237:, a luxury train set to operate from Washington, D.C. to the Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, WV. However, problems with capacity on the Buckingham Branch Railroad and with steam operation into Washington, D.C. killed the project's feasibility. By 2014, many of the passenger cars bought for the Greenbrier Express were sold at auction, bringing an end to the project.
147:
During the 1980s, with a spike in oil prices, Rowland was instrumental in forming
American Coal Enterprises, an organization dedicated to the design and production of modern, coal-fired, reciprocating, direct-drive steam locomotives designed to reduce or eliminate operational concerns associated with
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A preliminary design for the ACE 3000 was developed, but active development stopped prior to any effort to build a demonstrator or prototype when oil prices fell in the mid-1980s, and it appeared that the disparity between coal and oil would not be sustained at a level significant enough to expect
49:
following a dispute with his parents. After returning to
Cranford, eventually a local friend would invite Ross at the age of 17 to start a career in the futures exchanges in New York City. In 1966 Rowland founded Floor Broker Associates Inc. He also served on the board of COMEX, a precious metals
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In 1992, Rowland along with Ralph
Weisinger proposed the 21st Century Limited, a theme train hauled by C&O 614 with custom railcars and displays. Rowland initially projected the train would run by 1996, and 614 was briefly wrapped in the colors of the train for a photoshoot to advertise the
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and People's
Bicentennial Commission activists concerned about inadequate coverage on the train regarding African American and Native American history. Rowland responded to the criticism by offering a tour to some protestors while stating "We only have 700 linear feet, so we can't do everyone
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before returning to
Victoria. The operation was criticized for lacking any proper station or accommodations at Malahat, and a lack of scenic sights along the route. Further criticism highlighted the age of the rolling stock, a failure to attract cruise traffic such as the success of Alaska's
45:, in 1945, where Ross frequented local railroad roundhouses as a child. Rowland's father, grandfather and great-grandfather all had railroad careers which contributed to Ross's interest in trains as a child. At the age of 14, Rowland left his family home in 1954 to
53:
During his commodities career, Rowland would be sued by Henry
Leffert Ramm, who accused Rowland of an adulterous relationship with Ramm's wife Lynn Ruth Ramm in 1984. Henry Ramm sued Rowland for damages. Rowland appealed the case for a jurisdiction dispute to the
260:. Criticism of the American Freedom Train 2026 and the prior Yellow Ribbon Express has come from railfans who have speculated they were projects whose primary goal was to fundraise money for restoration of Rowland's C&O 614. Rowland volunteered to portray
253:, at the C&O Railway Heritage Center, where it is currently wearing the green paint scheme of the failed Greenbrier Express project. Although on static display, Rowland still owns the engine through the American Freedom Train Foundation.
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had purchased the locomotive from
Rowland, however this deal would later fall apart and Rowland retained ownership of the locomotive. C&O 614 was moved from storage in Pennsylvania to static display at the
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in the form of his newly formed High Iron
Company on October 13, 1966, and he would subsequently create several trains that would be pulled by steam, including the
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to operate C&O 614 in freight service in 1985, to obtain data in order to finalize the ACE 3000 design. The ACE 3000 originally started development as a
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241:
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221:, and the failure to bring in an operating steam engine due to weight limits on bridges over the PAW line. The operation failed, and ended in July 2001.
833:
404:
The Rails that Bind: America's
Freedom Trains as Reflections of Efforts to Form Cultural Consensus and Indicators of the Weakness of Cold War Memory
240:
In the early 2000s Ross attempted to sell C&O 614 at auction, however no buyers surfaced. In 2002 it was announced Andrew J. Muller of the
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steam locomotives and to operate with enough efficiency to be economically viable to railroads. Rowland managed to obtain permission from
86:, a steam-powered exhibit train which toured much of the continental US over 1975 and 1976 in conjunction with the celebration of the
246:
90:. Rowland's actions in setting up the American Freedom Train would lead to him being awarded an honorary lifetime membership in the
212:. This short-lived tourist train consisted of a few older coaches pulled by 2 GP20 diesels, traveling from Victoria to the peak of
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In 2016, Ross
Rowland founded a new "American Freedom Train Foundation" to promote a 2026 Freedom Train concept for the
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739:
385:". Gerald Ford Presidential Library, Box: 64, File: John Marsh Files, p. 20. Gerald Ford Presidential Library.
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740:"Ross Rowland on gloves, dinner companions, Anderson's Amtrak, C&O 1309, May 10, 2019, Big Boy, and much more"
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until the retirement of C&O 614. Rowland has been a critic of the efficiency and effectiveness of the
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in 1987 who denied Rowland's motion to relocate the case and returned the case to the Texas state courts.
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From 2007 to 2017, Rowland promoted the concept of a "Yellow Ribbon Express" for the benefit of the
29:. He has run public and demonstration excursions on existing railroads utilizing steam locomotives.
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304:
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ThemeTrains.com - Information on the High Iron Company's Golden Spike Centennial Limited of 1969
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The Ultimate Steam Page - Information on Ross Rowland's ACE 3000 and other modern steam projects
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The Story of America's Freedom Trains - Information on the 1975 - 1976 American Freedom Train
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514:"Attendance Shortfalls at Steamtown National Historic Site Prompt Calls for Privatization"
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design, but was changed to a traditional reciprocating drive as development continued.
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train event. Rowland frequently operates as a guest steam locomotive engineer at the
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investment firm. Rowland would work in commodities for 33 years prior to retiring.
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project. Rowland sought out several sponsors for the train and was able to sign
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Centennial Limited train in 1969. Rowland's most famous accomplishment was The
46:
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in 2021. In 2021, Rowland received a lifetime achievement award from the
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611:"Greenbrier Express project still viable, despite "liquidation auction'"
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97:
The American Freedom Train was met by some protest, particularly from
803:
547:"E&N Railway Corridor Study: Analysis of Tourist Train Potential"
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Rowland has been connected with and operated several U.S. excursion
233:. In early 2011, Rowland announced the planned operation of the
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United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas
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371: (U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas).
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that a coal-fired locomotive would be economically feasible.
272:, and was an avid boater as well until selling his ship the
449:
The Steam Locomotive A Century of North American Classics
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as a sponsor. The project would eventually be cancelled.
633:"The Outstanding Features and Many Lives of C&O 614"
383:
The John Marsh Files Box 64 "American Freedom Train (1)"
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In the summers of 2000 and 2001, Rowland managed the
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In the 1990s, Rowland operated public excursions on
545:BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
339:"Meet Ross Rowland, Train Engineer par excellence"
92:Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
664:. Virginia Museum of Transportation. 2011-01-20
249:in 2011. It has since been moved to display in
713:"How Amtrak's Grinch Couldn't Steal Christmas"
662:"Thoroughbreds of Steam to Stand Side by Side"
305:"A 400-Million Journey into the 21st Century"
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696:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
242:Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad
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41:, in 1940, Rowland's family relocated to
22:(born 1940) is a figure in United States
642:. Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society
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844:American transportation businesspeople
809:Chesapeake and Ohio Historical Society
766:"Rail Preservation Award 2021 Winners"
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493:"The 1996 - 2000 21st Century Limited"
586:"Hotel Watch: The Greenbrier Express"
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16:American historic railroad preserver
839:21st-century American male writers
711:Phillips, Don (December 3, 2018).
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849:American male non-fiction writers
247:Virginia Museum of Transportation
834:21st-century American historians
609:Steelhammer, Rick (2014-09-14).
337:Smith, Susan (January 1, 2022).
258:United States Semiquincentennial
196:Pacific Wilderness tourist train
190:Steamtown National Historic Site
235:Greenbrier Presidential Express
33:Early life and financial career
551:E&N Railway Corridor Study
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74:Ross Rowland began operating
584:Arundel, John (2011-06-27).
407:(Thesis). William & Mary
451:. MetroBooks. p. 103.
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804:The Yellow Ribbon Express
738:Wrinn, Jim (May 1, 2018).
401:Speer, Daniel (May 2022).
219:White Pass and Yukon Route
202:Pacific Wilderness Railway
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88:United States Bicentennial
613:. Charleston Gazette Mail
427:"The Ultimate Steam Page"
590:Washington Life Magazine
343:thousandsislandslife.com
154:Steam turbine locomotive
99:American Indian Movement
518:National Parks Traveler
311:. NJBIZ. August 9, 2005
251:Clifton Forge, Virginia
231:Wounded Warrior Project
131:Chesapeake and Ohio 614
473:"U. S. Patent 4425763"
84:American Freedom Train
76:steam excursion trains
70:Steam excursion career
278:HeritageRail Alliance
123:Nickel Plate Road 759
111:Canadian Pacific 1278
631:Huddleston, Eugene.
565:"Pacific Wilderness"
164:21st Century Limited
43:Cranford, New Jersey
20:Ross E. Rowland, Jr.
178:New Jersey Transit
150:CSX Transportation
270:New Hope Railroad
107:steam locomotives
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127:Reading 2101
109:, including
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80:Golden Spike
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62:in the case
58:under Judge
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27:preservation
19:
18:
824:1940 births
750:January 31,
723:January 31,
682:co614.com.
646:January 31,
447:Boyd, Jim.
411:January 31,
369: Denied
348:January 30,
315:January 30,
262:Santa Claus
186:Port Jervis
818:Categories
771:2021-12-28
744:trains.com
668:2021-12-28
617:2021-12-28
595:2021-12-28
570:2012-07-10
528:2012-07-24
499:2021-12-28
478:2012-07-25
458:1586636138
433:2012-07-24
284:References
264:in a 2018
640:co614.com
309:njbiz.com
204:(PAW) on
47:hitchhike
692:cite web
180:between
171:Chrysler
143:ACE 3000
37:Born in
24:railroad
684:"F-A-Q"
274:Hustler
214:Malahat
182:Hoboken
455:
367:,
129:, and
636:(PDF)
752:2024
725:2024
698:link
648:2024
553:: 6.
453:ISBN
413:2024
350:2024
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184:and
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