Obama Plans Whistlestop Train Tour of PA: Wmspt, Erie, Phila, Lanc, Hburg, Main Line

http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky/2008/04/by_train_plane_and_bus_candida.html

"Obama announced plans for what his campaign is calling a five-day "On Track for Change" Tour that starts with town hall meetings Friday in Erie and Williamsport and end with a rally on Independence Mall in Philadelphia that night.

On Saturday, the Pennsylvania tour continues as Obama boards a train from Philadelphia for an old fashioned whistle-stop tour across southeastern Pennsylvania that will end in Harrisburg."

That would have him travelling along the Main Line and to Lancaster and then Harrisburg. The Mayor of Lancaster is a vocal supporter of Obama, so I would expect a major stop there.

For more details as they become released in the future, go to:

http://blog.pennlive.com/pennsyltucky

GOBAMA! :woohoo::bounce:

this should seal the deal for him. That way he can rest a bit, before tackling McCain and company.

GREAT news! K&R! :hi:

Woohoo!!!!

His campaign continues to make all the right moves. :applause:

:hi:

And I am never wrong. :crazy:

And let's remember that stuff like this costs a LOT of money. His campaign has great ideas, but it wouldn't be possible to implement them without our donations. So let's keep that contribution gray train going all the way from here to the White House!

I'll kick this thread again later tonight.

I wouldn't expect a stop in Reading on this trip -its a different set of tracks. He did stop in Reading last month for an unannounced stop. He did comment at that time that he did not realize Reading was connected to the Reading railroad.

I'm glad to hear it. Sounds like a great idea!

David

Iowa. Get out there and meet people. This is now the home stretch. And the significant ad buy in PA might indicate that their internals have him much closer than we know.

I was the guy who created (sort of) the Public Transportation and Smart Growth DU Group, so as you can guess, I'm quite passionate about this issue. This shows a clear contrast between the two party nominees. McCain wants to abolish Amtrak (or at least cut off its federal funding, which amounts to the same thing), while Obama obviously doesn't consider himself too good to ride the rails.

like Whole America tourism...all the beautiful scenery, big cities, little towns, mountain hugging, skipping streams, away from the highways...

Oh, I just love this idea...

Sory, I like to get a plug in for it where I can.

Amtrak had a 30 day all you can ride deal. Hop on, hop off
whenever you want.

:D

Great idea! The railroads in central/eastern PA are historic - an EXCELLENT backdrop for a campaign.:thumbsup:

Pardon me bud,
Is that Barack Obama's choo-choo?
He's tracking so fine
And come next Tuesday he will shine.

Great move by Obama to do this.. nothing like a train to evoke good feelings for many people.

It brings the campaign a more down to earth feel. Which will help democrats in the GE.

It was a thrill I will never forget.
I am African American and our family friend was a porter for the railroad.

"Colored" people could only sit in certain sections of the train but I was treated like a Princess.

His friends would bring me wonderful snacks and special meals just like the main dining car was having.

When the train would stop in the little towns along the way, his friends would take turns escorting me to the exit area and telling me about each town.

I remember that I was all dressed up with a beautiful dress and patent leather shoes because my parents wanted me to look "extra special."

That was when people dressed up to ride the train.

When the train arrived in Pittsburgh,they let me wave to my family!

My Pittsburgh family was waiting for me -all my cousins and my grandparents were there to meet me!

I love the TRAIN!

I'm white and grew up in an all-white town in Connecticut. I remember as a child taking a train to visit my grandparents and the "conductor" was African=American. It may have been the first black person I ever met, and it's a really wonderful memory because I remember he treated me with such kindness, and joked with me. I was kind of an invisible child in my family, very very lonely and not well taken care of -- so this man made a very big impression on me because he "saw" me and he "got" me and you know I had completely forgotten this memory until I read your story. I've always had difficulty understanding racism, why it's even there -- not intellectually, I understood with my mind -- but never could understand it with my heart. I'm sure this man is a big part of the reason why. I choked up when I read your story... thank you.

Thank you for sharing your story with me.

I've always loved meeting people of other races and cultures.

As much as I love my African American extended family,I believe I am a citizen of the world.

That is why this election should be such a learning experience for the entire world.

PS/ I was so touched that the African American conductor could see in YOU that HE would be accepted.

It must have been stressful for him to be one of the first in that position.
I'm sure that he always remembered you! :hug:

"I was so touched that the African American conductor could see in YOU that HE would be accepted."

And to this child, it meant so much that he saw in ME something that could be accepted. It's about the human heart -- whatever the color of skin, a heart that can love is priceless.

My other memory from childhood is that in an all-white school that was a gray and lonely unkind place, there was one African American teacher. Her name was Mrs.McCoy, and I didn't have her as a teacher but I remember her being very tall, elegant and dignified, and I remember my mother saying she was a brave woman. That also left a big impression, the image of dignity + courage + "black."

when she was 81 years old.

We had to wait for three months.

She was given an eye from a blue eyed White donor that perished in a car accident.

Everytime I look at her face I realize how blessed she is to have one brown eye and one blue eye.

We are all intertwined and we never know who will be or Special Angel.

PS/ Everyone that has not done so, if it is within your heart, please sign up to be an organ donor.
:hug:

From the Erie newspaper:

"Penn State Behrend spokeswoman Sue Scarpino confirmed today that the Illinois senator will be at the Behrend campus on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. for a campaign event in the Junker Center."

:hi:

I live about an hour from Erie.

I can't wait to see the pictures of him standing in front of Independence Hall. Very appropriate location. I wonder if he got his permit to speak on "America's Soapbox" :crazy:

...

If this goes as planned, I have GOT to be there!

:woohoo:

And it gives extra attention to the passenger rail system so I look forward to it!!

I love it

I wish they did train tours too!

A group of my Senior friends takes a Train Trip every year.

Last year we went to San Diego and the year before to Santa Barbara.

It was so relaxing and so much easier to have conversations and meet others that are not stressed to catch the next plane.

I love trains!

In Asia you can still tour and have first class train rides.

Thank you for your wonderful stories and if you ever come to San Diego you must let me know so we can get together.

And it'll be lots of fun.