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These are some older photos of John's O gauge AFT model.
-- Todd Schannuth
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THE BANNER SAYS IT ALL. Seen here in April 2004 at a train show in Cherry Hill, NJ. |
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Flag
carried on the pilot of AFT #1 (former Reading 2101) during the
summer of '76.
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John's
O Scale model of the AFT.
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John's K-LINE GS-4 model and his AFT video collection. Note his collection of patches. The largest -- with the big #1 -- was T-1 crew-only. The smaller one in the lower right corner is even rarer. (That's my way of saying I don't have one.) |
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Another
view.
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The
poster at center was a "generic" poster sent to host cities.
The bottom quarter of the poster was left blank. Host committees
would the customize the posters with date and location info for
their city. They would end up in store windows around town.
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Note John's AFT belt. Not too many of those still around. Also note his model of AFT #200 - the heavyweight "Splendid Spirit" I made for him a few years ago as thanks for all his help researching the AFT. It's based on a K-LINE heavyweight observation car. Today the 'real' car sits just outside St. Louis at the AFC plant (painted differently). The blue film container holds John's 16mm copy of All Aboard America, the award-winning documentary about the AFT produced and directed by Ralph Weisinger. Not too many of those still around, either. |
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Close-up of AFT #200 - "Splendid Spirit". The real car was used to promote the idea of an AFT as far back as 1973. It was the first car to be lettered "American Freedom Train". The car was part of the touring AFT for a few days in 1975 (while in Ohio). It was AFT originator Ross Rowland's private car, formerly lettered "Brothers Two". Later it was renamed "Independence", the name it still wears. Image © copyright Todd Schannuth |
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A
rare AFT poster. This type poster also had room for customizing
in the thick white band at the bottom (obscured here).
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Some of John's custom work. The crew car #PNWC76, flat cars #30, 31, and 32, and the concessions car #20 are all John's handiwork. |
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A
better shot of the last flat car.
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John's
take on concessions cars #20 and 33.
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John's also a fan of the 1947 Freedom Train. Seen here is his Lionel model of the train. L. Andrew Jugle gets credit for helping Lionel with their research. It's the most accurate model of the train ever manufactured in any scale. |
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A
better shot of locomotive crew car PNWC76 at upper left.
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Two
rare posters.
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Note the AFT soft drink cups. Amazing they have survived. |
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More.
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Still
more.
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AFT
crew coveralls. Among the rarest in his collection of very rare
things.
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John
displays only a fraction of the paper goods he's collected -- including
envelopes, first day cancels, ticket stubs from across the country,
AFT newsletters, posters, newspaper clippings and more.
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Great
patches.
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Box
of first day cancels (special AFT envelopes with special AFT cancels
from each city visited).
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The
ALL ABOARD AMERICAN film in the blue canister.
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The
slightest hint of his collection of AFT images.
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Lionel's
O Scale PA-1 locomotive.
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John's
K-LINE AFT locomotive.
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Lest
you be left with any doubt about the depth of John's affection for
his memories of the American Freedom Train.
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