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Obamas take the train!

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handfleisch
Obama Retraces Lincoln's Path On Train Ride to Capital
http://www.truthout.org/011809Y
Quote:
Eli Saslow, The Washington Post: "A slow-rolling special Amtrak train
carrying the president-elect, his family and his closest friends and
advisers departed Philadelphia at noon and pulled into Union Station 6 1/2
hours later. It was part of the journey that will take him to the White
House, and for Obama, it was a day to be savored. He spent much of the
137-mile train ride, with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters by his
side, staring out the windows at a vista of supporters who waved and chanted
his name."


Amtrak is cool. I've taken it across the USA 3 times now. Maybe this will make it even more popular, or be a precursor to Obama funding mass transit infrastructure.
ocalhoun
handfleisch wrote:


Amtrak is cool. I've taken it across the USA 3 times now. Maybe this will make it even more popular, or be a precursor to Obama funding mass transit infrastructure.

Making mass transit more popular? Great!
Funding it? Awful. That just means that he would be taking my money to pay for something that I'll never use and that will never be made available as far from major cities as I am. Public transportation should be self-funded not government funded.
deanhills
handfleisch wrote:
Amtrak is cool. I've taken it across the USA 3 times now. Maybe this will make it even more popular, or be a precursor to Obama funding mass transit infrastructure.


Think Obama's journey also grabbed my imagination. Handfleisch, how long did it take you to get from one end to the other of the USA? Was it expensive? Were there many people on the train? Did you find more people in certain areas of the USA on the train than on others? How is security? Is it safe to travel on trains in the US?
Nick2008
I heard that trains were the most safest form of public transportation.

Very cool to see Obama riding a train though.
mrcool
Obama is showing his low end profile and i think where he came from...he is not a showy person like others riding on luxury cars, eating in an expensive restaurants and etc...i think he shows his true colors...
deanhills
mrcool wrote:
Obama is showing his low end profile and i think where he came from...he is not a showy person like others riding on luxury cars, eating in an expensive restaurants and etc...i think he shows his true colors...


Agreed, but he is not slumming either. I believe he has lived in a very good area where he is coming from. Possibly to make sure his children grow up in the right neighbourhood, and no harm comes to them at good schools. Also for his status, there has to be minimum standard of living. But yes, it is my impression too that he is a modest person. Am sure the train company must be happy too, as that must have increased business quite a bit?
lyndonray
I think symbolism is going to be a big part of Obama's administration. If you look at the way he ran his campaign, you would see that everything was well thought through and maybe even scripted. And that was a for a reason, to make sure the right message was conveyed. So I think we can expect more of that. It will be very interesting to see the things he does. Imagery means more and more these days and the Obama team has become very effective at that. I am not saying it is all for show, but it sends a message. There were so many of those during the campaign. My personal favourite was one of his victory speeches during the primaries. He was in a packed auditorium with crowds cheering and making a whole lot noise. The networks switched to McCain standing on dingy stage with his infamous green backdrop behind. The contrast between the two setting was incredible.

So I hope the train ride is just one more example of the type of symbolism we will continue to see from the POTUS!!!
handfleisch
deanhills wrote:

Think Obama's journey also grabbed my imagination. Handfleisch, how long did it take you to get from one end to the other of the USA? Was it expensive? Were there many people on the train? Did you find more people in certain areas of the USA on the train than on others? How is security? Is it safe to travel on trains in the US?


-3 days from coast to coast. Great views through Arizona and New Mexico from the observatory car

-price was about the same as a plane or a bit more

-trains were full but I always go during the holiday season. I understand they are about half-full otherwise

-Security is fine in my opinion. Depends what you mean. I prefer to avoid the airplane rigmarole with xray machines and partial strip searches

-it's safe

Deanhill, are there trains where you live, and which Middle Eastern country is that by the way?
LumberJack
ocalhoun wrote:
handfleisch wrote:


Amtrak is cool. I've taken it across the USA 3 times now. Maybe this will make it even more popular, or be a precursor to Obama funding mass transit infrastructure.

Making mass transit more popular? Great!
Funding it? Awful. That just means that he would be taking my money to pay for something that I'll never use and that will never be made available as far from major cities as I am. Public transportation should be self-funded not government funded.


Grab a shovel and get off my road then Smile
ocalhoun
LumberJack wrote:
ocalhoun wrote:
handfleisch wrote:


Amtrak is cool. I've taken it across the USA 3 times now. Maybe this will make it even more popular, or be a precursor to Obama funding mass transit infrastructure.

Making mass transit more popular? Great!
Funding it? Awful. That just means that he would be taking my money to pay for something that I'll never use and that will never be made available as far from major cities as I am. Public transportation should be self-funded not government funded.


Grab a shovel and get off my road then Smile

Gladly ^.^
I enjoy driving without roads much more than driving on roads!

Government programs and fierce independence don't mix well, I suppose.
LumberJack
ocalhoun wrote:
LumberJack wrote:
ocalhoun wrote:
handfleisch wrote:


Amtrak is cool. I've taken it across the USA 3 times now. Maybe this will make it even more popular, or be a precursor to Obama funding mass transit infrastructure.

Making mass transit more popular? Great!
Funding it? Awful. That just means that he would be taking my money to pay for something that I'll never use and that will never be made available as far from major cities as I am. Public transportation should be self-funded not government funded.


Grab a shovel and get off my road then Smile

Gladly ^.^
I enjoy driving without roads much more than driving on roads!

Government programs and fierce independence don't mix well, I suppose.


Heh, I understand the point. You can take it too far on both sides of the argument.
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