America 250 Locomotive Celebration - Spencer, NC

This—is the America 250 Locomotive Celebration in Spencer, North Carolina, and The Wheeling sent our 1776 to take center stage. A gathering of this scale involves enormous coordination between railroads, and the result was a once-in-a-generation event that'll be talked about in history books! The trend of painting patriotic-inspired locomotives for the 2026 Semiquincentennial started on the Wheeling (albeit by only a few hours) and the fervor spread throughout the industry. Our compliments go to Norfolk Southern and the North Carolina Transportation Museum for their generosity in hosting and their strategic planners in getting our engine there and back—quickly and safely! Also special thanks to @SamLovesTrains (Sam Foster), @weswilsonphotography (Wes Wilson) and Brent Lane for their contributions to this video.