Presidential Trains (Inauguration, Campaign, Etc.)

Figure on "Amtrak One" a possibility for trips to New York for the UN opening session

Honestly, I would hope not. At least not with security as is.

I loved that President Obama did it and it's fitting that President-Elect Biden will do it.
BUT, it's hugely disruptive to the NEC given the current required security requirements that POTUS travels under.

That said, I for one think t would probably be reasonable to tone done some of the security requirements since it's more about the office than the individual. But this is railroad.net, not potussecurity.net so I'll leave it at that.

I'd love to see Amtrak One but don't expect it.

It would be an interesting exercise to plan a presidential train. I presume an ACS-64 plus an SC-44 or ALC-42 with various cars. Maybe you could eliminate some of the security requirements if you armored it like the proposed Cold War era Peacekeeper Rail Garrison trains.

Some may recall that President Nixon took a commercial flight in December of 1973. This was was Executive 1. The claim was to save fuel and hence money.

So, could it be cheaper to take Amtrak 1 from WAS to NYP, than AF 1 from Andrews to JFK? Probably.
Less disruptive, doubtful.

But if any President were to do it, I could see Biden doing it.

I also wonder if perhaps they might somehow run Amtrak 1 to Riverside and have him exit there, might be easier to secure the train.

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:41 pm I also wonder if perhaps they might somehow run Amtrak 1 to Riverside and have him exit there, might be easier to secure the train.

Ohkay, where's Riverside and is there CSX or Amtrak track to it?

As noted in the PV thread, Georgia 300's on the move. The car is Amtrak compliant and has been used by previous US Presidents including Clinton and Obama.

The Wikipedia page on the car provides some insight on operations:

Barack Obama utilized the Georgia 300 twice; first in April 2008 for a trip between Philadelphia and Harrisburg, Pa; and secondly before his 2009 inauguration on a whistle stop to Washington DC, along a similar route to that used by Abraham Lincoln. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prevented private planes, news helicopters, balloonists and others from flying anywhere near the airspace above the train route. These rolling NOTAM flight restrictions prevented general aviation from flying near stations and above the linear route of sections of the Northeast Corridor railroad line "for Special Security Reasons".

The train used consisted of two Amtrak GE Genesis locomotives, numbers 44 and 120, several Amfleet coaches and cafes, and the Georgia 300 at the rear.

So... Wilmington to DC. That's the NEC. BWI's going to have a ground halt for sure. MARC will need to be warned because that's a major disruption if they have to halt trains.

Mr. Wolf, even if I'm hesitant to go near Wiki at this time of the year lest I first be "Bombarded" then "shamed" for not "ponying up", I wonder if the article noted the "not exactly random" selection of engines for this move.

44 120 signifies 44th POTUS on January 20. Electric engines were either 6XX (Hippos) or 9XX (Toasters) and would not have satisfied that symbolism someone at (then) 60 Mass wanted. There was also the security concern of some bad guy cutting the juice and here come the Bazookas.

Even Georgia 300 has significance. Lest we forget, battleground state where a serious challenge to the Election was raised (the car should have been named Georgia 16 - 16 Electoral Votes).

I'm honestly suprised that the Secret Service is allowing such a move; but then I guess it's a case of a Private Citizen coming to town to "hire on" with the Government.

However, notwithstanding any political differences, be assured that Kamela Harris, Nancy Pelosi, or Sen. Grassley (Senate President Pro-Tempore) will not be on the train's Guest List.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 7:31 am Mr. Wolf, even if I'm hesitant to go near Wiki at this time of the year lest I first be "Bombarded" then "shamed" for not "ponying up", I wonder if the article noted the "not exactly random" selection of engines for this move.

44 120 signifies 44th POTUS on January 20. Electric engines were either 6XX (Hippos) or 9XX (Toasters) and would not have satisfied that symbolism someone at (then) 60 Mass wanted. There was also the security concern of some bad guy cutting the juice and here come the Bazookas.

Even Georgia 300 has significance. Lest we forget, battleground state where a serious challenge to the Election was raised (the car should have been named Georgia 16 - 16 Electoral Votes).

I'm honestly suprised that the Secret Service is allowing such a move; but then I guess it's a case of a Private Citizen coming to town to "hire on" with the Government.

However, notwithstanding any political differences, be assured that Kammy, Nancy, or Sen. Grassley (Senate President Pro-Tempore) will not be on the train's Guest List.

I only included the article as a reference. There was no indication why the engines were selected (someone must of missed that when they edited the article). A comparison to Union Pacific 4141's role with President George H. W. Bush is left as an exercise to the public.

That said, anyone on the Presidential Line of Succession will definitely not be taking the same train. I wonder who's the designated presidential survivor...

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 8:10 am That said, anyone on the Presidential Line of Succession will definitely not be taking the same train. I wonder who's the designated presidential survivor...

Mr. Wolf, to my knowledge, once the College has convened and the results forwarded to the Senate, Joe, now recognized as President-Elect (PE), will become POTUS High Noon Jan 20, and Ms Harris the VP. The new Line of Succession will also be in place.

Should President Trump leave office prior to that time for whatever reason, VP Pence, will become POTUS or whoever is next in Line.

Even if "just a US Senator (with Secret Svc protection)", not likely Kammy will be on-board the Victory Train - and definitely not Nancy (assuming she wins the Speakership) or Sen. Grassley (whoops, he's a Republican).

I guess since Joe is a Private Citizen, the Secret Service will just have to take the "stiff upper lip" position. It would really be another nice shot of PR for Amtrak, but I think a reasonable precaution would be to forego the Georgia 300 and use 10004 "American View" again.

Finally Mr. Wolf, I guess you saw that same TV show I did that aired on ABC Network but apparently vanished into Streamland. I can't remember its title, but the plotline was some "low level hack" Cabinet member was the designee to sit out the SOTU in an "undisclosed location". "Bad guys" take out the Capitol and everyone inside it. Turns out the "hack" became a good POTUS.

Who knows how it all ended.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:24 pm

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:41 pm I also wonder if perhaps they might somehow run Amtrak 1 to Riverside and have him exit there, might be easier to secure the train.

Ohkay, where's Riverside and is there CSX or Amtrak track to it?

No idea! Brain fart: Sunnyside!

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:24 pm

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:41 pm I also wonder if perhaps they might somehow run Amtrak 1 to Riverside and have him exit there, might be easier to secure the train.

Ohkay, where's Riverside and is there CSX or Amtrak track to it?

Sunnyside Yards?

There's always the "secret" FDR platform in GCT!

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 1:23 pm

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 10:24 pm

Greg Moore wrote: ↑Wed Dec 09, 2020 6:41 pm I also wonder if perhaps they might somehow run Amtrak 1 to Riverside and have him exit there, might be easier to secure the train.

Ohkay, where's Riverside and is there CSX or Amtrak track to it?

No idea! Brain fart: Sunnyside!

It happens!

Even post January 20th, if the President says, "I'm taking Amtrak 1 to NYC" the Secret Service will make it happen to the best of their abilities.

Would be great optics for his climate change platform. An electric train (even a diesel) verse a 747.

Figure on American View and Beech Grove getting a bit of clean up, decontamination in the future,and back on "standby" mode at WUS,
While a POTUS move is a pain to pull off,I remember what happened with that special move for Bobby Kennedy on the NEC,was a full shut down in the PC era
Amtrak has done other special moves for high security people (British Royals) that didn't result in a NEC shutdown.
Sunnnyside is a secure yard, the presidential party would "bail" at NY Penn for he "final mie" to the UN Campus, and "Amtrak One" reverts to an extra train to the yard