Is AZL planning on releasing a full Freedom Train? Are they planning on making another run of the GS4 locomotive? Will #4449 be showcasing stripes of Red, White & Blue? I just saw where a PA has been released in the Freedom Train colors. Immediately I thought of the video I watched a few months ago of how the whole Freedom Train of galleries was put together! All I can see in my mind was the GS4 pulling it! This leads me to my initial question above, "Is AZL planning on releasing a full Freedom Train?" You can't have a Freedom Train without the GS4!!! I wait with anticipation!
I seen that too, they have the heavyweight cars to do it, but don't know how accurate they are. Still, it'd be cool!
There were two different Freedom Trains, the 1947-48 Freedom Train, which was pulled by the PA-1 and had 7 heavyweight cars. The 1975-76 American Freedom Train, had 26 cars, and pulled by 3 different steam locomotives. None of the 26 cars would be considered "heavyweight" passenger cars. For more info, check out freedomtrain.org
https://www.freedomtrain.org/freedom-train-consist-1-pa1-locomotive-1776.htm A little history about it...
This. If they're talking about a PA-1, they're almost certainly talking about that one. In 1976 they created a different animal.
Thanks for the History Lesson!!!! Very much appreciated!!!! Well, it seems what I saw was the American Freedom Train for 1976 celebration! I didn't know a Freedom Train came before that. After reading through the websites, I found out that the American Freedom Train visited San Antonio, 60 miles from my house back in February of 76. Wow!!! Wish my father would have taken me to see it. He could have gone inside of the Lone Star Brewery and drank beer while I ventured through and across all of the cars!!! I was 9 1/2 years old then. Yes, all 9-year olders have to state the 1/2 year! Wow!!! To have seen it in person would have been very inspirational! Freakin Yeah!!!!! Now, would I purchase Both the Freedom Train AND the American Freedom Train IF AZL produced it????? Yes, if they made enough and I didn't have to fight to secure a set of each with locomotives. Price would be an issue too for me if it were brass. I'd steer towards the American Freedom Train first. Time to bring a non-brass version of the GS4 in Red, White & Blue, and Sunset paint to production!!!!
However the OP is also talking about the GS4, so as mentioned, two different trains. Too bad you guys don't model in N scale, as the AFT was recently done by Lowell Smith, and the GS4 by Kato and the T1 was recently announced by Kato. The FT, microscale does decals for. One of these days I'll get around do decalling up my train set I have for it.
I only knew about it after Hallmark came out with Christmas ornaments of the early train, close to Z-scale as well. Someone a while back actually made the heavyweight passenger cars into actual working Z-scale cars! ...or were they N-scale in size, can't remember know. I'd buy it in Z-scale if AZL does the train to match the PA!
Me too The Hallmark cars, painted in Nickel Plate colors, filled the coach servicing shop on Cuyahoga nicely. Had to repaint the Freedom train PAs into NKP Bluebird livery though. I got some 3D printed Buckeye trucks off Shapeweays that worked a treat Kev
I was getting them fom Hooked on Hallmarks for aout $11 bargain! and they were really good at posting to the U.K
Did you power those with GP 35 mechanism? I can’t seem to remember. The paint job is very well done!
From an AZL representative on their forum... We could make it, but please note that the PAs were used for the 1947 freedom train, not the 1976 version. Train would be 3x heavyweight coaches (with windows plated over to display documents) one heavyweight baggage, and three heavyweight pullmans: 2x 6-3 and one 3-2 observation. Estimated MSRP of $375 for the set. We would need about 100 orders to produce it. So if you're interested, write your congressman! Err...write AZL!
Rob, Did you have to do any mods to the cars? I have noticed that the cars I have seen for sale, have cast letters and a shield on the sides. Scott
I had to laser cut some truck inserts so I could put MTL wheel sets in them at the time. It was a long, long time ago, and I don't remember what I did with the cars.
