The 1996 - 2000 21st Century Limited Train

Proposed Equipment Roster of the 21st Century Limited

*	*	This list is a work-in-progress -- and probably always will be. Any additions or corrections, please email.
*	*	The 21st Century Limited was planned to run from January 1996 to December 31, 1999, followed by a possible two year run 'overseas' (Canada, Europe, Asia). The train came close to being a reality, but the project came apart before the train was built. Here is what it was proposed to look like.
*	MAIN LOCOMOTIVES	1996 - 2000 EXHIBIT TRAIN NOTES
614		Locomotive #614 - The Great Engine - Former C&O Railroad 4-8-4 steam locomotive #614, the last commercial mainline passenger steam locomotive built in America.
614A		Aux Tender #614A - A water tender for the steam locomotive.
2000		The Millennium Machine #2000 - A unique cab-control car pushed by a pair of 4000hp GE diesel locomotives, all streamlined in custom housings. The cab-control car was to have a simulated control station. Depicted in illustrated promotional material as having just two units, both presumably powered. Depicted as being numbered either 1 or 2000. Referred to as the 'Millennium Mach 1' early on.
3001		Locomotive #3001 - Former New York Central 4-8-2 Mohawk steam locomotive #3001 was proposed to lend a hand to 614 in hauling the heavy 34-car train.
*	MAIN CONSIST	NOTES
1		Locomotive Equipment & Operation Support Car CONNEAUT - A tool and equipment car for the locomotve crew and operations staff.
2		Locomotive Crew Facilities Car ROANOKE - A dorm-lounge car for the locomotive crew.
3		Theatre Stage Car - A car to carry the 21st Century Stage of Tomorrow. The car was to be a specially designed 85' heavyweight car carrying a 60x30 foot stage that would hydraulically unfold at display sites. It was meant as "an ideal platform for top performers from across the nation".
4		Theatre Stage Support Car - A car to carry equipment and tools for the 21st Century Stage of Tomorrow. The car was to be a specially designed 85' heavyweight car carrying portable folding bleachers sufficient for 2000 people. The car would also carry portable scaffolding for theatrical lighting and sound, etc.
5		First Open Display Flat Car - A flat car carrying large items. Among items carried on the two display flat cars would be a cutaway of the front part of the Space Shuttle, a Navy Hellcat, and the Bathysphere.
6		Second Open Display Flat Car - A flat car carrying large items. Among items carried on the two display flat cars would be a cutaway of the front part of the Space Shuttle, a Navy Hellcat, and the Bathysphere
7		First Enclosed Display Car - A 'bubble' car similar to the showcase cars on the American Freedom Train. The two bubble cars were to contain an Apollo Space Capsule, a Lunar Rover, and 'four more of the 20th century's most fascinating items'.
8		Second Enclosed Display Car - A 'bubble' car similar to the showcase cars on the American Freedom Train.
9		Entrance Car - To provide access to the train from the VIP ramp on one side of the train and the general access ramp on the other. Would contain a security control room, and environmental control room, and an exhibit control center. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train.
10		First Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. If baggage cars were used, the cars would have had moving walkways like the American Freedom Train. With box cars (three feet taller than baggage cars), they would instead have featured a 'gondola-type people-mover' suspended from overhead. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1900-1905 & 1905-1910.
11		Second Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1910-1915 & 1915-1920.
12		Third Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1920-1925 & 1925-1930.
13		Fouth Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1930-1935 & 1935-1940.
14		Fifth Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1940-1945 & 1945-1950.
15		Sixth Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1950-1955 & 1955-1960.
16		Seventh Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1960-1965 & 1965-1970.
17		Eighth Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1970-1975 & 1975-1980.
18		Ninth Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1980-1985 & 1985-1990.
19		Tenth Display Car - Filled with displays of memorabilia from the 20th century. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. The two flat graphics panels and two shadowboxes on the sides of the car would have celebrated innovations and inventions from the years 1990-1995 & 1995-2000.
20		Exit Car/Power Car - To hold some final displays and provide access to the exit ramps on either side of the train. Planned to be a hi-cube box car, but depicted in most promotional material as a baggage car, likely reused from the American Freedom Train and the Canadian Discovery Train. Some material says there were to be twelve display cars, but that number probably includes the entrance car and this exit car. May have contained a diesel generator as the exit car on the American Freedom Train did.
21		Power Car - To contain diesel generators providing electrical power for the train while on the road.
22		First Corporate Sponsor Display Car - To be designed and outfitted to the sponsor's specifications, showcasing their products and services to visitors.
23		Second Corporate Sponsor Display Car - To be designed and outfitted to the sponsor's specifications, showcasing their products to visitors.
24		Third Corporate Sponsor Display Car - To be designed and outfitted to the sponsor's specifications, showcasing their products and services to visitors.
25		Fourth Corporate Sponsor Display Car - To be designed and outfitted to the sponsor's specifications, showcasing their products and services to visitors.
26		Fifth Corporate Sponsor Display Car - To be designed and outfitted to the sponsor's specifications, showcasing their products and services to visitors.
27		Sixth Corporate Sponsor Display Car - To be designed and outfitted to the sponsor's specifications, showcasing their products and services to visitors.
28		Press Car - To contain a briefing room outfitted as an exact replica of an aircraft carrier 'ready room'. The communications center would have been equiped with computers, typewriters, fax machines, copiers, telephones, satellite reception, and video and audio uplink equipment to be available to the press, staff and sponsors.
29		First VIP Deluxe Parlor Lounge Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. To provide room for 35 passengers and to be decorated as a parlor lounge car from the turn of the (previous) century.
30		Second VIP Deluxe Parlor Lounge Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. To provide room for 35 passengers and to be decorated as a parlor lounge car from the Roaring 20's.
31		Third VIP Deluxe Parlor Lounge Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. To provide room for 35 passengers and to be decorated as a parlor lounge car from the early 1950's.
32		First VIP Super Dome Dining Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. Would have provided dining for 75 people.
33		Second VIP Super Dome Dining Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. Would have provided dining for 75 people.
34		Panorama VIP Super Dome Dining Observation Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. Would provide seating for 48 -- 24 of those in theater seating under glass at the tail. A custom car to be loosely based on the Milwaukee Road's Skytop observation cars used in the 1940s and '50s.
*	*	1996 - 2000 EXPOSITION & SUPPORT EQUIPMENT
*******		A Typical Display Site
*******		A Typical Display Site
*******		A Typical Display Site
*******		A Typical Display Site
*******		Visions of the Future - Six unique sponsor pavilions to "provide a look forward into the 21st Century".
*******		The 21st Century Stage of Tomorrow - To be "a state of the art sound stage for live and electronic performances showcaseing the latest in Omnimax Theatre technology, live daily variety shows and the top talent from the world of entertainment".
*******		Grand Central Stage - An additional, smaller stage to be positioned between the two locomotives when on display.
*******		Smithsonian Pavilion - A pavilion, separate from the sponsor exhibit pavilions, showcasing the Smithsonian Institution's collections and facilities.
*******		Food Courts - Two food courts were to support the exposition. McDonald's was thought to be nearly set to come on board as the main provider of food concessions.
*******		Fork Lifts - Two fork lifts similar to the Clark fork lift carried by the American Freedom Train in 1975-76.
*******		Tractor Trailers - To be used to transport temporary exhibit structures, communications equipment and the like, via highway from display site to display site. Two sets of structures were to be built so that while one was in use, the other set could be undergoing setup at the next display site.
*	PILOT TRAIN LOCOMOTIVE	1996 - 2000 PILOT TRAIN NOTES
1996		Pilot Train Locomotive #1996/2000 - Depicted in promotional material as a GE locomotive with GE paint, likely to have been the latest Dash 9 Series six-axle model. The pilot train was to preceed the main exhibit train by 15 minutes and designed to haul a supply car for each of the seven corporate sponsors, some flat cars with support equipment, and the seven 'presidential' cars from the 1994 - 1995 Advance Train.
*	PILOT TRAIN CARS	NOTES
1		First Supply Car - Supply car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Depicted in promotional material as a boxcar decorated for KODAK.
2		Second Supply Car - Supply car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Depicted in promotional material as a boxcar decorated for AT&T.
3		Third Supply Car - Supply car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Depicted in promotional material as a boxcar decorated for IBM.
4		Fourth Supply Car - Supply car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Depicted in promotional material as a boxcar decorated for MET LIFE.
5		Fifth Supply Car - Supply car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Depicted in promotional material as a boxcar decorated for GE.
6		Sixth Supply Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but quite possibly KRAFT, NASA, MAYTAG or McDONALD'S.
7		Seventh Supply Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but almost certainly CHRYSLER, as Chrysler had become the train's first sponsor in February 1993. According to Ralph Weisinger's son Harry Weisinger (in 2020), Ralph had also secured commitments from McDonald's and Maytag before the project ended.
8		First Flat Car - Depicted in promotional material carrying a pair of forklifts and a ticket booth.
9		Second Flat Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but the American Freedom Train had three flats, so it's safe to assume a much larger exposition would need as many. Would likely have carried support vehicles and wagons for tickets, souvenirs, mobile offices, and storage.
10		Third Flat Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but the American Freedom Train had three flats, so it's safe to assume a much larger exposition would need as many. Would likely have carried support vehicles and wagons for tickets, souvenirs, mobile offices, and storage. Tents, stages and other structures were to travel by truck/highway, so the number of flat cars needed would be modest.
11		First Crew Sleeping Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but the material does refer to the pilot train carrying advance personnel. With so many corporate sponsors and their guests on each trip and at each stop, it seems fair that the pilot train would need at least two crew sleepers. The High Iron Company had two slumbercoaches at one time or another. Maybe they would have been used here.
12		Second Crew Sleeping Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but the material does refer to the pilot train carrying advance personnel. With so many corporate sponsors and their guests on each trip and at each stop, it seems fair that the pilot train would need at least two crew sleepers. The High Iron Company had two slumbercoaches at one time or another. Maybe they would have been used here.
13		Advance Press Car - Not depicted in promotional material, but the material does refer to the pilot train carrying advance press people. Likely equiped with computers, typewriters, fax machines, copiers, telephones, satellite reception, and video and audio uplink equipment to be available to the press, staff and sponsors.
14		First Presidential Car - Presidential car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Each presidential car was for the exclusive use of a single corporate sponsor. Each was to contain a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen and crew quarters. They only type of rail car routinely set up this way were heavyweight cars used as private cars by corporate presidents in the 1920s-40s. An early version of the project book calls this a heavyweight coach.
15		Second Presidential Car - Presidential car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Each presidential car was for the exclusive use of a single corporate sponsor. Each was to contain a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen and crew quarters. They only type of rail car routinely set up this way were heavyweight cars used as private cars by corporate presidents in the 1920s-40s. An early version of the project book calls this a heavyweight coach.
16		Third Presidential Car - Presidential car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Each presidential car was for the exclusive use of a single corporate sponsor. Each was to contain a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen and crew quarters. They only type of rail car routinely set up this way were heavyweight cars used as private cars by corporate presidents in the 1920s-40s. An early version of the project book calls this a heavyweight coach.
17		Fourth Presidential Car - Presidential car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Each presidential car was for the exclusive use of a single corporate sponsor. Each was to contain a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen and crew quarters. They only type of rail car routinely set up this way were heavyweight cars used as private cars by corporate presidents in the 1920s-40s. An early version of the project book calls this a heavyweight coach.
18		Fifth Presidential Car - Presidential car for one of the seven corporate sponsors. Each presidential car was for the exclusive use of a single corporate sponsor. Each was to contain a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen and crew quarters. They only type of rail car routinely set up this way were heavyweight cars used as private cars by corporate presidents in the 1920s-40s. An early version of the project book calls this a heavyweight coach.
19		Sixth Presidential Car - Chrysler - Presidential car for Chrysler. To contain a lounge, dining room, bedrooms, kitchen and crew quarters. An early version of the project book calls this a heavyweight business car. The High Iron Company had a suitable business car already -- the BROTHERS TWO/SPLENDID SPIRIT/INDEPENDENCE -- and perhaps it would have been used here.
*	ADVANCE TRAIN LOCOMOTIVE	1994 - 1995 ADVANCE TRAIN NOTES
614		Locomotive #614 - The Great Engine - Former C&O Railroad 4-8-4 steam locomotive #614. The Advance Train was to preceed the 21st Century Limited by 12-24 months, just as the 1974 Preamble Express had scouted the route of the 1975-76 American Freedom Train. It was to consist of a steam locomotive, a press car, and six VIP passenger cars. The locomotive and seven cars would be reused on the main exhibit train some months later.
*	ADVANCE TRAIN CARS	NOTES
1		Press Car - Would have contained a briefing room outfitted as an exact replica of an aircraft carrier 'ready room'. The communications center would have been equiped with computers, typewriters, fax machines, copiers, telephones, satellite reception, and video and audio uplink equipment to be available to the press, staff and sponsors. Llater to be recycled into the actual exhibit train as car #28.
2		First VIP Deluxe Parlor Lounge Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. To provide room for 35 passengers and to be decorated as a parlor lounge car from the turn of the (previous) century.
3		Second VIP Deluxe Parlor Lounge Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. To provide room for 35 passengers and to be decorated as a parlor lounge car from the Roaring 20's.
4		Third VIP Deluxe Parlor Lounge Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. To provide room for 35 passengers and to be decorated as a parlor lounge car from the early 1950's.
5		First VIP Super Dome Dining Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. Would have provided dining for 75 people.
6		Second VIP Super Dome Dining Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. Would have provided dining for 75 people.
7		VIP Super Dome Dining Observation Car - For exclusive use by corporate sponsors. Would provide a place for corporate employees and their guests to ride the train from site to site -- and to mingle at display sites. A custom car to be loosely based on the Milwaukee Road's Skytop observation cars used in the 1940s and 50s.
*	*	Acknowledgments
*	*	Research resources include: Ross E. Rowland, Jr., Ralph G. Weisinger, Harold Weisinger, Bob & Bea Lorenz, John Finnin, Bob Skillman, Michael Berardesco, Bob Skiba, Keith Muldowney, John Lewis, Mary Jayne & John Z. Rowe. Many thanks to all who have contributed to keeping track of the development history of the 1996-2000 21st Century Limited -- that almost was!