Pre-Inaugural Philly-Wilmington-DC Victory Movement

hi55us wrote:Amtrak 1? An Acela set with 2 power cars and 2 first class cars. Sounds like a great railfan opportunity. Why not build an electrified spur to the white house?

Not a day you would want to railfan, you would probably get arrested. The SS would probably sweep every station PHL-WAS on the NEC including SEPTA and MARC commuter stations.

I don't think they could shut down the NEC. Not with the number of people trying to get into DC that weekend. I don't think the trip will be really that much different from when the British royal family travels the NEC, except with much more security. Maybe he should just take Metro from Union Station to the White House (Farragut North) .

I bet this trip will be observed at trackside by droves of people. Sort of brings to mind the crowds that turned out for the RFK funeral train, except obviously in a much more positive light. I know I'd be at trackside watching if I was closer to the NEC.

I recall an Army/Navy game around 1986-87 when VP Bush rode a private car to Philly for the game. An Amtrak helicopter flew ahead about 10 minutes out followed a few minutes later by three amtrak pumpkins (GP7/9) running at about 50mph light. A few minutes after that was a light E60 then two F40's with about 7 amfleets and the President. All these movements were on the same track, so they were clearly related. Escorting from the air right above the train was the VP chopper and a military chopper...I have photos of that event somewhere.

I guess the Amtrak chopper scoped the right of way and the Geeps were there to "foul" anything laid out (explosives, cuts, etc.). The E60 for backup or to again "foul" anything laid out. Pretty elaborate, but no distruption to regular traffic that day.

early80sNECguy wrote:I recall an Army/Navy game around 1986-87 when VP Bush rode a private car to Philly for the game. An Amtrak helicopter flew ahead about 10 minutes out followed a few minutes later by three amtrak pumpkins (GP7/9) running at about 50mph light. A few minutes after that was a light E60 then two F40's with about 7 amfleets and the President. All these movements were on the same track, so they were clearly related. Escorting from the air right above the train was the VP chopper and a military chopper...I have photos of that event somewhere.

I guess the Amtrak chopper scoped the right of way and the Geeps were there to "foul" anything laid out (explosives, cuts, etc.). The E60 for backup or to again "foul" anything laid out. Pretty elaborate, but no distruption to regular traffic that day.

The RFK funeral train referred to in the previous post, had a single GG1 pilot running ahead of the train. I watched it with my father from South Street Station in Newark, NJ.

After the people shortly thereafter were killed by a opposing train at Eliazabeth, all traffic on the PRR was stopped over the rest of the route to WAS. I suspect that may also occur as a safety measure this time as well.

After the people shortly thereafter were killed by a opposing train at Eliazabeth, all traffic on the PRR was stopped over the rest of the route to WAS. I suspect that may also occur as a safety measure this time as well.

Explain please.

Mr. Kabac, there was a fatal incident involving an NB train and persons who were standing on the tracks at Elizabeth.

http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract. ... ain&st=cse

Regarding the upcoming Obama event, I think all concerned would do the traveling public who need get about their Daily lives come Jan 17, a great favor if Senators Obama, Biden, and party would simply fly to Wash. From Mr. NEC Guy's description, this charade will simply cause too much disruption.

The closest I ever got to a 'VIP event" was when traveling NB on the NJ Turnpike during 1966 when Soviet Prime Minister Kosygin was motorcading SB from the UN to Glasboro NJ for a conference. You name it; choppers, sharpshooters on every bridge, sirens.....!

Thankyou Mr.Norman.

Were you able to get into the article, Mr. Kabac? If not, maybe this will help:

http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/p ... 5F4C8685F9

I have been stuck in Air Force 1 visit related arrangements at Newark Airport several times. None were any worse than a good thunderstorm or crosswind event at Newark Airport in terms of delays. I don't really mind such for the sake of occasional pomp and circumstance. Keeps people entertained. For the same reason I think it is fine for the President-elect to take the train to Washington DC for his inauguration. Life would be quite boring without occasional pomp and circumstance anyways.

Now then, dignitaries from 110 countries arriving at the UN for the annual meeting of the General Assembly, that can get a bit tiresome on the East side of Manhattan. But a single train trip to Dc from Philly is nowhere near as disruptive as the UN General Assembly annual meeting in Manhattan, or for that matter the Presidential Inauguration in Washington DC.

Gilbert B Norman wrote:Were you able to get into the article, Mr. Kabac? If not, maybe this will help:

http://select.nytimes.com/mem/archive/p ... 5F4C8685F9

Yes I was able to get it, thankyou very much for the second link though. After reading the article, I have to think that shutting down the corridor in sections or at certain times might be the best option. That way a train can leave its origin point and then sit for a while until the X train passes. Just from my travelling experiences but people would rather have a delay midwy through a rail trip than have a delay while at the station, at least they know when on the train that they will eventually get where they need to go. If you tell people in a station their train has a long delay they will start looking for other travel options.

I have had a presidential motorcade drive right by me on an open highway, with minimal disruption to traffic (the cops literally closed the road as the motorcade approached, then re-opened it as it passed, and as I was already on the road, I was able to watch this happen). I don't see why this should be any different.

Jishnu wrote:I have been stuck in Air Force 1 visit related arrangements at Newark Airport several times. None were any worse than a good thunderstorm or crosswind event at Newark Airport in terms of delays. I don't really mind such for the sake of occasional pomp and circumstance. Keeps people entertained. For the same reason I think it is fine for the President-elect to take the train to Washington DC for his inauguration. Life would be quite boring without occasional pomp and circumstance anyways.

Why did the President even fly to Newark? Should have just taken Amtrak, which eould be quicker anyway considering the time it takes to drive to Andrews AFB in Maryland, then drive from Newark, NJ to NYC (if that's where he was going). Obama, and his VP have thus far shown much more support for rail than any other president in my lifetime (all four of them ). Hopefully he'll hop on reserved train every once in a while.

Most of the time Air Force One is flown to Newark b/c the president is stopping in NYC on his way to somewhere else but first must adress the UN or something else along those lines. If they are going to NY or NJ usually they just use Marine One.

I don't think we will se any special Amtrak train for the president anytime soon...anyone know if they could get the old PV back? I think it was called Ferinand Megellan?

What kind of special arraigments were made when Prince Charles and the Royal Family (isn't that who it was?) rode the NEC on the Juniata Terminal cars last year? I was in Trenton Station (on my regularly scheduled NJT passenger train) and they flew down the tracks with an escort several minutes ahead and behind the train. I dind't notice any helicopters or anything, but it would make sense if there was.

I would think that they would take a few pages from that, and step it up a few notches for the Prez Elect.

Different challenges completely, partly due to some differences in perception by enemies. Also, the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) would have had final sign off on security for the Prince and his pals. I'm sure that the American Secret Service carried the load, but in the end, that was a British operation.