Behind the Scenes at Locomotive No. 250’s 80th Birthday Open House
Guests enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of historic steam power at Locomotive No. 250’s 80th Birthday Open House in Cleveland on October 11, 2025. After nearly a year of behind-the-scenes preparation, the event attracted 374 visitors in 12 hours. Nick Martin photo
2025 will undoubtedly be remembered as the first year American Freedom Train No. 250 saw steam, but it became far more than that while the boiler was cold. A year of planning and collaborating culminated on Saturday, October 11, in No. 250’s 80th Birthday Open House — a living history event that put ASR on the stage of Cleveland’s exciting, progressive attractions. I had the privilege of spearheading the event, but without the support and collaboration of our Board of Directors, volunteers, members, friends and nearly two dozen outside individuals and organizations, it would have never left the drawing board. Through all the long hours, sleepless nights, and white-knuckle logistics, here is how all the pieces came together.
No. 250 steams softly for the first time in 18 years on April 4, 2025. The locomotive’s first steam test was the most significant milestone in the decade-long restoration — and a great catalyst for a living history event. Nick Martin photo
As early as November 2024, I set about consulting our contractors and industry friends to consider our options. Ideas began to form around a complex event with simple goals: raise money, draw crowds, create lasting experiences, and impress important people. It had become evident in recent years that the traditional open house format, which had been successful for many years, needed to change for the era of experience-seekers and waning attention spans. Rather than have history explained to them while the artifacts sat still, visitors needed to see, hear, and smell history for themselves to truly fall in love with it.
After favorable meetings with the ASR Board in the first half of 2025, plans quickly lined up thanks to our vast and versatile membership ranks and our strategic connections inside and outside the rail preservation community. Within about four weeks, we had a steam traction engine from Grayson Littleton, a modular O-scale layout from Allan Loczy and the Mod Squad, steam whistle manifolds and piping from Chan Bleil, Jay Sauder and Rick Rowlands, numerous silent auction prizes from several organizations, and lighting and smoke effects from Dynamo Productions and Kelly Lynch. A widely varied and appealing event was within reach. The date was set for October 11, and starting August 27, we launched an ambitious six-week marketing campaign.
After a drive to Dayton, Ohio, the 90-inch-long steel “American Freedom Train” nameplate receives lettering at LKG Craftshop. Nick Martin photo
But the lead-up to the event was not without tense moments. Hundreds of online tickets had to be organized and distributed to customers manually, an increasingly formidable task as sales picked up. Being able to situate and level the modular layout on the roundhouse’s uneven floors remained a constant worry. The seemingly simple task of lettering the 90-inch-long American Freedom Train nameplate required an all-day trip to Dayton. With just a few weeks to spare, a state inspection on the traction engine revealed a tube sheet repair that could have jeopardized the entire event if not completed expeditiously. And most of all, many of our previous fundraising events, while successful, appealed mostly to hardened steam locomotive fans, not the general public. Despite all the research, networking and preparation, there remained some uncertainty that we could actually pull it off.
The night before the event, I worked until 3:00 a.m. on a laundry list of details, and other volunteers worked through the night.
Imagine my satisfaction when, promptly at 10:00 a.m. on October 11, guests immediately started pouring in.
The 1905 B&O roundhouse in Cleveland is alive with trains big and small at Locomotive No. 250’s 80th Birthday Open House. Nick Martin photo
Inside the roundhouse, guests were greeted by the two massive iron horses that call Cleveland home, with the Mod Squad’s O-scale modular railroad between them whirring all day with miniature trains. Then the rhythmic exhaust of Grayson Littleton’s traction engine and the call of over 50 steam whistles brought visitors outside, where they could enjoy No. 250 glimmering in the sun and the sensory overload of steam power. At sunset, the lights went up for a night photoshoot, invoking the spirit of the 1976 Freedom Train with vintage props and volunteers in period attire.
The roundhouse was constantly abuzz with activity for 12 hours, and by the time the gates closed at 10:00 p.m., we tallied 374 visitors and staff, with $7,067 in revenue.
It is just as gratifying now as it was then to know that we successfully made No. 250’s 80th Birthday Open House our flagship event of 2025. But if we hadn’t forged friendships with close to two dozen other organizations, and if our members, volunteers and supporters hadn’t coalesced to meet the challenges, October 11 would have been a normal day.
American Steam Railroad’s volunteers pose with their pride and joy after the conclusion of the highly-successful 80th Birthday Open House. Nick Martin photo
