Two major railroad companies announced this week plans to highlight the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence through their operations.
Canadian Pacific Kansas City and Canadian National revealed they will be branding multiple locomotives in America 250 memorabilia, with cars emblazoned in paraphernalia ranging from references to the Constitution and Declaration of Independence to the bald eagle.
CPKC’s Texas-built “1776” locomotive was unveiled Tuesday, making it the first of five the company said will bear the America 250 livery. CN unveiled on Wednesday two locomotives featuring a “Screaming Eagle” logo and the “iconic design of Air Force One” that will begin tracking across the U.S. “immediately.”
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“Together, the two locomotives represent the dual pillars of the American story: independence and innovation. As they travel across CN’s U.S. rail network, spanning from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest and into the Great Lakes, they will carry not only freight, but also the message of America250 to communities across the country,” CN said in a press release.”
Both CPKC and CN are class 1 railroads, the designation for the largest freight railroad companies. KPKC is the only railroad to connect all of North America, with its single-line rail network connecting Canada, the United States, and Mexico. At 8,800 miles, the company’s U.S. network operates in 19 states and represents nearly 40% of CPKC’s North American railroad. CN said it supports more than 25,000 jobs across the U.S., contributes approximately $4.1 billion to U.S. GDP, and generates $1.7 billion in tax revenues.
One of CN’s America 250 locomotives will feature the eagle, “long associated with military service,” as well as “sovereignty…and the enduring pursuit of liberty.” The other locomotive is inspired by the design of Air Force One, the official presidential airplane, which the railway describes as “a global symbol of precision, innovation, and national security.” The trains are expected to operate across CN’s U.S. network throughout 2026.
CPKC’s five locomotives will feature” the Old Glory Red and Old Glory Blue colors” as well as the logo of America250, the nonpartisan entity formally tasked by Congress to lead semiquincentennial celebrations. Graphic representations of the Declaration of Independence’s opening phrase, “In Congress,” the first words of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution, as well as 13 stars encircling the date July 4, 1776, will also be featured on the cars.
The railways’ plans to mark the U.S.’s 250th birthday are one of many initiatives being undertaken nationwide to honor the milestone. America250 is spearheading some events, while Freedom 250, a task force spearheaded by President Donald Trump, has led others, including a UFC fight on the White House lawn and an IndyCar race in Washington, D.C.
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This week, Freedom 250 debuted a major initiative with the launch of the Freedom Plane National Tour as part of the National Archives’ recognition of the 250th anniversary.
“For the first time in history, unique and original Founding-era documents have taken flight as part of the Freedom Plane National Tour,” read a release from the National Archives. “The documents are now traveling the country as part of the National Archives’ celebration of America’s 250th anniversary. These historic documents will travel to each corner of the country, allowing Americans the opportunity to celebrate the semiquincentennial in their hometowns.”