Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hailed Amtrak’s new train, marking the United States’s 250th anniversary, as it embarks on a trip to Philadelphia on Thursday.
Duffy was on hand at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station when the “Freedom 250” Acela train was unveiled, and waved aboard a stream of fourth graders onto the carrier. The children grasped American flags and “Freedom Train” tickets as they boarded the patriotic train, wrapped in red, white, and blue, “to see where the American story began” in Philadelphia.
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“What’s important is so many Americans will ride Amtrak or fly planes or be on a bus, and it’s just a great reminder that we are celebrating our birthday,” Duffy told NBC News at Union Station. “Actually, you, as an American, you too should celebrate. Think about how you’re going to celebrate this great American birthday.”
The train is emblazoned with “REVOLUTIONARY” and “1776 NATIONAL CHAMPS” over the stars and stripes livery, while images of the Statue of Liberty also grace the carrier. “Delivered by President Donald J. Trump and Secretary Sean P. Duffy” is also in bold lettering on the train.
Duffy is accompanying the group of fourth graders to Philadelphia as part of an initiative to celebrate the semiquincentennial. Upon arriving at the William H. Gray III 30th Street Station in Philadelphia, Duffy greeted Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker at the semiquincentennial destination. The group is set to view a recreation of the Declaration of Independence, among other activities.
The event comes as part of the Freedom 250 initiative spearheaded by President Donald Trump. Duffy’s Transportation Department is one of several federal agencies promoting the initiative as the country spends 2026 marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
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Freedom 250 is the task force planning the first-ever UFC fight on the White House lawn, and a historic, free IndyCar race in Washington, D.C.
America250, the organization tasked by Congress to celebrate the milestone, is likewise leading a host of events, including nationwide block parties on July 4 that it says will be “the largest synchronized Fourth of July celebration in U.S. history.” The organization revealed in March that through America Gives, it had surpassed 2.5 million volunteer hours in its effort to pull off the largest such national initiative in U.S. history.
