In 1969, I created the “Golden Spike Centennial Limited”: a 15-car-long, steam locomotive-powered exhibition train. This special train operated from New York City to Salt Lake City, Utah, to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the driving of the last spike on the nation’s first transcontinental railroad, at Promontory, Utah, on May 10, 1869. Train operation was limited to daylight-only running, and the train was displayed each evening at a pre-selected city enroute, where the general public was invited to tour the cab of its steam locomotive plus the display cars, which showcased American Railroading’s past, present and future. Public response was overwhelmingly positive. An Associated Press reporter rode the train for its entire two-week journey, and estimated that approximately 1.5 million spectators came to trackside to watch it steam past, and an additional 100,000 people toured the equipment while it was on display. Actor John Wayne rode the last leg of the journey into Salt Lake City, and was so impressed with the public enthusiasm for it that he suggested to me a similar train would be “…a great way to celebrate our nation’s upcoming 200 th birthday, filled with historic treasures of our history that these folks would like to see.” Thus was planted the seed for “The American Freedom Train”.
In the early 1970’s, as America was preparing to celebrate its Bicentennial, very little media attention was being paid to this very-significant milestone. Instead, most media space and energy was being devoted to the divisive issues of the Vietnam War and the Watergate scandal. In 1972, Congress created the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration [ABRA], to be the responsible Federal agency for the promotion and coordination of the national Bicentennial celebration. With the event only four years away, it was apparent to me that very few, if any, of the then-proposed “National Projects” would succeed in getting off the drawing board…and that this important anniversary would likely pass without proper celebration.
Thus, I incorporated the American Freedom Train Foundation, Inc. in 1970, as an IRS Section 501(c)(3) entity, for the sole purpose of organizing and operating a new Bicentennial commemorative train in 1976. After three years of making corporate presentations, I secured four major corporate sponsors: PepsiCo, General Motors, Kraft Foods and Prudential Insurance. Their funding, plus strong support from the White House, allowed me to establish sufficient credibility within the museum community to borrow 512 original artifacts from 285 museums and private collectors from across the nation. These artifacts were insured for $100 million, and 13 of the 512 total items were listed as “priceless”. Among the items were George Washington’s personal copy of the Constitution, with his handwritten notes in the margin; Delaware’s copy of the Bill of Rights; the Louisiana Purchase document; the backup Lunar Rover; Babe Ruth’s bat and ball with which he set his long-standing home-run record; Bob Lanier’s size 23 sneakers; and Willard’s painting of “The Spirit of 1776”. It was the tremendous drawing power of these 512 original artifacts that made The American Freedom Train a sell-out wherever it was displayed.
The train’s epic 25,883-mile journey began on April 1, 1975, in Wilmington, Delaware (“The First State”) and ended on December 31, 1976 in Miami, Florida. It was on display in 135 cities and towns in all of the “Lower 48” States, and hosted approximately 7,600,000 paid visitors…of which about one-half were school children. Revenues from ticket sales (@ $2 for adults and $1 for children) provided sufficient funds to pay all operating expenses, and thus allowed the project to proudly proclaim that it was financed entirely in the private sector. A small surplus remaining at the project’s conclusion was donated to the American Red Cross, and all 512 artifacts were successfully returned to their lenders damage-free.
More details, and some photographs, may be viewed at the web site:
www.freedomtrain.org
(this page will be activated on or about August 1,2007 ..please revisit soon).
Moving forward to today, our nation is now engaged in a Global War On Terrorism which is, by its very nature, taking us into unchartered waters, and demanding of us commitment, ingenuity and perseverance at levels never before experienced. Some things are already crystal clear, including the facts that, in order for us to win this war, the continued patriotism, sacrifice and bravery of our young men and women will be required to capably fill the ranks of our all-volunteer military, and the American people must remain steadfast in their support of this critical mission. I believe that there exists today a deep national appreciation for the job being done by our military forces, and a desire on the part of a large majority of our citizens to express this gratitude in a personal way. From my past experience, I envision “The Yellow Ribbon Express” (YRE) as an appropriate vehicle to facilitate such expression of national support, while simultaneously acting as a very effective fundraising instrument to concretely demonstrate to our wounded veterans that their sacrifices will not be forgotten.
“The Yellow Ribbon Express” (YRE) should act as the prime torch-bearer for the American people during its 3 year, 150-city display run: uniting us all in our gratitude to those who have served the nation in harm’s way, in our military services. Hundreds of original artifacts from our nation’s history will be on board its ten display cars, which will employ all available state-of-the-art display technologies, to tell the story of our 230 year old fight to protect freedom. As was amply shown by the success of the 1976 “American Freedom Train”, these priceless artifacts will ensure the train’s “must-see” status throughout the nation.
By raising the approximately $50 million required to build the train, fabricate its displays, and pay its operating costs for the 3-year tour – from a select few corporate co-sponsors -- we will be able to dedicate all of the projected $100 million in revenues generated during the YRE's 3-year tour from admissions, benefit dinners, and concerts to the Wounded Veterans’ Trust Fund. These monies will be used in the years ahead to provide assistance to those Vets who come home severely wounded, and their families.
On February 12, 1974, President Richard M. Nixon wrote a strong letter of support for the AFT (copy attached). His letter proved to be an important tool in securing our corporate sponsors; obtaining the loan of 512 artifacts; plus obtaining operating cooperation from the railroads over which the AFT ran. I firmly believe that a similar letter from President George W. Bush, coupled with the proven, past success of the AFT, will give us the impetus we require to secure our sponsorship commitments for the YRE.
From the time we receive President Bush’s supportive letter, it should take approximately 6 months to finalize the display program, design the interior and exterior displays and secure the requisite corporate sponsors. After the corporate sponsors are secured, an additional 18 months will be required to build the YRE and begin its epic journey across America.
Despite the negativity so rampant in our nation in the early 1970’s, I believed at the time that there was a strong desire on the part of the American people to join together in celebration of our nation’s 200 th birthday. The success of the AFT proved me correct. Today, I believe that the American people will be similarly supportive of the YRE and its mission, with particular emphasis on gratitude to those now serving in our armed forces.
Respectively submitted,
Ross E. Rowland, Jr.
Founder
American Freedom Train Foundation, Inc.
Yellow Ribbon Express Foundation, Inc.
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