When I heard that 2100 was chosen for the American freedom train I literally jumped from my seat! 2100 is getting a better life than anyone would have ever expected back in the 1980s. GO ASR
Rewatch the video. At no point did they say there’s going to be a new AFT. The locomotive is being repainted in AFT colors by the restoring organization. Just because they want it that way. THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR A NEW AMERICAN FREEDOM TRAIN. I doubt if such a train could be organized in the time available.
I remember Doyle saying if she ever got repainted again it would be to soon with how much work it is. Also we got her in AFT paint after 9/11, and I'll call that good enough for my lifetime.
@@DJHProductions see, is what I want is a WWII 100th trip and basically do a troop/military displays. More than enough equipment in private hand to fill few flats with tanks, Jeeps and trucks. I think it would be a kick even if it's 20 years off still.
Greetings Rudy, if the opportunity presents itself and it logistically and financially doable, ASR would consider making such a reunion occur. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
@@AmericanSteamRailroad it would be awesome if these two were reunited ! How far off are you on the hydrostatic test? Would you say a couple months? To everyone who has put in time and effort and money toward the rebuild of the 2100 to 80 them I say thank you all so much for her to be reborn and running it’s gonna be a huge accomplishment! Again thank you for the updates on the 2100!
Glad to see everything is coming together, will 2100 (or rather 250) be a solo act for the American Freedom Train? Or will it be joined by other steam locomotives?
Hello, at this time there is no nationally coordinated American Freedom Train. ASR is working "solo" at this time to return a Reading T1 American Freedom Train locomotive, and if a full train does come to fruition, ASR will have a locomotive prepared to pull it. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Bringing back a classic locomotive class for the AFT make me wonder what the counterpart to AFT 250 would be. Maybe the PSR railroads come around to steam locomotives operating on their rails again and we get 4449 in AFT colors again. Then again, we could see a different locomotive lead the train in the west. We won't know until the celebration begins.
Hello, while there is talk of a complete AFT 2.0 train, we here at ASR are just working on the locomotive itself. Thank you for your interest in the AFT 250 / 2100.
When I read the announcement of turning Reading #2100 into the 2026 Freedom Train, I thought that was an excellent and creative idea for the 250th anniversary of the United States and a nice throwback to when Reading #2101 was a Freedom Train locomotive. It's excellent too that there are plans for those two Reading T1s to be on display with each other in Baltimore since #2101 is getting a cosmetic restoration to its Freedom Train look. This time though, could you please keep the "Reading Lines" diamond logo on the front of 2100/250? That would be a small but significant [and manageable] cosmetic improvement over the #2101's Freedom Train look from the 1970s. It's like how the Rexall Train of the 1930s was painted in a flashy livery, but the New York Central Mohawk on that train had its original railroad's logo on the front. It's awesome that the Valley Railroad/Essex Steam Train in Connecticut bought the Frisco #1352 and how the sale of that will help fund the restoration for the 2100/250. Even though it's out of the control of American Steam Railroad, please Valley Railroad/Essex Steam Train [and Riverboat] representatives, restore #1352 back to its Frisco look and livery, but [if you have to] put "Essex Steam Train and Riverboat" or "Valley Railroad" on its tender without "New Havenizing" or "New Englandizing" the locomotive please. Thank you.
Hello, thank you for your interest in the AFT 250! Interestingly enough, back in 1975 & 1976 (and even for 1977 and 1978), many parts from the 2100 were needed to make the 2101 AFT 1 and CSS operational as Both T-1's were needed to make 1 complete and operational T-1. The same is true today, as when the 2101 was damaged in the fire and Richard Kughn purchased and restored the 2100 in the late 1980's, many of those same parts came back to the 2100 as well as the 2101's burned up tender which was exchanged for the 2100's after the fire as it was in better shape for a cosmetic display. Please consider joining, donating, or purchasing an item from our Gift Store at: www.americansteamrailroad.org
Hello! Please don't see it as a sad situation that we sold the 1352, as we here at ASR see this as the best scenario for steam locomotive railway preservation for the 1352, the 2100, and for ASR as an organization. The 1352 will get restored to operating condition much sooner than we could have hoped to accomplish (a very good thing!), the 2100 will get additional funding to speed up our restoration of her (it keeps getting better!). I hope this brightens your day, as we all here at ASR are very happy that the 1352 is going to an exceptional tourist railway with exception people for us all to enjoy in operation.
@@AmericanSteamRailroad understandable, glad 1352 has a good home in Connecticut. But there is still hope that you guys can maybe find another steam locomotive so you guys can have a running mate to 2100.
At some future point ASR does plan to repaint the 2100 back to her original Reading paint. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Greetings. While it is nice to see locomotives running on "home rails", the logistics, costs, etc. usually make this a very rare occurrence. Even had ASR kept 1352 and restored her to operating condition, she would have most likely stayed just in eastern Ohio. Thankfully however, the 1352 will be restored to operating condition, with us having the ability to go visit her in operation.
Have y'all thought of putting it like a melt plug in the boiler just in case? I ask because some locomotives in Europe had those as a Fail-Safe mechanism
Hello, correct, and some US locomotives had them as well, and low water alarms. As the 2100 is equipped with all modern boiler water level monitoring devices, we currently have no plans to install any other equipment. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
The #2100 is gonna be AFT #250 for 2026. With the Semiquincentennial rapidly coming up, the #2100 has become the AFT #250. Who knows what other steam or diesel locomotives will join in the AFT 2026?
The beginning of the video is the exact whistle the 2100/A250 will be using, using member Grayson Littleton's 12 ton steam tractor for the steam. It is a brand new, all brass exact reproduction of a Reading 6 chime, made by Rizzoli Locomotive Works. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Greetings, if it is logistically and financially doable, ASR will take and operate the 2100 at any location. Please consider joining, donating, or purchasing an item from our Gift Store at: www.americansteamrailroad.org
ASR does plan to renumber her back to her original Reading 2100 number and in the Reading paint scheme at some future point after 2026, but that date has not been determined. Thank you for your interest. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
If the opportunity presents itself and it logistically and financially doable, ASR would consider making such a reunion occur. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Glad to see that 2100 will be back in service but I have to ask. Why put all that effort into having 2100 pull the freedom train when you already have 2101 equipped with the American freedom train livery?
Greetings, a good question here, which I will gladly elaborate on. First, the changes to create the AFT 250 are really not all that much. With the exception of the paint, all other items are simple "bolt on" details (eagle, visor, flying number boards, front plaque, etc.). Additionally, the 2100 was an operable locomotive back in the early 2000's, and had a full restoration back in the 1980's, so while there was much work to do, about half of the usual items needing to be restored on a steam locomotive project were already done with very few miles of use on them. The 2100's restoration in the end will cost about $1.5 million dollars. The 2101 is owned by the B&O Railroad Museum, so ASR would have had to acquire or be under agreement with them to perform a complete restoration. With that said, since the 2101 was also in the roundhouse fire and has not run since 1978, it would need a complete rebuild of all items. Additionally, when the 2101 was used for the AFT and CSS the 2100 donated several parts to keep it running, which were then put back on the 2100 when it was restored back in the 1980's. Thus, the 2101 has some "mock up" parts on it, that while they look to be authentic, would not be usable in actual operation. To fully restore the 2101 back to operational condition would be an estimated $2.5 to $3.0 million dollars, about double that of the 2100. Thankfully, the wonderful people of the B&O Railroad Museum are doing a complete cosmetic restoration of the 2101 again as AFT 1, and we should all be grateful that this grand locomotive will be a splendid display for all to enjoy.
Hello, the 2100 will keep the plain bearings on the main drivers that she was built with, as the cost to convert to roller bearings would be excessive as the parts would all have to be made from scratch. All other wheels on the 2100 are roller bearing equipped. There are other very successful large locomotives with plain bearings for the main drivers, including 4449, 261, 1225, 2102, and 4501 just to name a few. We are considering changing from a grease lubrication setup over to oil for these bearings, and will keep everyone posted in upcoming videos.
Hello Jimmy, the AFT 250 locomotive will be available for rent or lease anywhere in the country, but I would assume most of the operations will be in the northeast based on the communications we have been receiving from railroads. Thank you for your interest.
This saddens me that your VERY FIRST steam locomotive. Essentially your ambassador. Is gone. Yes its going to a good home. But you owned 1352. And unless somthing has changed.... your still leasing the 2100 from a private individual without an exact guarantee that you will own her. And to me... that seems well.... risky. I am also in the steam restoration world. I'm not dogging on you guys at all. In Fact much respect. But you know as much as i do in this field that you never know what is gonna happen.
Hello, we definitely understand your thoughts with regard to our ownership on the 1352 while still leasing the 2100. It really all came down to the timing of events (i.e. AFT 250), and the costs ASR was going to have to incur to keep the 1352. When the opportunity presented itself for the 1352 to find a new home with the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat to be operated, it was in the best interests of the 1352, the 2100, and ASR with regard to operational railway preservation for all. Thank you for your interest and please consider joining, donating, or purchasing an item from our Gift Store at: www.americansteamrailroad.org
When I heard that 2100 was chosen for the American freedom train I literally jumped from my seat! 2100 is getting a better life than anyone would have ever expected back in the 1980s. GO ASR
Wow!!!!!!!
Great Job guys!!! I really hope SP 4449 joins you guys for the AFT.
Same!I’d love to see her painted in the AFT colors.
Very exciting stuff! Can’t wait to see 2100 leading the AFT in a few years. It’s definitely something this country needs right now.
Rewatch the video.
At no point did they say there’s going to be a new AFT.
The locomotive is being repainted in AFT colors by the restoring organization. Just because they want it that way.
THERE ARE NO PLANS FOR A NEW AMERICAN FREEDOM TRAIN.
I doubt if such a train could be organized in the time available.
I would like to see Reading T1 2100. Not only seeing in operation but also as AFT 250.
So 2100 will pull the American Freedom Train in 2026? Wow. I wonder if 4449 will be repainted into her American Freedom Train livery?
There probably not gonna repaint 4449 because I heard they are going to try to use Chessipeak & Ohio 614 for freedom train or even big boy 4014 !
Sp 4449 might also pull the American freedom train again since 1976 and it was painted in AFT colors again in 2002 so I think that might be possible
What freedom train!?!? There isn’t gonna be another freedom train get real.
I remember Doyle saying if she ever got repainted again it would be to soon with how much work it is. Also we got her in AFT paint after 9/11, and I'll call that good enough for my lifetime.
@@DJHProductions see, is what I want is a WWII 100th trip and basically do a troop/military displays. More than enough equipment in private hand to fill few flats with tanks, Jeeps and trucks. I think it would be a kick even if it's 20 years off still.
I am so happy that I can finally ride behind a Frisco 2-8-2. My local railroad also supported the 2100s restoration.
Always remember,
Legends never die.
I really appreciate the update on the 2100! Will she be reunited with the 2102?
Greetings Rudy, if the opportunity presents itself and it logistically and financially doable, ASR would consider making such a reunion occur. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
@@AmericanSteamRailroad it would be awesome if these two were reunited ! How far off are you on the hydrostatic test? Would you say a couple months? To everyone who has put in time and effort and money toward the rebuild of the 2100 to 80 them I say thank you all so much for her to be reborn and running it’s gonna be a huge accomplishment! Again thank you for the updates on the 2100!
Great to see Grayson's engine get such an honor!
Indeed, Grayson is an exceptional member of ASR, we are thankful to have him as part of our crew.
Wow I just heard about this! I'll definitely donate to this great cause!
Thank you for your upcoming donation, and please spread the word about the AFT 250. www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Awesome. I sure wish there was a railroad museum near me to volunteer at, id have a blast!
Hi Josh, there are many ways to volunteer, including spreading the word and encouraging others to join or donate. Thank you for your interest.
Glad to see everything is coming together, will 2100 (or rather 250) be a solo act for the American Freedom Train? Or will it be joined by other steam locomotives?
Hello, at this time there is no nationally coordinated American Freedom Train. ASR is working "solo" at this time to return a Reading T1 American Freedom Train locomotive, and if a full train does come to fruition, ASR will have a locomotive prepared to pull it. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Bringing back a classic locomotive class for the AFT make me wonder what the counterpart to AFT 250 would be. Maybe the PSR railroads come around to steam locomotives operating on their rails again and we get 4449 in AFT colors again. Then again, we could see a different locomotive lead the train in the west. We won't know until the celebration begins.
Hello, while there is talk of a complete AFT 2.0 train, we here at ASR are just working on the locomotive itself. Thank you for your interest in the AFT 250 / 2100.
Awesome news guys
Can’t wait to see the T1 run again for the first time in years
When I read the announcement of turning Reading #2100 into the 2026 Freedom Train, I thought that was an excellent and creative idea for the 250th anniversary of the United States and a nice throwback to when Reading #2101 was a Freedom Train locomotive. It's excellent too that there are plans for those two Reading T1s to be on display with each other in Baltimore since #2101 is getting a cosmetic restoration to its Freedom Train look. This time though, could you please keep the "Reading Lines" diamond logo on the front of 2100/250? That would be a small but significant [and manageable] cosmetic improvement over the #2101's Freedom Train look from the 1970s. It's like how the Rexall Train of the 1930s was painted in a flashy livery, but the New York Central Mohawk on that train had its original railroad's logo on the front. It's awesome that the Valley Railroad/Essex Steam Train in Connecticut bought the Frisco #1352 and how the sale of that will help fund the restoration for the 2100/250. Even though it's out of the control of American Steam Railroad, please Valley Railroad/Essex Steam Train [and Riverboat] representatives, restore #1352 back to its Frisco look and livery, but [if you have to] put "Essex Steam Train and Riverboat" or "Valley Railroad" on its tender without "New Havenizing" or "New Englandizing" the locomotive please. Thank you.
Thank you, please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
I can't believe 2100 is replacing her OWN sister 2101 as the American Freedom Train
Hello, thank you for your interest in the AFT 250! Interestingly enough, back in 1975 & 1976 (and even for 1977 and 1978), many parts from the 2100 were needed to make the 2101 AFT 1 and CSS operational as Both T-1's were needed to make 1 complete and operational T-1. The same is true today, as when the 2101 was damaged in the fire and Richard Kughn purchased and restored the 2100 in the late 1980's, many of those same parts came back to the 2100 as well as the 2101's burned up tender which was exchanged for the 2100's after the fire as it was in better shape for a cosmetic display. Please consider joining, donating, or purchasing an item from our Gift Store at: www.americansteamrailroad.org
So sad you guys had to sell 1352, but hopefully you guys can get another steam locomotive in the future.
Hello! Please don't see it as a sad situation that we sold the 1352, as we here at ASR see this as the best scenario for steam locomotive railway preservation for the 1352, the 2100, and for ASR as an organization. The 1352 will get restored to operating condition much sooner than we could have hoped to accomplish (a very good thing!), the 2100 will get additional funding to speed up our restoration of her (it keeps getting better!). I hope this brightens your day, as we all here at ASR are very happy that the 1352 is going to an exceptional tourist railway with exception people for us all to enjoy in operation.
@@AmericanSteamRailroad understandable, glad 1352 has a good home in Connecticut. But there is still hope that you guys can maybe find another steam locomotive so you guys can have a running mate to 2100.
The Valley Railroad has a full time professional shop crew. There’s a decent chance 1352 and 2100 will be done around the same time at this rate.
Awesome video guys!
Thank you, please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
2100 is Almost Done.
We are at about 80% completion, please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
But it would be a sight to see 2100 representing 2101 as the AFT and to bring back history to the rails
You'd be surprised at how many 2101 parts are on 2100.
Will 2100 be repainted after the American Freedom Train celebration? Or will it stay painted in AFT colors?
At some future point ASR does plan to repaint the 2100 back to her original Reading paint. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
@@AmericanSteamRailroad Phew!
Sad 1352 most likely won’t see home rails ever again
Greetings. While it is nice to see locomotives running on "home rails", the logistics, costs, etc. usually make this a very rare occurrence. Even had ASR kept 1352 and restored her to operating condition, she would have most likely stayed just in eastern Ohio. Thankfully however, the 1352 will be restored to operating condition, with us having the ability to go visit her in operation.
Yeah but 1352 will be running timetable passenger trains with scheduled meets against other Steam passenger trains. So that’s pretty dang cool
Maybe she can have some chessie paint and go on tour
Have y'all thought of putting it like a melt plug in the boiler just in case?
I ask because some locomotives in Europe had those as a Fail-Safe mechanism
Hello, correct, and some US locomotives had them as well, and low water alarms. As the 2100 is equipped with all modern boiler water level monitoring devices, we currently have no plans to install any other equipment. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
The #2100 is gonna be AFT #250 for 2026. With the Semiquincentennial rapidly coming up, the #2100 has become the AFT #250. Who knows what other steam or diesel locomotives will join in the AFT 2026?
Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
what whistle will 2100/250 have when it's in operation
I believe a Reading 6 Chime whistle
She will have a Reading 6 Chime. The whistle you hear at the beginning of the video is what she'll sound like.
I understand they had a brand new Reading 6 chime replica made for 2100/250.
The beginning of the video is the exact whistle the 2100/A250 will be using, using member Grayson Littleton's 12 ton steam tractor for the steam. It is a brand new, all brass exact reproduction of a Reading 6 chime, made by Rizzoli Locomotive Works. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
After AFT 250, you should consider running in Canada. No ETC/PTC yet, and Canada doesn't have any operational 4-8-4s.
Greetings, if it is logistically and financially doable, ASR will take and operate the 2100 at any location. Please consider joining, donating, or purchasing an item from our Gift Store at: www.americansteamrailroad.org
Will she return to her old number and paint after the 250th anniversary is passed?
ASR does plan to renumber her back to her original Reading 2100 number and in the Reading paint scheme at some future point after 2026, but that date has not been determined. Thank you for your interest. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
When is 1352 coming to Essex? I live 5 minutes away from the rr.
I think the 4449 will run in 2026
We here at ASR would definitely be glad if it does.
@@AmericanSteamRailroad I would be hyped to see 4449 race down the mainline once more!
Do you plan on working with the B&O Rail Museum to somehow reunited 2100 with 2101 around 2026?
If the opportunity presents itself and it logistically and financially doable, ASR would consider making such a reunion occur. Please consider donating to complete the restoration at www.americansteamrailroad.org/donate/
Glad to see that 2100 will be back in service but I have to ask. Why put all that effort into having 2100 pull the freedom train when you already have 2101 equipped with the American freedom train livery?
Greetings, a good question here, which I will gladly elaborate on.
First, the changes to create the AFT 250 are really not all that much. With the exception of the paint, all other items are simple "bolt on" details (eagle, visor, flying number boards, front plaque, etc.). Additionally, the 2100 was an operable locomotive back in the early 2000's, and had a full restoration back in the 1980's, so while there was much work to do, about half of the usual items needing to be restored on a steam locomotive project were already done with very few miles of use on them. The 2100's restoration in the end will cost about $1.5 million dollars.
The 2101 is owned by the B&O Railroad Museum, so ASR would have had to acquire or be under agreement with them to perform a complete restoration. With that said, since the 2101 was also in the roundhouse fire and has not run since 1978, it would need a complete rebuild of all items. Additionally, when the 2101 was used for the AFT and CSS the 2100 donated several parts to keep it running, which were then put back on the 2100 when it was restored back in the 1980's. Thus, the 2101 has some "mock up" parts on it, that while they look to be authentic, would not be usable in actual operation. To fully restore the 2101 back to operational condition would be an estimated $2.5 to $3.0 million dollars, about double that of the 2100.
Thankfully, the wonderful people of the B&O Railroad Museum are doing a complete cosmetic restoration of the 2101 again as AFT 1, and we should all be grateful that this grand locomotive will be a splendid display for all to enjoy.
Will 2100 have plain or roller bearings?
Hello, the 2100 will keep the plain bearings on the main drivers that she was built with, as the cost to convert to roller bearings would be excessive as the parts would all have to be made from scratch. All other wheels on the 2100 are roller bearing equipped.
There are other very successful large locomotives with plain bearings for the main drivers, including 4449, 261, 1225, 2102, and 4501 just to name a few. We are considering changing from a grease lubrication setup over to oil for these bearings, and will keep everyone posted in upcoming videos.
Will this be a nationwide excursion in 2026?
Hello Jimmy, the AFT 250 locomotive will be available for rent or lease anywhere in the country, but I would assume most of the operations will be in the northeast based on the communications we have been receiving from railroads. Thank you for your interest.
This saddens me that your VERY FIRST steam locomotive. Essentially your ambassador. Is gone. Yes its going to a good home. But you owned 1352. And unless somthing has changed.... your still leasing the 2100 from a private individual without an exact guarantee that you will own her. And to me... that seems well.... risky. I am also in the steam restoration world. I'm not dogging on you guys at all. In Fact much respect. But you know as much as i do in this field that you never know what is gonna happen.
Hello, we definitely understand your thoughts with regard to our ownership on the 1352 while still leasing the 2100. It really all came down to the timing of events (i.e. AFT 250), and the costs ASR was going to have to incur to keep the 1352. When the opportunity presented itself for the 1352 to find a new home with the Essex Steam Train & Riverboat to be operated, it was in the best interests of the 1352, the 2100, and ASR with regard to operational railway preservation for all. Thank you for your interest and please consider joining, donating, or purchasing an item from our Gift Store at: www.americansteamrailroad.org