Friday, September 11th:
We’ll kickoff the festival with a Public Reception at D&W Underground Event Venue, with food catered by Circa 1880, and a cash bar provided by KAO lounge! Stephen R. Bush will present on the 1976 American Freedom Train which traveled through the Big Country during its country wide tour.

Our Speaker:

Stephen Bush’s lifelong connection to railroading began on New Year’s Eve 1975, when the American Freedom Train arrived in his hometown of Santa Barbara, California. When the train departed, he went with it, spending all of 1976 traveling with the train during the nation’s Bicentennial celebration. Bush served as Assistant Curator during public exhibitions, helping maintain the historic artifacts displayed aboard the train, while also assisting with the logistical setup and breakdown required as the train moved between cities. As part of the small core crew who lived and traveled aboard the train, he also volunteered with the steam locomotive crew and later served as a fireman toward the end of the tour. Today, Stephen “S.R.“ Bush is recognized as a noted railway historian and writer known for his extensive research and archival work surrounding the 1975-1976 American Freedom Train. His detailed writings document the train’s equipment, operations, crew structure, and historic artifacts, helping preserve the legacy of the Bicentennial tour for future generations. Bush is also known as the righthand man to renowned railroad preservationist Doyle McCormack and the iconic Southern Pacific 4449 steam locomotive.