Obama will follow Lincoln’s tracks from Philly to D.C.
Barack Obama's path to his inauguration will begin in Philadelphia on Saturday morning, but the public should not expect much of a glimpse of the president-elect - not here, anyway.
Barack Obama's path to his inauguration will begin in Philadelphia on Saturday morning, but the public should not expect much of a glimpse of the president-elect - not here, anyway.
Obama will take a special train out of 30th Street Station shortly before noon as he starts a ceremonial journey to Washington, where he will begin three days of celebratory events leading up to his swearing-in on Tuesday.
An invitation-only group of about 250 Obama supporters, including some state and local elected officials, will get to see Obama and his family in the north waiting room of the station starting at 10:05 a.m.
No public event is planned in Philadelphia, but ordinary folks will get a chance to see Obama when he stops at the Wilmington Amtrak station at 1 p.m. Another event is planned in Baltimore, according to an announcement today by the 2009 Presidential Inaugural Committee.
The symbolic train trip partially replicates the path that Abraham Lincoln took to his inauguration in 1861.
Public access to the Wilmington station, at 100 South French St., will begin at 9:30 a.m., the committee said.
In Baltimore, a public event will be held at 4:15 p.m. at the War Memorial Plaza, 101 N. Gay St. Security officials will begin letting people into that area at 1 p.m.
Many Philadelphians, while not getting to see Obama, will be impacted by his presence here.
SEPTA announced today that service on the regional rail lines will be interrupted or delayed between 9 a.m. and noon by security arrangements for the Obama train. It said passengers who want to board trains should do so at Suburban Station rather than 30th Street.
The greatest impact, SEPTA said, will be on R2 service between Philadelphia and Wilmington. R2 trains running from Philadelphia to Wilmington, from 9:30 until 1:30, will terminate at Marcus Hook, the agency said.
Amtrak service could also be affected. But an Amtrak spokesman in Washington referred questions today to the Obama inaugural committee. The committee did not return a call.