Train, providing a venue to meet with local community leaders about preparing for the AFT's visit. The meetings were held in Car 4, which was set up as a classroom, and equipped with an audio and video system. The Preamble staff presented the exhibit and display plans for the AFT, and showed the 16 MM film 'All Aboard America' projected on a screen at the rear end of the car. The film featured the song entitled All Aboard America, Here Comes The Freedom Train by Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton. Each guest received an AFT Press Kit with promotional material about the AFT, and a 45 RMP copy of the Wagoner/Parton recording. After the meeting wrapped up, everyone adjourned to Car 2, the dining car. Here, a full-course hot dinner prepared by a former NYC chef in the Power Car kitchen was served to the guests. At first, dinner meetings with the local Bicentennial committes were held at each stop. Starting in Denver, the meetings were held over breakfast though the rest of the trip.

This list is a work-in-progress. Any additions or corrections, please email. Many thanks go to Keith Muldowney and Lou Arcuri for all their research and notes. Keith and Lou were the mechanical crew, and traveled with the Preamble Express for its entire 48-state journey.

 
 

 
 
Date
Stop
Place
Notes
July 5, 1974
*
NJ
The Preamble Express, led by locomotive Delaware & Hudson locomotive #2313, leaves Lebanon, NJ. The train visits the Central of New Jersey's Elizabethport shops enroute to Cranford, NJ.
July 6, 1974
*
*
Travel to Boston over the Penn Central.
July 8, 1974
1
Boston, MA
Meetings at Boston's North Station.
July 9, 1974
2
Manchester, NH
Arrived via the Boston & Maine RR. Parked near the Manchester Locomotive Works.
July 10, 1974
3
Portland, ME
At the site of the former Union Station, now the site of Union Station Plaza Shopping Center.
July 11, 1974
4
Burlington, VT

Arrived at Vermont Railway yard over the B&M through New Hampshire to White River Jct. (much of this now a trail), then to CV trackage to Burlington where the train joined the Vermont Rwy (ex Rutland).

July 12, 1974
5
Albany, NY
Arrived at at Albany Yard via Rutland on VTR and the D&H tracks.
July 13 - 15, 1974
6
Rochester, NY
NYC Station. Arrived via Penn Central.
July 16, 1974
7
Buffalo, NY
Union Station. Arrived via Penn Central.
July 17, 1974
8
Cleveland, OH
Arrived via Penn Central.
July 18, 1974
9
Pittsburgh, PA
PRR Station. Arrived via Penn Central.
July 19 - 20, 1974
10
Columbus, OH
Union Station. Arrived via Penn Central.
July 21, 1974
11
Cincinnati, OH
Amtrak Station. Arrived via Penn Central.
July 22, 1974
12
Louisville, KY
L&N Station. Arrived via L&N.
July 23, 1974
13
Indianapolis, IN
Union Station. Arrived via Penn Central.
July 24 - 27, 1974
14
Detroit, MI
Michigan Union Station. Arrived via Norfolk & Western.
July 28, 1974
15
Kalamazoo, MI
Arrived via Penn Central.
July 29, 1974
16
Peoria, IL

Rock Island Station. Arrived via South Bend and Kankakee on the Penn Central and Gilmanon the ICG and TP&W.

July 30-31, 1974
17
Chicago, IL
LaSalle St. Station. Arrived via Joliet on the Rock Island. A meeting of the sponsors was planned for the 31st, later but cancelled.
August 1, 1974
18
Milwaukee, WI
Union Station. Arrived via C&NW tracks.
August 2 - 4, 1974
19
Minneapolis, MN
Union Station. Arrived via Madison on CMSP&P tracks.
August 5, 1974
20
Fargo, ND
Fargo Station. Arrived via BN tracks.
August 6, 1974
21
Sioux City, IA
Arrived via West Minneapolis on BN and C&NW tracks.
August 7, 1974
22
Sioux Falls, SD
Arrived via CMSP&P tracks.
August 8, 1974
23
Des Moines, IA
Arrived via CMSP&P tracks.
August 9-10, 1974
24
Omaha, NE
Union Station. Arrived via CMSP&P tracks. Locomotive #2313, a GE product, is switched out for Union Pacific locomotive #951, a GM product. GM had recently come on board as a million-dollar sponsor of the AFT.
August 11 - 13, 1974
25
Denver, CO
Union Station. Arrived via BN tracks. Ultimately, Denver did not host the American Freedom Train. But Colorado Springs did.
August 14, 1974
26
Casper, WY
Arrived via BN tracks. Ultimately, Casper did not host the American Freedom Train even though tickets were printed up for Casper. Cheyenne did host the train.
August 15 - 16, 1974
27
Billings, MT
Arrived via BN tracks.
August 17, 1974
*
Butte, MT
Service stop on the BN.
August 18 - 19, 1974
28
Salt Lake City, UT
Arrived via UP tracks.
August 21, 1974
29
Boise, ID
Union Pacific Station. Arrived via UP tracks.
August 22, 1974
*
Hinkle, OR
Service stop on the UP.
August 23 - 25, 1974
30
Spokane, WA
Arrived via BN tracks.
August 26, 1974
31
Seattle, WA
Arrived via BN tracks.
August 27, 1974
32
Portland, OR
Arrived via Southern Pacific tracks.
August 28, 1974
33
Eugene, OR
Arrived via SP tracks.
August 29, 1974
*
Klamath Falls, OR
Overnight service stop on the Southern Pacific.
August 30 - September 2, 1974
34
Reno, NV
Arrived via SP tracks.
September 3, 1974
35
Sacramento, CA
Arrived via SP tracks.
September 4, 1974
36
San Francisco, CA
Arrived via SP tracks.
September 5, 1974
37
Fresno, CA
Arrived via Santa Fe tracks.
September 6, 1974
38
Los Angeles, CA
Arrived via SP tracks. Ultimately, Los Angeles did not host the American Freedom Train. But Long Beach, Anaheim, and Pomona did.
September 7-8, 1974
39
San Diego, CA
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 9, 1974
*
Yuma, AZ
Service stop on the SP.
September 10 - 11, 1974
40
Phoenix, AZ
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 12, 1974
41
Winslow, AZ
Arrived via SF tracks. Ultimately, Winslow did not host the American Freedom Train.
September 13 - 15, 1974
42
Albuquerque, NM
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 16, 1974
*
El Paso, TX
Overnight Service stop.
September 18, 1974
43
Austin, TX
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 19, 1974
44
Houston, TX
Arrived via Rock Island tracks.
September 20, 1974
45
Ft Worth, TX
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 21-22, 1974
46
Dallas, TX
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 23, 1974
47
Oklahoma City, OK
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 24, 1974
48
Wichita, KS
Arrived via SF tracks.
September 25, 1974
49
Kansas City, KS
Arrived via ICG and N&W tracks.
September 26 - 29, 1974
50
St. Louis, MO
Arrived via Missouri Pacific tracks.
*
*
Poplar Bluff, MO
Service stop on the Missouri Pacific.
September 30, 1974
51
Little Rock, AR
Arrived via Rock Island tracks.
October 1, 1974
52
Memphis,TN
Arrived via ICG tracks.
October 2, 1974
53
Jackson, MI
Arrived via ICG tracks.
October 3 - 6, 1974
54
New Orleans, LA
Arrived via Southern tracks.
*
*
Meridan, MS
Service stop on the Southern Railway.
October 7, 1974
55
Birmingham, AL
Arrived via Southern tracks.
October 8, 1974
56
Nashville, TN
Arrived via L&N and Southern tracks.
October 9 - 11, 1974
57
Atlanta, GA
Arrived via Southern tracks.
October 12 - 13, 1974
58
Jacksonville, FL.
Arrived via Seaboard Coast Line tracks. At Jacksonville, someone added a large round Jacksonville Bicentennial sticker to the nose of the locomotive. The sticker stayed on until Miami, where it was gently removed.
October 14, 1974
59
Orlando, FL
Arrived via SCL tracks.
October 15, 1974
60
Tampa, FL
Arrived via SCL tracks.
October 16 - 17, 1974
61
Miami, FL
Arrived via SCL tracks.
October 18 - 19, 1974
62
Jaxksonville, FL
Arrived via SCL tracks.
October 20, 1974
63
Savannah, GA
Arrived via SCL tracks.
October 21, 1974
64
Charleston, SC
Arrived via Southern tracks.
October 22, 1974
65
Charlotte, NC
Arrived via NS tracks.
October 23, 1974
66
Raleigh, NC
Arrived via Southern tracks.
October 24 - 27, 1974
67
Roanoke, VA
Arrived via N&W tracks.
October 28 - 29, 1974
68
Charleston, WV
Arrived via Williamson, VA on the N&W and Kenova, WV on the C&O.
October 30, 1974
69
Richmond, VA
Arrived via C&O tracks through Covington, VA and SCL tracks.
October 31, 1974
70
Norfolk, VA
Arrived via Petersburg, VA on the N&W, SCL and RF&P and then N&W again.
November 1 - 5, 1974
71
Baltimore, MD
Arrived via PC tracks.
November 6, 1974
72
Wilmington, DE
Arrived via PC tracks. Half day visit. No overnight stay.
November 6 - 7, 1974
73
Philadelphia, PA
Arrived via PC tracks.
November 8, 1974
74
Trenton, NJ
Arrived via PC tracks. Half day visit. No overnight stay.
November 8 - 11, 1974
75
New York, NY
Arrived via PC tracks.
November 12, 1974
76
Hartford, CT
Arrived via PC tracks. Ultimately, Hartford did not host the American Freedom Train.
November 13, 1974
77
Providence, RI
Arrived via PC tracks.
November 14, 1974
*
Baltimore, MD
End of the run -- Camden Station.
*
*
*
*
 
     
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