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Ross Rowland
Ross E. Rowland Jr. (July 11, 1940 – July 19, 2025) was an American railroad preservationist. From the 1960s to the 1990s, he ran public and demonstration excursions on existing railroads, utilizing steam locomotives.
Rowland was born in Albany, New York on July 11, 1940. His family relocated to Cranford, New Jersey, in 1945, where Ross frequently visited a local railroad roundhouse as a child. Rowland's father, grandfather and great-grandfather all had railroad careers on the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) and Jersey Central (CNJ) railroads, which contributed to Ross's interest in trains as a child. At the age of 14, Rowland left his family home in 1954 to hitchhike following a dispute with his parents. After returning to Cranford, eventually a local friend would invite Ross at the age of 17 to start a career in the futures exchanges in New York City. In 1966, Rowland founded Floor Broker Associates Inc. He also served on the board of COMEX, a precious metals investment firm. Rowland would work in commodities for 33 years prior to retiring.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Rowland was involved with the New Jersey Museum of Transportation and the Black River & Western Railroad. However, Rowland grew bored of both operations, deeming that they did not allow him to fulfill his desire to run mainline excursions. On October 16, 1966, Rowland began operating steam excursion trains with his newly-formed High Iron Company (HICO), and the first train was arranged as a collaboration with Steamtown, U.S.A. owner F. Nelson Blount, and hauled by Canadian Pacific 1278.
Rowland subsequently hosted several more steam-powered trains, including the Golden Spike Centennial Limited train in 1969. Rowland's most famous accomplishment was the American Freedom Train, a steam-powered exhibit train which toured much of the continental US over 1975 and 1976 in conjunction with the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. Rowland's actions in setting up the American Freedom Train would lead to him being awarded an honorary lifetime membership in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
The American Freedom Train was met by some protest, particularly from American Indian Movement and People's Bicentennial Commission activists concerned about inadequate coverage on the train regarding African American and Native American history. Rowland responded to the criticism by offering a tour to some protestors while stating "We only have 700 linear feet, so we can't do everyone satisfactory."
Following the American Freedom Train, Rowland would operate the Chessie Steam Special, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from 1977 to 1978 and the Chessie Safety Express to promote grade-crossing safety from 1980 to 1981.
Rowland had been connected with and operated several U.S. excursion steam locomotives, including Nos. 1278, 1238, 1286, Nickel Plate Road 759, Reading 2101, and Chesapeake and Ohio 614.
During the 1980s, with a spike in oil prices, Rowland was instrumental in forming American Coal Enterprises, an organization dedicated to the design and production of modern, coal-fired, reciprocating, direct-drive steam locomotives designed to reduce or eliminate operational concerns associated with steam locomotives and to operate with enough efficiency to be economically viable to railroads. Rowland managed to obtain permission from CSX Transportation to operate C&O 614 in freight service in 1985, to obtain data in order to finalize the ACE 3000 design. The ACE 3000 originally started development as a steam turbine locomotive design, but was changed to a traditional reciprocating drive as development continued.
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Ross Rowland
Ross E. Rowland Jr. (July 11, 1940 – July 19, 2025) was an American railroad preservationist. From the 1960s to the 1990s, he ran public and demonstration excursions on existing railroads, utilizing steam locomotives.
Rowland was born in Albany, New York on July 11, 1940. His family relocated to Cranford, New Jersey, in 1945, where Ross frequently visited a local railroad roundhouse as a child. Rowland's father, grandfather and great-grandfather all had railroad careers on the Baltimore & Ohio (B&O) and Jersey Central (CNJ) railroads, which contributed to Ross's interest in trains as a child. At the age of 14, Rowland left his family home in 1954 to hitchhike following a dispute with his parents. After returning to Cranford, eventually a local friend would invite Ross at the age of 17 to start a career in the futures exchanges in New York City. In 1966, Rowland founded Floor Broker Associates Inc. He also served on the board of COMEX, a precious metals investment firm. Rowland would work in commodities for 33 years prior to retiring.
In the 1950s and early 1960s, Rowland was involved with the New Jersey Museum of Transportation and the Black River & Western Railroad. However, Rowland grew bored of both operations, deeming that they did not allow him to fulfill his desire to run mainline excursions. On October 16, 1966, Rowland began operating steam excursion trains with his newly-formed High Iron Company (HICO), and the first train was arranged as a collaboration with Steamtown, U.S.A. owner F. Nelson Blount, and hauled by Canadian Pacific 1278.
Rowland subsequently hosted several more steam-powered trains, including the Golden Spike Centennial Limited train in 1969. Rowland's most famous accomplishment was the American Freedom Train, a steam-powered exhibit train which toured much of the continental US over 1975 and 1976 in conjunction with the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. Rowland's actions in setting up the American Freedom Train would lead to him being awarded an honorary lifetime membership in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen.
The American Freedom Train was met by some protest, particularly from American Indian Movement and People's Bicentennial Commission activists concerned about inadequate coverage on the train regarding African American and Native American history. Rowland responded to the criticism by offering a tour to some protestors while stating "We only have 700 linear feet, so we can't do everyone satisfactory."
Following the American Freedom Train, Rowland would operate the Chessie Steam Special, to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad from 1977 to 1978 and the Chessie Safety Express to promote grade-crossing safety from 1980 to 1981.
Rowland had been connected with and operated several U.S. excursion steam locomotives, including Nos. 1278, 1238, 1286, Nickel Plate Road 759, Reading 2101, and Chesapeake and Ohio 614.
During the 1980s, with a spike in oil prices, Rowland was instrumental in forming American Coal Enterprises, an organization dedicated to the design and production of modern, coal-fired, reciprocating, direct-drive steam locomotives designed to reduce or eliminate operational concerns associated with steam locomotives and to operate with enough efficiency to be economically viable to railroads. Rowland managed to obtain permission from CSX Transportation to operate C&O 614 in freight service in 1985, to obtain data in order to finalize the ACE 3000 design. The ACE 3000 originally started development as a steam turbine locomotive design, but was changed to a traditional reciprocating drive as development continued.