The locomotive planned for the 2026 Freedom Train honoring America250 was assigned the number AFT No. 250.
Reading No. 2100 was restored with the intention of pulling a 2026 Freedom Train. For the United States Semiquincentennial, the locomotive was renumbered AFT No. 250, directly echoing the anniversary’s 250-year theme.
The planned train drew on the memory of the American Freedom Train that toured the country in 1975 and 1976 for the bicentennial. That earlier train carried historical artifacts and traveled widely, making a renewed Freedom Train a natural anniversary reference.
The 2026 excursion was later canceled because organizers cited insufficient corporate backing, difficulties securing access to major freight railroads, and limited preparation time. The renumbering remains a specific planned detail of the America250 rail initiative, even though the tour itself did not proceed as intended.