Presidential Trains (Inauguration, Campaign, Etc.)

electricron wrote: ↑Sun Jan 10, 2021 10:02 pm Joe is a free man in a supposedly free country and has just as much right to ride Amtrak trains as you or me. Being elected President should not reduce his liberty in any way what-so-ever.

Wow Ron, you're too smart a guy to really hold that thought.

Maybe in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood; but not in this totally polarized society called the USA of today.

"Once upon a time", say, during the past century, the Heads of State in several Nordic countries walked about the people without need for a security detail accompanying them. Maybe the apparently quite popular New Zealand Prime Minister (she's kept the country free of COVID) can do so, but I doubt it.

When Joe sought and now has attained the Presidency, he had to relinquish that ostensible "right" to move about freely in whatever lawful manner he chooses.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 7:36 am Wow Ron, you're too smart a guy to really hold that thought.

Maybe in Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood; but not in this totally polarized society called the USA of today.

"Once upon a time", say, during the past century, the Heads of State in several Nordic countries walked about the people without need for a security detail accompanying them. Maybe the apparently quite popular New Zealand Prime Minister (she's kept the country free of COVID) can do so, but I doubt it.

When Joe sought and now has attained the Presidency, he had to relinquish that ostensible "right" to move about freely in whatever lawful manner he chooses.

Let's agree to disagree because I strongly believe the Secret Service is suppose to work for him and not the other way around. If the POUS wants to ride down the street in a convertible it is his right to do so. If the POUS wants to play a round of golf, it is his right to do so. If the POUS wants to dine at McDonalds, it is his right to do so. It is up to the Secret Service to make the area around him as secure as possible.

I just want to know if he'll get an upgraded ticket to Acela I First Class, or will he ride in an Amfleet and have a nasty burger from the Cafe car.

electricron wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 8:42 am Let's agree to disagree because I strongly believe the Secret Service is suppose to work for him and not the other way around. If the POUS wants to ride down the street in a convertible it is his right to do so. If the POUS wants to play a round of golf, it is his right to do so. If the POUS wants to dine at McDonalds, it is his right to do so. It is up to the Secret Service to make the area around him as secure as possible.

Points noted.

True, President Obama, by grace of a visit with of course his Secret Service detail and with media tagging along, took a one-shop burger joint, Five Guys, and made it a national chain (I think it way over priced, and really not that good, but I also think same of that chain you have down there in TX - had one at DFW July '19, and same of the one out of New York - also have had; here and out there).

So I guess Amtrak must be looking forward to the "PR Punch" of having Joe come to town "to hire on with the Government" aboard them. Hopefully, they'll pull it off.

Now, with Mr. Wolf being excepted as he appears to be a railfan (also a costume conventioneer), what will the other NEC riders, passenger train agency used notwithstanding, think about having their day needlessly disrupted by this easily avoidable "stunt"?

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:29 am I just want to know if he'll get an upgraded ticket to Acela I First Class, or will he ride in an Amfleet and have a nasty burger from the Cafe car.

It'll be a dedicated train, for sure.

Gilbert B Norman wrote: True, President Obama, by grace of a visit with of course his Secret Service detail and with media tagging along, took a one-shop burger joint, Five Guys, and made it a national chain (I think it way over priced, and really not that good, but I also think same of that chain you have down there in TX - had one at DFW July '19, and same of the one out of New York - also have had; here and out there).

So I guess Amtrak must be looking forward to the "PR Punch" of having Joe come to town "to hire on with the Government" aboard them. Hopefully, they'll pull it off.

Now, with Mr. Wolf being excepted as he appears to be a railfan (also a costume conventioneer), what will the other NEC riders, passenger train agency used notwithstanding, think about having their day needlessly disrupted by this easily avoidable "stunt"?

Railfan and cosplayer, yes.

Oh, actually, that's an easy answer: They will be pissed if not told earlier. "Amtrak Joe" visited Union Station on a whim when he was Vice President, and that caused a few Brunswick-line MARC trains to leave empty... and PO a lot of MARC customers.

Now, if everyone is on the ball, I'll probably get a notice about the move a few days in advance via MARC alerts. I haven't yet so far, and MARC's only posted info for the 20th on their schedule page. No word from Amtrak ether.

Mr. Wolf, admittedly kind of off topic, but on several of my April Atlanta journeys, I have found myself at the same hotel as a convention of fantasy author Robert Jordan followers. They of course are dressed out in costumes depicted by this author in his works. They do "have a way of taking over" this 495 room Crowne Plaza, which should be no more objectionable than any other large group at a hotel at which I'm staying.

But "me is me", and I like peace and quiet (except of course my Symphony concerts).

But to the point, I have met some of these mostly young, college educated, people such as at the Bar.

They're nice guys and gals, AND (to make this tale Amtrak relevant), several I've met have said they were taking Amtrak to Wash or Phila. All I could say was "well, you leave when you leave and arrive when you arrive". I did make sure they knew of Train Status, which both couples did. They were going to use Uber from the hotel (opposite Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody) to the station.

You have "compadres" out there, Mr. Wolf.

Perspective on being "inconvenienced". It's an event that happens once every four years.

STrRedWolf wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 9:44 am

Jeff Smith wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 9:29 am I just want to know if he'll get an upgraded ticket to Acela I First Class, or will he ride in an Amfleet and have a nasty burger from the Cafe car.

It'll be a dedicated train, for sure.

Ya' think?

Remember this, President Biden can order the Secret Service to NOT disrupt the entire NEC if he wants to use rail to go home or to New York City
Potus rail service was the norm before AF one.

The President elect has been under Secret Service protection long enough [as VP and candidate] to know how much security works to do their job. The world has changed a lot since FDR, Harry Truman and D.Eisenhower; their train movements were more commonplace yes, but there was probably disruptions then, just not as noted. Presidential travel by air went through some gyrations before being acceptable even if piloted by then USAAF; first flight by a sitting President was by FDR on a PanAm Flying Boat, he had taken a Tri-Motor from Albany to Chicago to receive the nomination in 1933.

An aside to show example how hard the Secret Service works, a friend went to a campaign event in 1984 with then VP Bush featured. My friend was a fellow volunteer firefighter and as custom carried his pager [remember them] under his sport coat. He was standing there and suddenly two guys were side-by-side with him. 'What is that buddy?' Another friend, a Pennsylvania State Rep had to vouch for my first friend, who left his pager in the vehicle from then on when attending a high level event.

urr304 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 5:22 am The world has changed a lot since FDR, Harry Truman and D.Eisenhower; their train movements were more commonplace yes, but there was probably disruptions then, just not as noted.

Mr. URR, I think you will find that Ike used the Magellan ONCE and that was for an official trip to Ottawa during '53, or quite early in his presidency.

He did use campaign trains extensively during the '52 campaign, but that was their "last hurrah".

From a report elsewhere, P-42 #46 will lead this inaugural consist . Also, reports that PV "Chapel Hill" is on the move. Included in the consist?. We shall see.

I still hold "this is reckless". In fact I hold that the grandstands along the West Side should be dismantled, the ceremony moved to the Rotunda, and the Address to the Capitol's TV studio.

This likely is my final Inauguration to watch. I wish it could be different, but I can't see exposing anyone to needless risk.

Agreed. Have ceremony in an undisclosed location. Joe and his folks can have a whistle stop celebration when things are much less dicey.

I'm a bit at a loss as to why the Inaugural Committee selected this particular car, if in fact such be the case, to handle Amtrak Joe to Wash:

http://chapelhillrail.com/index.html

Note who first owned the car; then note what piece of real property that owner ALSO owned.

Incidentally, there is no mention at the Committee's site as to how Joe will come to town. I know and respect that many here would like to see the train move forth, but I just think such, to me a stunt, is unnecessarily exposing the PE to harm.

I'm inclined to agree with Mr. Geep's immediate thought; that includes the disclosure that the PE will spend Jan 19 at the Blair House, which often houses foreign dignitaries, and even once housed President Truman while the White House was undergoing a "top to bottom gutting".

NRGeep wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 1:28 pm Have ceremony in an undisclosed location.

Actually Lincoln was advised the same in 1861 while the country was splitting and there were credible death threats. But he overruled this because he felt the public needed to witness a full formal inauguration in order to see him as the legitimate president. Some parallels to today.

I would love to see Biden use the new Avelia Liberty. What an image with a refreshing new trainset! A pair of diesels running light a mile or so back (which I think they run anyway) could be ready to couple up and push in case of electric interruption.