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Abraham Lincoln's Funeral Train
Historical Events
Following the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the United States, his body was placed on a special train from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Ill. The train left Washington on April 21, 1865 and over the next 14 days moved through most of the major northern cities. At each city the coffin was removed and brought to state capitols and city halls where thousands of citizens could view the body.
The train finally reached its destination and the president was laid to rest on May 4, 1865. The president rode in a specially constructed passenger car called the "United States" , built in 1864 but unused to that point.
When the military relinquished control of the nation's railways, the car was sold to the Union Pacific railway and then to the Colorado Central RR where it was stripped and used to transport track workers. The car was eventually sold to entrepreneur Franklyn Snow and then Thomas Lowry. Lowry restored the car and promoted it as the "most sacred relic in the United States." The car was later destroyed by a large grass fire in 1911 in Minnesota.
Source: Model Railroader Magazine
Posted: 2002-01-29 2:20:25 PM
This fact has been viewed 3408 times.
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