J 611 posted:Side note, I am glad Ross Rowland didn't use the real 611 for the American Freedom Train. Who knows where 611 would be today or what shape it would be in! We all know what happened to AFT #1 in the Hagerstown roundhouse fire. And where she sits now at the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore rusting away!
As additional information, the "original plan" for powering the American Freedom Train, was for doubleheaded NKP Berkshires, i.e. Mr. Rowland's NKP 759 and the 763 from Roanoke, Va.. The 763 was even moved from Roanoke to a location (can't remember where) for restoration, with 759.
Subsequently, clearer heads prevailed, since the midwestern and western railroads would have no part of doubleheaded coal burning steam locomotives on their respective railroads. Thus, the oil burning SP GS-4 #4449 was selected for motive power, throughout the west and midwest.
