Obama Plans Whistlestop Train Tour of PA

http://blog.pennlive.com/...

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/...

From the Erie newspaper:

"Barack Obama is coming to Erie County.

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.

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."

•  Good

  This is exactly what he needs to do.  Maybe have The Boss open for him?  An intimate concert with Bruce to get the crowd pumped for Obama?

  YES WE CAN, y'all

  by billysumday on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:55:06 PM PDT

  •  Great idea. Reminds me of

    something Harry S. Truman used to do

    by Earl3 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:56:15 PM PDT

    •  Eactly! Great idea, n/t

      by princess k on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:57:41 PM PDT

      •  Yes very traditional and nostalgic.

        sort of gives you a feeling of the good old days.

        I hope he gives a speech at a train station that would be cool.

        by notquitedelilah on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:06:53 PM PDT

    •  Brack will tell the truth

      And Hillary and McCain will think it's hell.

      by John Campanelli on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:28:29 PM PDT

      •  excellent steal

        Howard stole it from Harry too.

        Both times, a well-stolen concept.

        by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:31:11 PM PDT

•  That's the kind of campaigning one with money

  can do. Onwards and upwards.

  by LV Pol Girl on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:55:24 PM PDT

•  Love it. Choo, Choo!

  by jeepdad on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:56:30 PM PDT

•  This is good news.

  Thanks for posting.

  by jessica69 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:58:06 PM PDT

•  outside rally at the capitol?

  sweeeeeeeeeet!

  by terrypinder on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:58:44 PM PDT

•  That's awesome!

  I'm going to Philly Friday so maybe I can go to the rally! That's so exciting. Call me crazy, but I still hold out hope we can pull off an upset.

  by democrattotheend on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 12:59:26 PM PDT

  •  Who cares?

    Celebrate!!!!

    by ElizabethAM on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:06:33 PM PDT

•  That's great.

  Maybe he can unveil his new plan to make Pennsylvania and the Upper Midwest to be the epicenter for our new clean-energy electric passenger train manufacturing center.  Am I asking way too much?

  by urbanindy on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:01:31 PM PDT

•  Yea! I love trains

  A very relaxing way to travel.  Enjoy it Barack!

  Thanks for posting.

  by oscarsmom on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:03:16 PM PDT

  •  Also,

    given new technological advances, trains are much more efficient users of fuel than airplanes.

    by oscarsmom on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:04:09 PM PDT

    •  Unfortunately,

      you have to go to Europe to enjoy that kind of train travel. Even if the U.S. were to see the light and immediately upgrade its passenger trains, so much of the roadbed has been demolished or deteriorated that it would take much time and many $$ to upgrade.

      But I still have hope.

      by Mnemosyne on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:48:30 PM PDT

      •  Given the price for fuel

        a major project to develop a high speed train system to replace domestic airline travel should be a huge priority.

        by IhateBush on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:52:44 PM PDT

        •  It should have been that

          20 years ago, or more, but we have had nearly 30 years of governments that thought the cheap oil was going to last forever.

          Do some reading on what France and Spain and other EU countries have been doing on trains. It's very enlightening.

          Or check out the train stuff at European Tribune. Lots of stuff on windpower, too, for electric generation.

          by Mnemosyne on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:57:56 PM PDT

        •  He's got some stuff about trains in Blueprint

          for Change.

          Can't recall the details, but was pleased to see it there.

          by slaney black on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:05:49 PM PDT

•  Fantastic! Obama's political intelligence wows me

  He makes a few mistakes along the way, but he knows how to recover and his campaign will no doubt be studied for its brilliant management. This guy is soooo good!

  A taste of what his Presidency will be like. He will do us proud!

  by Bugsby on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:03:22 PM PDT

•  Glad to see this

  Make a strong push till then end.

  by turneresq on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:04:10 PM PDT

•  He should use this train tour as an opportunity

  to talk about infrastructure and transportation issues like actually funding mass transit, Amtrak, and such.

  by spyguy999 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:04:18 PM PDT

  •  yes, he should

    Amtrak is reason #38527 that we need to get those GOP assholes the hell out of the White House.

    by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:18:09 PM PDT

  •  And how those jobs

    that build infrustructure and mass transit systems can be situated in PA and OH.

    by Dont Just Stand There on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:34:36 PM PDT

•  Excellant! Give Em Hell, Barack!

  by brueso on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:05:08 PM PDT

  •  Hey!!!

    I wanted to post that!!

    :)

    Gotta love it!

    by oxfdblue on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:24:29 PM PDT

•  just don't let Mayhill Fowler

  on the train.

  by louisev on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:05:38 PM PDT

  •  actually, Mayhill says they've been cool

    Mayhill Fowler has said that she's been treated with nothing but respect by the Obama campaign since her article came out.

    Obama knew he was being recorded when he said what he said.  He also immediately tried to walk it back by emphasizing that what he said was the case in "some communities" and that you'll also find pockets of support for Obama in places you'd never expect, and skepticism in places you'd think were 100% in his pocket.

    by jakester on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:28:34 PM PDT

•  I wonder if Bobby Sanders,

  native of Erie, all pro safety for the indy colts and former Iowa hawkeye might show up in Erie with Obama..Not sure if he is a big name back there but he is a football god in Iowa and he is supporting Obama. He is also popular in Indiana and a great guy.

  by Hawkjt on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:06:46 PM PDT

•  Great

  The bus tour did a world of good, and I love the idea of following it up with a whistle-stop tour. I also think he should get right back on the bowling horse along the way (after a little covert practice, if possible).

  by lapis on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:07:40 PM PDT

•  Get off the tracks Hillary!

  There's a train without brakes coming fast!!

  :)

  by FORUS50 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:08:20 PM PDT

•  Cool,

  I have to let family and friends know about this.

  by smartdemmg on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:10:49 PM PDT

•  Unfortunately, Philadelphia to Pittsburgh

  through Harrisburg is ONLY passenger train in PA (not counting SEPTA and PAT in the cities).

  by Marinesquire on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:12:29 PM PDT

  •  it's a nice trip

    Took it any number of times when I lived in Pgh and had family in Bucks and South Jersey.  Kinda cool to actually travel the Horseshoe Curve.

    by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:21:24 PM PDT

    •  I am pretty sure the last 100 or so miles into

      ... Pittsburgh has tracks right along the picturesque Youghiogheny.

      What's up with not visiting Pittsburgh on the train trip?

      by Yellow Canary on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:11:15 PM PDT

      •  time, probably

        The Harrisburg-Pittsburgh portion of the trip takes quite a while.

        Actually, I believe the Yough tracks are used by the Capitol Limited from Washington DC.  The Pennsylvanian doesn't get that far south.

        by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:21:55 PM PDT

        •  My bad ... Thanks for the correction.

          The Pennsylvanian follows the Conemaugh River for a good bit between Johnstown and Pittsburgh.  It, too, is picturesque.

          by Yellow Canary on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 03:42:00 PM PDT

•  The Hope train

  

  by notquitedelilah on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:14:46 PM PDT

•  WonderfulI saw JFK

  At a train station. Great American idea I wish I was there.

  by snowbird42 on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:22:55 PM PDT

•  Gee, to bad I'm out of town

  that train passes by my house (actually, one house over).  It would give me a chance to feel the love and wave.  It's a perfect idea - someone here suggested this kind of thing the other day - and the timing couldn't be better.

  by accumbens on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:25:50 PM PDT

•  Just Another Whistlestop

  The vocals don't start until halfway through the clip, but who cares when you get to see The Band wailing away?

  by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:27:40 PM PDT

•  Hey ... it's already paying off!

  http://www.free411.com/...

  (Hey, if Zogby can still produce polls then this outfit should be able to, right?)

  by jeepdad on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:27:53 PM PDT

•  From the O'Jays and Cat Stevens to Obama's ears

  ... "Tell all the folks in Russia, and China, too.
  Don't you know that it's time to get on board,
  And let this train keep on riding, riding on through.
  Well, well ...
  All of you brothers over in Africa,
  Tell all the folks in Egypt, and Israel, too.
  Please don't miss this train at the station,
  'Cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you." - from "Love Train" and

  ... "Now Ive been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come,
  And I believe it could be, something good has begun.

  Oh, Ive been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one,
  And I believe it could be, some day it's going to come.

  Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
  Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again."

  Indeed. GObama!

  Oops, I just remembered. Cat Stevens is Yusef Islam now. I guess we'll have to hold the "Peace Train" lyrics, lest the right-wingnuts try to make something out of it. Damn shame.

  by philimus on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:32:02 PM PDT

  •  and The Band

    Clip of Just Another Whistlestop in my comment in this diary.

    by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:40:23 PM PDT

•  Obama: I want you to Choo-Choo-Choose Me!

  N/t

  by Wanderer on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:34:05 PM PDT

•  I wish he were extending this tour

  to at least Altoona. A presidential candidate whistlestop in Altoona transcends symbolic and comes out on the sublime side of that equation. Altoona is THE symbol in PA of the ruin that Reagan/Bush/Clinton/Bush have wreaked upon the railroad industry.

  by jayjaybear on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:36:28 PM PDT

  •  the Horseshoe Curve

    It's more than a photo-op, of course.  But it's a great photo-op.

    by N in Seattle on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:38:45 PM PDT

    •  It's a little big for a photo op, isn't it?

      For historical context, he should stop by the Johnstown Flood Museum -- more death and wreckage, this time of an earlier plutocratigenic disaster.

      by Yellow Canary on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:15:36 PM PDT

  •  he was already in Altoona

    I'm so glad he's hitting Erie, though.  I had a feeling those folks were feeling neglected!

    by jakester on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:31:29 PM PDT

    •  Well, he was already in Harrisburg

      and Lancaster, too.

      by jayjaybear on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 02:54:28 PM PDT

•  For my high school newspaper, ...

  ... I took a picture of Dwight Eisenhower speaking to a crowd from the observation platform on the back of his campaign train.  That was the normal way to visit lots of towns at that time.  I'll let you do the math.  :-)

  by dmonahan on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:43:31 PM PDT

•  It's time for the huge

  20K rallies.  These town halls now are less useful at this point, except for in rural areas.  

  But places like Erie, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and anything in the Philly area should be huge rallies.  The only huge rally that Obama has held in PA so far was the one I went to in State College.

  by IhateBush on Wed Apr 16, 2008 at 01:51:05 PM PDT