Everyone:
After viewing more video of the Bush 41 Funeral Train taking notice how it ran at higher speed in
between towns a factor that no one mentioned was the short December days to complete the run
and make certain that the College Station ceremonies would occur on schedule before darkness.
At another time of year with longer daylight hours the train could have been scheduled to operate
at a slower speed throughout the 70 mile route with perhaps a stop or two in towns along the route
allowing citizens to pay their respects more closely to the former President, his family and friends.
More then likely UP operated no train traffic on the Spring-College Station route that day other than
the Pilot and Funeral Trains for security and logistical reasons.
With the brief mention of the RFK Funeral Train 50 years ago the biggest difference was that the
Penn Central tried to run trains with some semblance of normalcy on the New York-Washington
route that day - looking back PC was likely overwhelmed by the amount of spectators trackside
throughout the route that were also trying to watch the train on live tracks - which led to what
ended up happening at Elizabeth Station (NJ) the prime example of why other train movements
should have been stopped altogether when the special Funeral Train was in the proximity.
For the Bush Funeral Train security was very tight - even with the highly secured rail route there
was mention of what appeared to be close calls - tough for the train crew first and foremost and
anyone involved with the train operation. Thankfully the Bush train ran without any problems.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Funeral Train-1969 (search for more information with these
words) ran between Washington, D.C. and Abilene, KS across seven states and took multiple days
at the end of March/beginning of April 1969. Long distance special trains such as the Eisenhower
Funeral Train would probably today have needed vast amounts of security and would logistically
created major problems for train movements in and around any route that was used.
These trains are one-of-a-kind historical moves and thankfully are being documented for posterity.
MACTRAXX
EXPRESS TRAIN TO NEW YORK PENN STATION-NO JAMAICA ON THIS TRAIN-PLEASE STAND CLEAR OF THE CLOSING TRAIN DOORS