About every story I heard on the news, yesterday and today, made mention of the fact that Joe would have just as soon taken Amtrak to DC, instead of a plane, but security concerns scuttled that.

How great would that be?

Maybe when things calm down a bit, they could resurrect the Ferdinand Magellan and he could do just that.

For the record, the last inaugural special was with Obama in 2009 and the PV Georgia 300 on the rear--rumors at the time was that 1) it was in blue paint for the "blue" of Democrats the news media selected years ago; and/or 2) owner was supposedly some "big-wig" Democratic donor.

As far as I know, neither the Georgia 300 nor any other PV is "armored" such as the well-known Ferdinand Magellan at the Gold Coast RR Museum in Florida, used for Reagan's train in Ohio in 1984--but, then again, technically Biden isn't President until sworn in (but I think he gets Secret Service protection as soon as the election's over as long as he doesn't concede). For all we know the Magellan may not be serviceable, roadworthy, or properly certified of late, and besides Biden might have wanted an Acela (and to take a turn running it, as suggested by a few facetious memes out there).

PV operators and railroads will tell you that politicians and their campaigners, and other charterers, often have rather literally unbelievable ideas about what's possible for a campaign train or other political event. The most ludicrous I've been told of was a politician wanting to run a "whistle stop" train in a part of a state where 1) there was not one iota of passenger-approved mileage and the freights were restricted to 25 mph or less, using 2) rolling stock that was technically owned by the state in question but in no way serviceable (think MARC RDCs in storage, ex-C&NW gallery cars, or North Carolina's ex-RBBX cars!). If Biden wanted to continue that trend, he might have demanded one of the newest generation Acelas still being road-tested............

Joe Biden had a campaign train through this year. It was all Amtrak equipment including the Amtrak Business Car.

The Amtrak train that would have taken President Elect Biden to Washington was going to pulled by a Diesel, it wasn’t going to be an Acela.

Biden is not the first President Elect to have his inaugural train diverted.

Abraham Lincoln's inaugural train was supposed to run Harrisburg-Baltimore over the Northern Central Ry. but secessionist activity along the NCRY route caused a reroute via an extra PRR train to Philadelphia, then the schedulled PW&B-B&O sleeper from Philadelphia to Washington via Baltimore. This car was horse-drawn in the wee hours from PW&B's President St. Station via Pratt St. to B&O's Camden Station. Lincoln was in Washington before the potential assassins knew he had left Harrisburg.

This was not an idle threat. A month later, in April, 1861, Pennsylvania soldiers transferring from the NCRY to the B&O were attacked in Baltimore City with multiple injured. A week or so after that, on April 19, 1961, soldiers of the 6th Massachusetts transferring from the PW&B to the B&O via Pratt St. (the same route as Lincoln) were attacked and fired upon. The soldiers returned fire; 4 soldiers and 12 civilians were killed. These were the first US KIA of the war.

Phil Mulligan

I remember the 2009 Obama inaugural special. My wife and I were on route 100 near BWI International Airport and as we crossed the bridge over the AMTRAK main line, there were police stationed on both sides of the bridge.

Georgia 300 was first used for a POTUS special by Bill Clinton to go to the 1996 Democratic Convention in Chicago. For that event it had special "bullet proof" windows installed and was rewired for the advanced communications equipment required for a President on the move. That is most likely why it was used for the Obama special to DC in 2009, and why it would probably be first choice for any future POTUS move in the foreseeable future.

Well I’m one of his supporters :)
I’m also a fan of Amtrak and glad we have an Amtrak friendly president!

I second those remarks Crescent Zephyr and I'm relieved that they cancelled his trip so as not to give the wackos another target.

Perhaps in a few months after the FBI ID's all the ones who invaded the capitol and has arrested them, president Biden can take an Amtrak Victory trip??

Hope springs eternal. Ross Rowland

I might suggest that we all leave this one alone. It's been a long and bitter time that is best gone.

Back on topic... all southbound passenger trains from Washington DC were cancelled today because of the proximity of the tunnel to the Capitol. After last week they aren’t taking any chances!!!

And all MARC trains system-wide were cancelled from Monday until tomorrow, screwing over folks who commute to Baltimore from points to the northeast or southwest.



Meanwhile, VRE, which uses the Capitol Hill Tunnel to reach Union Station has no cancellations or changes showing other than reduced service due to COVID-19.

[Okay, just saw the other post. This thread disappears in three, two, one..........]

Actually it is only the Northeast direct trains which run through. The long distance trains which would have run today are running normally. Since the parties for tonight were canceled a friend of ours is on the Cardinal instead of flying to Cincinnati tomorrow.

As for what type of train Mr Biden would have taken yesterday, there would have been contingency plans on top of contingency plans to make sure it went flawlessly. According to Grandfather, when the President took the Metroliner to Philadelphia many many years ago there were diesels (stationed everywhere you could imagine just in case, and another Metroliner.

PS: Ouch! Where did that diatribe come from?

Oh my bad. I had read on another forum that all trains south had been cancelled. Maybe I got all Marc trains mixed up? Good to know the long Distance trains still operated.

I had also read that Amtrak P42 - an Amtrak Anniversary engine - was planned to pull President Biden’s Train... they weren’t gonna take a chance with electrics! Ha.

It would seem that the President of Amtrak makes a bigger different than the president of the USA. Boardman and Moorman both made great improvements and had Amtrak on the right track.... pun intended.

Normally I'm pretty quiet here but I feel I must speak now. The fact that this thread has gone two pages and has ZERO to do with railroad preservation is a shining example of what is wrong with social media and our society in general. Other threads that are interesting and talk about actual preservation work go cold but this gets a second page? Time for it to be locked and removed and time for all of us to remember to continue to be civil to each other and respect one another and our differing opinions. We are here to exchange knowledge in regards to railroad preservation, not talk politics. And I really don't care who you voted for.