Delaware-Lackawanna Railroad’s Engine 1776 took hundreds of hours to complete. Featuring a red, white and blue paint scheme, the locomotive also features two stars next to the locomotive road number to represent Pennsylvania, the second state admitted to the Union on Dec. 12, 1787. The locomotive’s bell is also painted to look like the Liberty Bell, complete with a “crack” on its side.
Florida East Coast Railway's tribute locomotive, FEC 250, keeps the company's teal chevron stripes on the cab while adding a bold flag design and the phrase "Freedom 250." The locomotive was overhauled and painted in the railroad's New Smyrna Beach shop and will travel through the FEC network in anticipation of the company's Fourth of July celebrations.
ASLRRA member holding company Genesee & Wyoming Railroad Services Inc. (G&W) created a suite of America 250 locomotives for use in service on multiple railroads. All of the four locomotives are painted blue with red and white details and the phrase “America 250 Years.” Then, each has a unique image in white depicting a symbol of America. The images are (clockwise from top right photo) the Jupiter locomotive on the Arizona Eastern Railway; a bald eagle on the Indiana & Ohio Railway and Ohio Central Railroad locomotive; the Statue of Liberty on the Connecticut Southern, Providence and Worcester and Berkshire & Eastern railroads; and the Liberty Bell on the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Railroad. G&W also recently unveiled the Mount Rushmore locomotive (below, far left) in use on the Rapid City, Pierre & Eastern Railroad.
Iowa Interstate Railroad debuted its ES44AC No. 510 with a special commemorative logo on the side. The logo features a red, white and blue eagle with the phrase "America 250" and "1776-2026." Rail fans have seen the locomotive leading trains on Iowa Interstate's lines.
Lake State Railway’s SD70M No. 1776 paint scheme was inspired by prior 1976 bicentennial units and a Burlington Northern locomotive painted in 1991 in support of U.S. troops in Operation Desert Storm. LSRC’s Travis Vongrey came up with the red, white and blue design, which also incorporates the railroad’s American flag logo.
The Skunk Train’s design for its Locomotive 1776 is inspired by patriotic railroad displays including the famous Freedom Train of 1948. Painted a deep maroon red with blue and white stripes and white stars, the locomotive also features a striking bald eagle on its nose. Locomotive 1776 will be used in tourist excursions from Fort Bragg, California.
Morristown & Erie Railway’s (M&E) railroad crews painted its tribute locomotive to honor the railroad’s history and the history of Morristown, New Jersey. Originally Southern Railway MP15DC No. 2354, the locomotive was renumbered the M&E 26 in honor of America’s 250th anniversary year. The paint scheme is reminiscent of the locomotive’s Southern Railway past while also incorporating the signature M&E red. Included is the design is the special lettering "Washington Headquarters" and "Crossroads of the Revolution." These phrases are reminders that General George Washington once established headquarters in Morristown during the fight for American independence. That historic site is less than half a mile from M&E’s current headquarters.
Naugatuck Railroad refreshed its NAUG 2203 locomotive with a red, white and blue paint scheme. The overall design is based on Delaware & Hudson’s Bicentennial U23B 2312 unit of 1974. Five stars on the side represent Connecticut becoming the country’s fifth state, and a silhouette of the late Turbo, a beloved shop cat, is also featured.
New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway employees chose the design for their tribute locomotive from four options. They kept the front of the locomotive, No. 3634, in NYSW's signature paint scheme, while the rest of the unit bears a waving American flag and the dates 1776-2026.
North Shore Railroad’s tribute locomotive was entirely hand-painted by local Pennsylvania artist Pedro Reyes. The locomotive features images and symbols from throughout America’s history, including the Declaration of Independence, the Liberty Bell, a bald eagle and the Statue of Liberty.
OmniTRAX's tribute locomotive evokes a wind-blown American flag, with wavy red and white stripes covering the front and white stars on a blue background on the locomotive's back end. The unit also features a special 250 America logo. Chicago Rail Link will use the locomotive, numbered 4200.
Pinsly Railroad Company added a special America 250 logo to locomotives at each of its nine railroads. In addition, Pinsly painted two locomotives, No. 4491 on Grenada Railroad and No. 4492 on Florida Gulf & Atlantic Railroad, with red, white and blue stripes across the length of the unit.
The Prairie Line looked to team member Abigail Van Dyke to design its tribute locomotive, TPLX 1776. The design plays off of The Prairie Line's signature blue-and-white scheme while incorporating red and white stripes and stars, an homage to the American flag. The locomotive is dedicated to U.S. military service members.
Reading & Northern Railroad unveiled its first tribute locomotive (top photo), numbered 1776, on Veterans Day 2025. The design features red and white stripes on the hood and a blue cab with thirteen stars on the nose. Evan Kerr, a Reading & Northern conductor, engineer and dispatcher designed the paint scheme.
In late June 2026, Reading & Northern revealed its second tribute locomotive along with a special tribute caboose (bottom photo). The locomotive is GP38-2 No. 2026. It is painted blue with red and white details and "United States of America 250" on the side. In contrast with the locomotive, the caboose is predominantly white, with a red top and red stripe along its bottom. The new locomotive will make its public debut on July 2 alongside No. 1776.
Four of ASLRRA member holding company Regional Rail's railroads designed tribute locomotives celebrating America's 250th anniversary. (Clockwise from right) Carolina Coastal Railway's CLNA No. 1776 plays off the railroad's traditional paint scheme, keeping a red background but replacing yellow stripes with white and black with blue. There is also a graphic of a portion of the U.S. Constitution on the side. Florida Central Railroad Company's locomotive, No. 1776, was painted in-house by the railroad's three-person mechanical team. The locomotive features red, white and blue striping with gold accents and handrails. East Penn Railroad debuted its red, white and blue locomotive, No. 1776, in July 2025. The railroad held a competition to choose the commemorative design, with the winner chosen by Regional Rail President Al Sauer. Minnesota Commercial Railway completed its tribute locomotive in November 2025. The B36-7 No. 76 is painted red, white and blue, with thirteen stars on the cab.
R. J. Corman Railroad Group is putting the final touches on two GE Dash 8-40CW locomotives numbered 1776 and 2026. The commemorative paint schemes will include the company’s signature red and gray, with bold blue stripes and white stars. The units will operate in Nashville, Tennessee on the Nashville & Eastern Railroad.
Sierra Northern Railway painted its tribute locomotive, number 250, in a blue, white and gold scheme with a flag motif on its flanks.
Watco's WAMX 250 bears the familiar red and blue color scheme with white stripes and six white stars. Watco team members prepared the locomotive for service before it received its new paint job. It was revealed to the public in Cherryvale, Kansas and will operate on the South Kansas and Oklahoma Railroad.
Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway drew inspiration for its tribute locomotive from Norfolk & Western’s 1976 bicentennial locomotive. Also numbered 1776, Wheeling & Lake Erie’s version includes red and white chevron stripes, a polished brass bell, vintage raised-letter number boards and a restored Leslie air horn.
