Presidential Trains (Inauguration, Campaign, Etc.)

Gilbert B Norman wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 10:09 am 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.

I remember the buzz when it came out, and some news articles on the actual procedure used IRL.

Getting back at hand, I doubt Kammy will go in the same train anyway. I would think she would be in DC for when they pick up the new Congress, and have a few weeks where Pence is deciding vote on a lot of items. Congress would be back in session so that's all the new critters there.

I’m pretty sure the given reasons for diesel-under-wire were for security - can’t have a catenary failure that way. The British Royal Train also has a diesel prime mover, if I remember correctly.

Georgia 300 would be a solid bet, both because of its former use as a Presidential ride and as a tip-of-the-hat to the State of Georgia for its help in Joe’s election. The fact that it’ll be riding on the Pennsylvania Railroad - honoring another battleground state that delivered for Uncle Joe - is a bonus.

And yes, what and where is Riverside?

POTUS by tradition (or agreement) always speaks near the top of the card on the morning of the Opening Day of the UN General Assembly, which has long been on a Tuesday, and US presidents generally stay at least 2 nights in the area (usually in Manhattan) because they spend the rest of the day after speaking in the UN meeting privately with various other Heads of State who are there and also working in a visit at the US Mission to the UN, which is right across First Avenue, to meet with all the staff there. Some have stayed for 2 days of private meetings.

Arrival on a weekday evening (Monday) at NYP would be horribly disruptive to even the end of the commute unless he came in very late so my bet is on an alternate way of doing it. Arrival on the Sunday afternoon before is the only way I can think of to work it sensibly in Penn Station. That could allow for a significant daytime public appearance in the new Moynihan train hall (with governor Cuomo) and a significant pro-Amtrak, pro-transit, pro-Gateway splash. Much, much harder to do on a weekday.

Another option that strikes me as a good possibility (but with significantly less flash) is to use New Jersey Transit's Newark Airport station. Easily secured with only non-public, controlled vehicle access and a direct motorcade route thru the Holland Tunnel and up the east side. Or the Lincoln Tunnel could be used. (I'm not 100% sure which tunnel Trump used, he stayed out in Bedminster and went into the city daily by motorcade on I-78, iir). Departure could be from here if the return is also by train, with much less disruption. The train could be staged from Amtrak's Hudson yard in Harrison for a south bound trip.

Lower Manhattan is just about shut down on the opening session at the UN car-wise,so a NY Penn arrival would be doable ,a pain, yes, better PR
Hudson is a MW yard,NJT Harrison yard not secure enough, The train would lay up in Sunnyside as the most secure yard,NJT would need to deadhead sets that stay at sunnyside ,retreat to MMC for a few days

The infamous midtown traffic snarls during the UN GA actually mean that public transit use is higher than normal that week - and any weekday disturbance of operations at NYP would be that much more disruptive. By September it seems likely that commuting (and probably Amtrak's) ridership levels will be starting to mend as well.

I was only suggesting Hudson yard as an easy in/easy out short term holding location for the train between a move out of Sunnyside and a likely variable schedule that would need to be coordinated with for arrival of a motorcade at EWR station for a southbound boarding. NJT holds multiple RVL sets there for staging outbound departures out of Newark Penn Sta. as a regular practice.

Come on! You all are missing the obvious symbolism! The FDR platform in the bowels of GCT! Go up the West Shore through West Point, cross at Albany, and then down the Empire, just as the Amtrak Autumn Colors of a few years ago.

Not sure where you are coming from in your immediate, Sgt. Smith.

FDR died during April '45, the UN Charter was adopted during June, and the first Assembly Sept (source: wiki).

Was FDR influential in the formation of the UN? Of course, but HST was in the White House on the UN's birthday.

Well, I would think for a Democrat, it would be a favorable comparison. It's not so much the UN comparison, but the connection to the UN via FDR was via Eleanor. Plus, foam all about the "mystery" "armored" car in the depths (it's not a mystery, nor is it armored; I've seen it).

Wow, never thought Jeff would be the guy spewing foam in this thread

No one is using the “FDR Platform”, especially not with an Acela.

Who said Acela? You can't put Georgia 300 on that! Hook him up to a P32!

Whoa there. Isn't Biden HQ currently in Wilmington? No where near NYC or even Philly!

Red, Lay off the Bloodwine, The move is WUS to NY Penn to attend the UN opening session in NYC,instead of AF-1 amd Marine -1 combo from JFK airport/Andrews AFB
POTUS move under the term "Amtrak one" on the NEC.

Moderator Note: redacted portion that replied to non-germane post

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Now so far as a sitting POTUS riding a train anywhere in this day and age, I think the Secret Service would have "thoughts" about such. So far as a PE riding one, I think they even have same about such. While Mr. Deasy has reported here that PV "Georgia 300" is being prepared (valid COTS date) for Class I service, he further has identified a "Christmas Train" movement over the FEC for which it will be used. While that in itself does not mean a PE move on, say, Jan 19 is ruled out, it does not mean ipso facto that such will occur. As I've previously noted, I would think that if there is to be a PE move, a reasonable compromise would be use of 10400 "American View", properly pointed, as the VIP car on such.

Backshophoss wrote: ↑Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:01 pm Red, Lay off the Bloodwine, The move is WUS to NY Penn to attend the UN opening session in NYC,instead of AF-1 amd Marine -1 combo from JFK airport/Andrews AFB
POTUS move under the term "Amtrak one" on the NEC.

I thought the move was WIL to WAS for the inauguration, which I would contend would lovingly need the symbolism. Disruptive, yes, but it's only MARC train service and depends on how it's scheduled, and have a ground stop of airline traffic at BWI.

For WAS to NYP for the UN... That's a mixed bag, all things considered.

After digging through the UN site and it's current procedures... such a move would be very risky. If it's in the current session, it's more likely to be virtual sessions, rendering the move moot. For the 76th session in September... that's less risky but still very risky. They'll be at least two vaccines of the same class out in the public but heavy world demand for them.

If there were a move, it would be very disruptive to passenger travel, not only for trains but airlines as well. That's rail stoppages along the line and rolling ground stops at BWI, Wilmington, Philadelphia, NE Philly, and Newark Liberty. The security would be intense...

... verses taking Marine 1 with it's range of 362 miles at 170 MPH to cover 207.5 miles (straight-shot) from White House to UN HQ. That's 1.5 hours vs 3+ hours on a train.

Let me pull back what I just said about the President taking a train to the UN and just say this: It's a moot point when it's quicker to fly on Marine 1 and is less of a security hassle.

Edit to add: Now if that's not an argument for high speed rail, then I don't know what is.