January 1, Amtrak Blockade Threatens Freedom Train Revival

Wyatt’s Take

• Amtrak may block the historic Freedom Train ride for America’s 250th.
• Bureaucracy and lawsuits threaten classic, citizen-led celebrations.
• America needs real unity, not more red tape, for the Quarter-Millennial.

Fifty years ago, John Wayne’s American Freedom Train united millions as it traveled the country during the Bicentennial. That spirit faces modern roadblocks, with legal barriers threatening to halt the new Freedom Train planned for the 250th anniversary celebration.

In 1976, everyday Americans flocked to see the red, white, and blue train packed with historic treasures, celebrating our history and heroes. Back then, a private effort with help from dedicated folks made it happen. John Warner called it “certainly the most visible and national” Bicentennial event that “sew together” local celebrations.

Now, the American Freedom Train is set to roll again for nearly a year—if Amtrak lets it travel the rails. Organizers have five steam locomotives, nine cars, and crews lined up, promising not to disrupt Amtrak’s own routes or schedules. All they need is Amtrak’s basic cooperation so the train can carry insurance and move between towns.

The catch is today’s legal minefield. Decades ago, the train could “self-insure.” Now, the law demands a deal with Amtrak for coverage. Without Amtrak’s approval, the Freedom Train can’t travel at all. The burdens of regulation and fear of lawsuits are squeezing out the kind of grassroots celebration that built this country.

Allowing private citizens to work together without government suffocation was the American way. But now, endless bureaucracy makes it almost impossible for regular folks to pull off something big—a worrying sign for our country’s future.

This train won’t disrupt Amtrak passengers or ask for special treatment. It would move at low-priority, non-peak times, even at night, all at the full going rate. Not only would Amtrak stand to profit, but every arrival would spotlight America’s railways in the national spirit.

If Amtrak refuses, millions will lose the chance to honor America’s 250th with the same wide-eyed excitement their parents and grandparents felt. But cooperation could revive that rare moment of shared pride and unity that Main Street folks remember from the last Freedom Train.

As we face many of the same challenges our country weathered fifty years ago, it’s the perfect time to remind ourselves what makes America worth celebrating—and to let private initiative shine again, just like the founders intended.

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Wyatt Matters

Celebrating what makes America strong means giving regular folks the freedom to build things together, not letting bureaucracy slow them down. Middle America dreams big when government gets out of the way, and it’s time we showed what true unity looks like.