Flying Yankee Open House July 5th

Flying Yankee Schedules Second Open House of 2008

N. WOODSTOCK, NH – Officials with the Flying Yankee Restoration Group, located in North Woodstock, NH, have announced that the second of four Flying Yankee Open Houses for 2008 will be held at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH on Saturday, July 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (final tour is at 3:30 p.m.). The event will take place rain or shine and will feature ongoing guided tours of the Flying Yankee inside and out permitting folks of all ages to get an up-close view of this historic streamliner. Although reservations are not required for the guided tours and there will be no entry fee to enjoy the Flying Yankee Open House event, tax-deductible donations for the ongoing restoration project will be greatly appreciated. Spend a part of your Independence Day Weekend holiday viewing one of the most unique pieces of Americana that you’ll ever see. This is the best weekend to come and view the Flying Yankee as the Lincoln-Woodstock area has many July 4 weekend events planned, including a parade, concert and fireworks, so come and make a weekend out of it and ride the Hobo Railroad while you’re in town.

Operated jointly by the Boston and Maine Railroad and the Maine Central Railroad throughout northern New England from 1935 to 1957, the Flying Yankee was the second of only four diesel-electric, 3-car streamliner passenger trains of this type ever manufactured by the E.G. Budd Company of Philadelphia, PA. It traveled nearly 3 million miles during its time in service. The Flying Yankee was purchased from the Edaville Railroad in Carver, MA in the early 1990s by the late Robert S. Morrell, creator of Story Land and Heritage NH in Glen, NH and donated to the State of New Hampshire in 1995 for the sum of one dollar.

Now based at the Hobo Railroad in Lincoln, NH where restoration work will be completed, the Flying Yankee will be the only train of its type to ever operate again – anywhere in the world – once the restoration is completed. The Flying Yankee will also serve as an icon for Education, Economic Development and Tourism for the State of NH when the restoration is complete. The restoration is over 50% complete at this time. A $3.5 million dollar Capital Campaign to raise the funds necessary to complete the Flying Yankee’s restoration and testing is underway and a Naming Rights Program is a central part of the fund raising effort. Attend the Open House to learn how you can own your own seat on The Flying Yankee forever and ride free each and every year.

To learn more about the Flying Yankee Open House scheduled for Saturday, July 5 or how you can help support the project though a tax-deductible donation, contact Flying Yankee officials by calling (603) 745-3974, visit the Flying Yankee’s official web site http://www.flyingyankee.com or send an e-mail to flyingyankee@usa.net. To get information on all the July 4 weekend activities in the area, go to http://www.lincolnwoodstock.com.