The American Freedom Train by K-LINE Electric Trains. In late 2001, K-LINE announced in a special third edition catalog that it would build nearly the entire American Freedom Train in 3-rail O gauge. The project had been in the works since well before 9/11, but it took on a new urgency thereafter. A prototype loco and five cars made their debut at the October TCA train show in York, PA. Initially offered were a semi-scale version of the 4449 locomotive and 17 scale AFT cars -- two showcase cars, ten display cars and five passenger cars. Artwork for the 40 panels on the sides of the cars was licensed from Accuen Media. With a total length of over 27 feet, it would be the longest train ever offered by any O gauge manufacturer. |
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American Freedom Train GS-4 Locomotive 4449 The semi-scale AFT GS-4 locomotive: K-LINE item #K3601-4449 Original MSRP was $569.95
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The locomotive also came bundled with five cars -- Showcase cars 40 & 41, Display cars 101 & 110, and Observation car 205. K-LINE item #K1122 Original MSRP was $1095.95 And the five cars were offered by themselves as: K-LINE item #K4601A Original MSRP was $599.95 |
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The K-LINE 2002 First Edition catalog continued with the same American Freedom Train offerings. |
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Walthers pictured the model in their 2002 Big Trains Reference Book.
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The K-LINE model as pictured on page 167 of the Walthers Big Trains Model Railroad Reference Book (Edition 5, 2002).
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American Freedom Train Car 40 This car had large showcase windows on either side through which the car's three large exhibits could be seen day or night. The first was a model of the B&O "Arabian" steam locomotive, then came the Friendship Fire Engine from George Washington's fire company, and finally the 1904 Oldsmobile Runabout "The Old Scout" that won the first transcontinental auto race. Scrapped in 1995. Note that somewhere in the middle of the AFT's journey (Santa Barbara?) cars 40 and 41 exchanged numbers. Number 40 became number 41 and vice-versa. Only available in the five-car set (details are by the pictures of the locomotive). |
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American Freedom Train Car 41 This car also had the large showcase windows, through which could be seen a Lunar Rover test unit, a map of the American Freedom Train's journey, and the Freedom Bell -- a twice-size replica of the Liberty Bell. Only available in the five-car set (details are by the pictures of the locomotive). |
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American Freedom Train Car 101 Display Car #101 "The Beginning": Among the dozens of artifacts carried onboard were Benjamin Franklin's handwritten draft of the Articles of Confederation, George Washington's copy of the Constitution with handwritten notes, Delaware's ratification of the Bill of Rights, Revolutionary War weapons, and a piece of the original "Star Spangled Banner". The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1776-1786 and 1786-1796. Only available in the five-car set (details are by the pictures of the locomotive). |
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American Freedom Train Car 102 K-4601-30102 Display Car #102, "Exploration and Expansion" -- contained artifacts related to our endeavors to explore the land and delve into the sciences. Original items onboard included various Native-American artifacts, the William Floyd Journal of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, General Vallejo's traveling silver chest, the Gadsden Purchase, the Oregon Compromise, the Louisiana Purchase (the original document that virtually doubled the size of the nation), and a rock from the moon. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1796-1806 and 1806-1816. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 103 K-4601-30103 Display Car #103, "Growth of the Nation" -- contained artifacts and displays related to our quest for knowledge and our desire to travel about our expansive country. Artifacts onboard included the silver spade used to break ground for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, a model of the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, and a model of a linear induction motor vehicle (the kind that were going to make railroads obsolete!). The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1816-1826 and 1826-1836. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 104 K-4601-30104 Display Car #104, "Origins" -- held artifacts from several of the many ethnic backgrounds making up our great nation -- European Americans, Native Americans, African Americans, Hispanic Americans and Asian Americans. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1836-1846 and 1846-1856. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 105 K-4601-30105 Display Car #105, "Innovations" -- held dozens of examples of our ingenuity. The First Polaroid camera, a Remington typewriter, several of Thomas Edison's inventions, an early television, several early patent models and an original diagram of the Wright Brother's first biplane were all onboard. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1856-1866 and 1866-1876. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 106 K-4601-30106 Display Car #106, "Human Resources" -- contained examples of our greatest individual achievements. Among them were Thomas Paine's Common Sense, Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, the original manuscript of the Battle Hymn of the Republic, James Monroe's dueling pistols, and examples of the Nobel Prize, the Distinguished Service Cross and the Congressional Medal of Honor. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1876-1886 and 1886-1896. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 107 K-4601-30107 Display Car #107, "Sports" -- carried sports memorabilia of all types. Included were Chris Evert and Billie Jean King's tennis racquets, Gale Sayer's football jersey, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio's baseball bats, Hank Aaron's "714" bat, The Triple Crown Trophy, Joe Frazier's boxing trunks and robe, Leon J. Hart's Heisman Trophy, Johnny Bench's mitt, Arnold Palmer's Masters Trophy, and Bob Lanier's size 20 sneakers among dozens of others. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1896-1906 and 1906-1916. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American
Freedom Train Car 108
K-4601-30108 Display Car #108, "Performing Arts" -- contained dozens of artifacts from America's film, television, radio and theater. Rudolf Valentino's jacket, Fred Astaire's hat and cane, Charlton Heston's staff from The Ten Commandments, Jack Benny's violin and John Wayne's eyepatch from True Grit kept company with Clark Gable's script from Gone With The Wind, Judy Garland's dress from The Wizard of Oz and Bing Crosby's Gold Record for White Christmas. Also on display in this car were an Emmy, an Oscar and Bob Hope's Peoples Choice Award, among dozens of others. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1916-1926 and 1926-1936. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 109 K-4601-30109 Display Car #109, "Fine Arts" -- held dozens of pieces of original American fine art -- Archibald M. Willard's The Spirit of '76, Augustus Saint-Gauden's The Puritan, Albert Bierstadt's Rocky Mountain Waterfall, Jacob Lawrence's The Builders, Frederic Remington's Bronco Buster, John Roger's Checkers Up at the Farm, Thomas Hart Benton's study for the mural at the Harry S. Truman Library, and Georgia O'keeffe's Black Palace I were among them.. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1936-1946 and 1946-1956. Original MSRP was $114.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 110 Display Car #101, "Conflict and Resolution" -- among its holdings were Abraham Lincoln's stovepipe hat, a preliminary copy of the Emancipation Proclamation, Franklin D. Roosevelt's December 8, 1941 War Message to Congress, John F. Kennedy's rocking chair, Martin Luther King's vestments and Bible, and Gerald R. Ford’s Presidential Inauguration Bible. The exterior panels and shadowboxes depict the decades 1956-1966 and 1966-1976. Only available in the five-car set (details are by the pictures of the locomotive).
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American Freedom Train Car 201 Cars 201, 202, 203 & 204 were only offered in a 4-Pac and are the scarcest of the cars initially offered. Car 201 was the AFT sleeping car -- providing rooms for the privileged few of the staff who actually lived on the train. AFT Crew Car 4-PAC K-LINE item #K4601B Original MSRP was $449.95 |
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American Freedom Train Car 202 Number 202 was affectionately know as the "Pie Car" - a term borrowed from the world of the circus train. This combo car was where three-square-meals-a-day were prepared for the staff and crew. Only available in the four-car set. |
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American Freedom Train Car 203 Number 203 was the Parlor/Lounge Car, but it was known as the "Bar Car" for its large serving bar. This converted coach is where the likes of Mamie Eisenhower and Johnny Cash were entertained. Only available in the four-car set. |
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American Freedom Train Car 204 Number 204, the Entertainment/Parlor Car, was also a converted coach. While on the AFT it was known as the "Office Car" and was the site of countless meetings, gatherings and social events. Only available in the four-car set. |
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American Freedom Train Car 205 Number 205, the Observation Car, was also a converted coach. While on the AFT it was known as the "Press Car" -- where reporters would find typewriters, phones, and anything else they needed to report on their impressions of the American Freedom Train. Only available in the five-car set (details are by the pictures of the locomotive). |
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The K-LINE 2002 Second Edition catalog added a new car to the AFT set as a benefit for the Museum of America's Freedom Trains. |
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American Freedom Train Car MAFT111 K-LINE item #K4601-30111 This car was a new display car taking over where the real AFT left off -- with side panels covering the years 1976 - 1986 & 1986 - 1996. The car was numbered MAFT111, both as a nod to the museum and to differentiate it from the real AFT 111; one of the two power cars on the train. As with the other 17 cars, artwork for the four side panels was licensed from Accuen Media. Original MSRP was $124.95 This 18th car brought the total length of the model to nearly 29 feet -- still the longest train ever produced by any O gauge manufacturer. |
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