2015 Lincoln Funeral Train

[79ttocs]

As an FYI, I am working with the folks at Kloke Construction, who are building the full-sized replica of the Lincoln Funeral Train at Elgin, Illinois.
Their official web site is http://www.The2015LincolnFuneralTrain.com

The engine is complete, the two cars, including the United States are not yet under construction.

Scott Trostel

[RJNorton]

Scott, I exchanged emails with the folks at that site a few months ago. I already have a link to their site from my funeral train web page, and when their website is completed they will be returning the link.

I do have a question for you. On the site it says, "Unfortunately, due to modern-day train traffic and the inefficiencies of an 1800s train replica, we are unable to make the entire trip on rail."

Do you have any specifics on that?

[79ttocs]

The problem is somewhat complicated but boiled down, the replica train will only make a speed of 20 to 30 mph. The lines it might operate over are mostly 55 mph and higher, up to 130 mph. There will be a need to use automatic brakes (no invented yet in 1865), knuckle couplers (not required until 1900) and some high-impact structural qualities, not favorable to equipment in operation prior to the all-steel freight car, circa 1906. Then there will be a need to have fuel and water facilities at frequent intervals and service facilities. The plan is to truck the train from town to town along the route. To further complicate matters, portions of the route have been abandoned to rail service. Most of the line from Baltimore to Harrisburg has been abandoned. Then almost all the track between Columbus and Indianapolis is gone save a few scant miles at Urbana and Greenville, Ohio and Richmond, Indiana. Portions of the line from Indianapolis to Michigan City are also gone. I have sat along the Central Canal in downtown Indianapolis and dreamed of seeing the train, but no track anymore. Indianapolis Union Station has been converted to a hotel with a waiting room for Amtrak.
Something around 400 miles of track along the original route are abandoned and track is gone.
The locomotive is completed and the two cars should be under construction shortly. I have an invitation to accompany the train in 2015.

Scott Trostel

[RJNorton]

There is a map posted of the original train's route here.

[LincolnMan]

Are any of the cars of the original funeral train still existing?

[79ttocs]

The "United States", the car used to transport the body of Abraham Lincoln, was caught in a fire near Edina, Minnesota on March 19, 1911. Go here to see photos of the car's demise. http://rogerjnorton.com/Lincoln51.html scroll to the bottom of the page. No other equipment survived. Construction is about to start on the full-sized reproduction of that car to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Lincoln's assassination in 2015, when plans are to retrace the funeral train's original route.

[LincolnMan]

Too bad none of the original cars exist. Are there still railroad tracks in place to be able to accurately retrace the route?

[Joe Di Cola]

Lionel, as part of its Heritage Series, is offering a O-gauge operating model of the Lincoln funeral train.