What number was Reading 2100 assigned for the proposed 2026 Freedom Train?

Reading 2100 was assigned the number AFT No. 250 for the proposed 2026 Freedom Train.

Reading 2100 is a preserved steam locomotive associated with the Reading Company. For a planned Freedom Train connected with the United States Semiquincentennial, it was restored and renumbered “AFT No. 250,” directly referencing the 250th anniversary.

The locomotive was intended to wear a livery modeled on the American Freedom Train that toured the country during the 1975–1976 Bicentennial. That earlier train used several locomotives and traveled thousands of miles while displaying American historical artifacts.

The proposed 2026 Freedom Train excursion was canceled in April 2026 because organizers could not secure sufficient financial backing, railroad access, and preparation time. The renumbering remained a distinctive planned feature of the anniversary project.