Something for the Obama fans (Full Version)

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TheHeretic -> Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 10:08:10 AM)

       I was curious about the train Obama is taking on the traditional Philadelphia to DC trip.  The two links below are in disagreement about it's status, and the Secret Service isn't saying squat as usual, but he might be using the same car that FDR and Truman used.

      http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2005/08/15/tidbits1.html

       http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferdinand_Magellan_Railcar

     Kinda neat.



Raechard -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 12:32:08 PM)

I guess the only real problem is the train can't quickly head in another direction in case of sudden emergencies, like a car can. Then again you could say they won’t get stuck in traffic either. Also trains are better for the environment than planes. More freight should be moved this way in my opinion. It's crazy the under utilisation of waterways and freight trains in the UK. Someone would make a killing if they had the gumption to switch from the roads.



windchymes -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 12:40:33 PM)

I think this is really cool, but regarding the comment about the Secret Service not saying squat....isn't that their job? I mean, a train car moving on railroad tracks....that sounds like a security nightmare in itself.  I don't mean this to sound like a criticism, but I'm surprised you made the comment like the SS was a bunch of jerks or something for not telling us all about the car and the trip. 



TheHeretic -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 12:50:46 PM)

      No criticism of the Secret Service was intended, Wind.  Not saying squat is in their mission statement, job description and name.  A link in another thread says only that it is a 1930's rail car.

     I just think it's an item of historical interest.  If it is the case, I have a powerful hunch the Wiki information about the security system is a bit dated.



windchymes -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 12:54:03 PM)

Yeah, I reread your OP after I posted and decided you probably didn't mean it that way and came back here to write a retraction.  I just woke up from a nap, lol



dcnovice -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 12:56:01 PM)

The Post article on the trip says only that it was a 1930s car, so I'm guessing it wasn';t the FM. That would have been cool, though.

Of course, I'm a bit puzzled by the need for the trip at all, since I thought the Obamas had been here for days.



TheHeretic -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 1:02:41 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: dcnovice

The Post article on the trip says only that it was a 1930s car, so I'm guessing it wasn';t the FM. That would have been cool, though.



         I saw that article (or a similar one) and took it meaning it probably IS the FM, DC.  How many railroad cars of that era are going to pass Secret Service muster for the President Elect to travel in?



dcnovice -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 1:07:12 PM)

Good point! If so, I wish they'd been able to say it. Cool little nugget of history if true.



TheHeretic -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 1:11:56 PM)

Here is a little history of the car... http://gcrm.org/magellan.aspx



housesub4you -> RE: Something for the Obama fans (1/17/2009 2:16:33 PM)

I wonder if he got the weekend ticket special, in Chicago it's $5 and you can ride the Metra trains for the weekend. 




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