What was the name of the train that toured the 48 contiguous states during the 1976 Bicentennial?

The American Freedom Train toured the 48 contiguous states during the 1976 United States Bicentennial.

The train launched in Wilmington, Delaware, on April 1, 1975, and began a 21-month journey carrying a traveling exhibition about American history. Its route covered approximately 25,388 miles and reached communities across the contiguous United States.

The exhibition included historic objects and cultural materials presented in specially prepared rail cars. Visitors could see artifacts connected with the nation’s past without having to travel to a single museum or national capital. The moving exhibition made the bicentennial a nationwide experience.

The American Freedom Train was separate from ordinary passenger service and from later wagon-train commemorations. Its purpose was educational and celebratory: to bring historical displays to the public during the extended bicentennial era. America250’s nationwide approach echoes that broad geographic reach, though its programs use modern institutions and media.