ALL ABOARD AMERICA

[Music] the United States of America created by people who wanted to be free people with a firm belief in themselves and in the kind of government and free enterprise that provides opportunity and encourages accomplishment freedom an individual initiative they've helped keep America growing and prospering for 200 years our Bicentennial is a time to reflect on our past and on how we as a people lived and hoped and worked to produce the miracles that made our country so unique and so fulfilling it's also a time to rededicate ourselves to the principles that nourished us now in the next half hour you'll see the story of a remarkable Bicentennial event it's called the American Freedom Train it will be seen by over 40 million people as it travels from coast to coast across this continent now the American Freedom Train is a people's project it was conceived and developed in the real spirit of the Bicentennial it is non-commercial and it is non-political it will never make a profit it was not intended to but it will make a lasting impression on millions of Americans the Train is supported solely by private donations and ticket sales it does not receive a single penny from the federal government or from your taxes now as you can see by this plaque on board the train for American corporations provided the initial grant that made the American Freedom Train possible the General Motors Corporation Kraft Foods pepsi-cola company and the Prudential Insurance Company of America the people of these corporations are from all walks of life with different skills and different ideas but they have joined together with millions of others to celebrate America's 200th anniversary through the American freedom trade and that's what this Bicentennial is all about people inside this train are the sights the sounds the documents and the artifacts of our colorful past it's not a museum it's an experience of somehow touching and sharing the lives of the Americans represented in the exhibits and now the story of the American Freedom Train it started one day in 1776 suddenly they were no longer part of the old world we were a new thought a new idea we were the United States of America a gathering of people who came from different countries spoke different languages all banding together in a great social experiment they called themselves We the People they had a country to protect together to build together an incredible collection of individuals who had to work and think and invent who did all the things people had to do together try to form that more perfect union called democracy 200 years later still growing and changing still a collection of individuals still the United States of America it all began but these doc John Warner head of the American Revolution Bicentennial administration everything we have done as a nation as a people has been based upon these blueprints the Declaration Independence the Constitution and the Bill of Rights kept here at the National Archives always to remind us not only to look at them but to read them and to talk about them to decide whether the hopes and the aspirations as written in these documents have been fulfilled we the people are growing expanding in freedom and that's what the Bicentennial is all about one of the biggest most important bicentennial events is the epic journey of the American Freedom Train dawn by a giant steam locomotive this 24 car train brings through the people and exciting documentary of our history on a twenty two months twenty two thousand mile journey people started it people building it people helping it grow people love it people moving it people making its own it all to happen 200 years ago [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] America take a look the work away [Music] taken [Music] the Train [Music] peace and tends to Shores will move [Music] we did take a look at your battery [Music] America the Train [Music] the Freedom Train got started in the best possible place for creating a new train an old converted railroad station in Lebanon New Jersey a group of people experts were assembled to explore the possibilities of a dream the dream of Ross Rowland a young stockbroker his love of trains and Country suggested a special kind of event for the nation's bicentennial celebration living traveling documentary that would move across the continental United States that would bring historical documents and artifacts to millions of Americans it would be called the American Freedom Train he wondered if it was possible when I first told people about my idea to put together a half-mile-long red white and blue train a train to be pulled by a giant steam locomotive and to put on that train some of our nation's most important artifacts and documents and take them to the people most of the folks couldn't envision the project fortunately the right people did listen and came forward to help us get the train going why a train well if you think back to the middle years of the last century to the years when the railroads spun their threads across the prairies through the deserts over the Rockies to tie this nation together for the first time in those days the sound of the train whistle got into the bloodstream of America it became part of our national soul and just as the railroads the night of America the century ago I saw the travels of the Freedom Train as a symbol that was bringing together the people of our nation after months of meetings discussions planning and fundraising the dream turned to reality one morning in Venice Florida when a group of skilled craftsmen began changing the look of old baggage cards getting them ready to become part of the Freedom Train the cars have been retired we're out of service cars that long ago moved across the continent carrying their cargo of goods to help make the country go now they were being brought back to life to carry a new very special priceless cargo of the nation's history and the gathering of people went to work on them with as much tender loving care as a blowtorch and their skills would allow [Music] on the other side of the country in Richmond California other people came together with their individual skill to help transform still other cars welders engineers carpenters painters 50 experienced mechanics to put in a moving walkway that would carry millions of Americans past relics and replicas of the nation's 200 year history air conditioning and heating engineers set out to design and build a total environmental system to protect priceless documents from humidity and temperature fire equipment experts created a whole new kind of fail-safe system that would protect both artifacts and people in the course of their work with people in Richmond California and the people in Venice Florida would cut their way through several tons of old steel to bring into being a fresh exciting Bicentennial concept of our national heritage in Larchmont New York designer Barry Howard and his staff for creating designs that would transform interiors of old baggage cars into unusual contemporary display modules at the end of December 1974 in Portland Oregon one of the great iron horses was pulled from its pedestal and apart no longer a monument to the past the old engine like the baggage cars was coming out of retirement the children who've been crawling around it for years pretended dreaming would see it a lie back in action it weighs in at nine hundred thousand pounds built in 1941 the Southern Pacific Daylight engine would be used on the western part at the Freedom trains run at the same time a reading T 144 was coming out of retirement to take over the eastern part of the trip a foot shorter fifty thousand pounds lighter to fit into certain small clearances that dot the eastern tracks January 1975 America's leading builders of industrial exhibits in Chicago Pittsburgh and Alexandria begin to transform designs and blueprints into all the exciting displays that would bring the past to life they were shaping a replica of the theater box Lincoln sat in at Ford's Theater they were finishing columns and doors and the windows through which you will look into the past and completing the walls of displays through which the walkway will carry you on your trip across the nation's history Honest Abe stepped in the cab and the William Nashville Tennessee capital of country and western music recording stars Dolly Parton and Porter Wagner were recording their rendition of here comes the freedom train as you drove the train with you and freedom did survive [Music] she rolls around and travel the track and glory that could all-american yeah [Music] where do you go to find 200 years of American history took a trained staff to comb the entire country we've talked to thousands of people and museums institutions as well as many private collectors we finally narrowed it down so that the 10 exhibit cars would contain 512 artifacts and documents from 285 lenders in 110 cities it's a real challenge early in February people in museums all over the country and unique private collectors like Ann and Rundle Gilbert of Garrison New York for catalog coding and shipping off artifacts that would fill the freedom trains display cars from every corner of the earth we have come bearing gifts of intellect and skill art and compassion we are all of us Americans struggling together suffering together in recording studios stage and film stars were taping the sounds of history stars like Ossie Davis and among many others actor singer Richard Kiley Leon Leon ADIF Fame director of the Radio City Music Hall is a member of the freedom trains National Advisory Board just you imagine imagine the thrill of a child watching this great steam engine of this beautiful red white and blue Freedom Train approaching any town of our country and when I say child I really mean a child from five to 85 you know I am in this country for 52 years and that country has done so much for me but you now can imagine how proud I am to be part of this project by early 1975 the display cars were being put into a final shape in Venice enrichment the cars were being made ready for final inspection the engineers gave their final seal of personal approval everything had to work perfectly for the freedom trains epic journey but there was still plenty to do by the middle of February the cars were shipped to the design fabricators around the country it was now their job to install the hundreds of displays pictures mechanical devices projectors video players and five hundred of some of America's most priceless documents and artifacts now there was a sense of urgency and there was a special sense of achievement everybody here was now part of the dream part of the history that would become the American Freedom Train in Alexandria a 1904 Oldsmobile Scout came aboard one of the showcase cars as did an 1849 fire engine an 18-34 locomotive and at twice the life-sized replica of the Liberty Bell [Music] obviously I'm tremendously pleased to participate in the official ceremony recognizing the American freedom train as a major Bicentennial effort by the end of March the Freedom Train was ready no longer just the dream of one man it was a reality built by people for the people let's go aboard the American Freedom Train in car one you'll experience the beginnings of this country in an old print shop window is a copy of Poor Richard's Almanack in a miniature setting of Boston Harbor you'll see a replica of the Old North Church Lantern while on the soundtrack you'll hear the recreated voices of those times you'll see priceless documents from our past some over 200 years old written with words that still have meaning today car 2 is a capsule of exploration and expansion from the early Indian artifacts you'll experience the first movement West the sounds of wagon wheels and voices that helped create the excitement of a new nation the nation expanding and exploring all the elements of nature a country moving from wagon wheels to rocket ships always searching and reaching out boom and beyond our three carries you through 200 years of change dramatic displays create a visual mosaic of America's growth as a nation from wilderness to megalopolis from horse and buggies to today's Jets from log cabins to skyscrapers our national parks and recreation facilities all a part of the American scene in Carrefour you'll discover something about yourself the fact that except for the Indians we are a nation of immigrants the only credible lifelike mannequins we'll talk to in a sense this car reflects our ancestors from all over the world as they confirm our 200 years of heritage the inventors take over car number five the people who gave us the base for our American know-how Michael Edison Bell you'll see a marvelous array of original inventions artifacts that range from ordinary tools to American inventions that change the way the whole world lives eats communicates travels from them to knob fire five is the continuing American technological revolution car sick celebrates We the People and all our daily tasks 200 years of farmers factory workers office workers firemen policemen doctors lawyers merchants writers poets teachers housewives as the walkway carries you through car six you begin to celebrate yourself We the People in car seven you celebrate the history of American sports see replicas of the great heroes and heroines of the past and the present an exciting array of pictures documents valuable artifacts that create a sports happening a 200 year heritage of memories and surprises each and every one of them very much a part of America's history [Music] car eight takes you into the world of entertainment the Performing Arts there are excerpts from great old movies the mill Griffin actual artifacts costumes and props from Academy award-winning films of the past we'll move along the walkway to experience the Great's of Broadway the plays and musicals that make up our theatrical heritage the sounds of old radio shows it's a dazzling montage of entertainment in car number nine you'll see the works of painters and sculptors who have used this country to reflect the look of people and their changing habits fix them in time with their paintbrushes and imaginations car 10 in a sense sums up the whole American experience the first nine cars have woven the fabric of American history and car ten illustrates several moments when that fabric has been strained almost to the point of breaking crisis moments out of which the people have come through a little wiser and stronger and as you move into the exit car you share the lines now let us celebrate America its heritage and its strength and together let us build a meaningful tomorrow [Music] finally the big day arrived April 1st 1975 Wilmington Delaware the start of the freedom trains epic journey at 8:00 a.m. the line stretched three miles and by evening 40,000 people saw the American freedom trip they wanted to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience these people came to the Freedom Train to go on board and get involved in the moments and miracles that created this unique experiment called the United States of America after all they come from this path the people the places the sights and sounds that make up history are very much a part of that it is there by sentient I thought fantastic very great thing for people to be able to see on the diversity of the cultures not only iLike there before the mannequins to talk I thought that was really unusual they spoke players played in best sports fantastic I think it's one of the best things that could happen for the bass Antonio oh we like it really kids were really interested they found a lot of stuff they had really enjoyed it really brings to mind what we have and how precious what we have should be to us I really love to hear the comments of the people as they come off the train it makes it all seem so worthwhile there's something on there for everyone there really is and you hear them talking about George Washington's copy of the Constitution the moon rocks the Louisiana Purchase the areal one Willard's painting of the spirit of 76 the invention car so popular Bob Lanier sneaker we have put together a collection that's unforgettable that people will not have ever again have a chance to see in one plate I liked all of it I think it's so well put together and when I'm surprised about is how they collect its many different things for it I think it's terrific for the family to see something like this it shows them what our heritage is and helps us to be more thankful for the things that we have today Thanks one of the greatest things come to our town [Music] one of the most thrilling experiences of the whole adventure is to be on the locomotive as you're going across the country and see the thousands upon thousands of people to come down a track sign in small towns and big cities everywhere some places we go through there thousands of people there that you can see school buses lined up for a mile down the road and the kids all lined up trackside some of them probably will never get to see the inside of it but they still felt the experience of the train as it passed [Music] [Music] kids families people that's what the Bicentennial is all about and I can't tell you how thrilling and exciting it is to be taking America's heritage to these people not only those that come to view the exhibit but the thousands that line the trackside as we cross this great land of ours the trains a huge success they must built through donations and its operation costs are covered by ticket sales we're just overwhelmed with the response this is a truly once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reflect on America and see 200 years of our heritage how far and how fast we've gone from the Minuteman to the astronauts [Music] [Laughter] [Music] people started it people building it people helping it grow people love and if people move in it people making it so it all began to happen 200 years ago [Music] take country [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] America take a look at your country the work the waves the words will build [Music] take a look at your country don't let the train to peace and war Orkut store from mountains to shores we're moving his mood it's me America take a look at your country [Music] America take a look at your country [Music] America [Applause]