RDG #2101: "The American Freedom Train"
An amazing read - trust me!The Baldwin Locomotive Works built a class I-10a for the Reading Railroad in 1921. Originally numbered No. 2101, the locomotive had an oversized Wootten firebox for the burning of anthracite coal and carried 96 inch diameter boiler. Along with other 2-8-0s during World War II, it was rebuilt as a T-1 class 4-8-4. The new and improved 4-8-4s emerged from the Reading, Pennsylvania shops in September of 1945. Four survive today, with two under restoration to operation. The Reading Company removed #2101 from service in 1955 but kept it in storage from 1959-1964 as a spare locomotive for the Railroad's "Iron Horse Rambles" excursion program, though it never saw active service. Officially retired In 1967, No. 2101 was sold to a scrap dealer. After a decade of deterioration in a Baltimore scrap yard, New York broker, Ross Rowland, purchased No. 2101 for the Eastern leg of his American Freedom Train. The American Freedom Train was a steam-powered event that toured the nation to celebrate the Bicentennial of the United States. Mr. Rowland and his team of volunteers used the Riverside Roundhouse in KY to restore No. 2101 to get ready for the event. Not known to many, the AFT Foundation was content with the idea of having modern diesels pull the train until SP's Daylight locomotive could take over, but the AFT's founder Ross Rowland couldn't abide the notion. No. 2101 was restored to operation in just 30 days (!), and renamed the AFT No.1. It ran its leg of the Freedom Train from April 1, 1975 to September 1976. While on AFT duty, the engine wore a total of 3 similar, but unique liveries. T&P #610 joined the fleet as it was undergoing a restoration and the group volunteered their engine to run the train in their state. RDG #2101, meanwhile was needed due to clearance issues in the northeast. Interestingly, a proposed livery was initially drawn up featuring a NKP Berk, and engines such as the N&W 611 were at one time under consideration for use in the project. A list of station stops can be found here.
In 1977, the AFT No.1 was called to duty, once again, for the Sesquicentennial of the chartering of the B&O. The AFT No.1, was repainted as "the Chessie Steam Special", was outfitted with an auxiliary water tender and matching set of 19 passenger cars. The celebration began on May 7, 1977 and set off for a two-year system wide tour of the Chessie System.
On March 7, 1979, fire struck the roundhouse in Silver Grove, KY where No. 2101 was stored. After the fire, the engine was sent to Hagerstown, MD for cosmetic repairs and repainted back as AFT No. 1. It was then traded to the B&O RR Museum for the Chesapeake & Ohio #614 in September of 1979. Today, she sits on display, in the parking lot, between a C&O baggage car and B&A No. 50, a GE 70-Tonner yard switcher. She like much of the Museum's equipment awaits her turn on a long list of engines on rotation currently undergoing renewal /restoration.
