Biden Departs White House for Philadelphia to Mark Amtrak's 50th Anniversary

President Joe Biden, once a regular Amtrak rider, is set on Friday to help the nation’s passenger rail system celebrate 50 years of service.

As a U.S. senator, Biden was a fixture on Amtrak trains between his home in Wilmington, Delaware, and Washington, D.C., when the Senate was in session. He continued riding Amtrak as vice president. He has sometimes been referred to as “Amtrak Joe.”

But with a presidential train trip unlikely because of security concerns, Biden instead will fly to Philadelphia for Amtrak’s celebration at its busy 30th Street Station. He is to be introduced by a conductor who worked the route when Biden was a regular passenger, while the next generation of Amtrak’s high-speed Acela train, scheduled to enter service next year, will be on display.

“He knew just about everybody that worked in the station and the conductors and other people and Amtrak folks who were on the train for those many, many years that he rode the rail,” Amtrak CEO Bill Flynn said of the president.

Bloomberg Quicktake brings you live global news and original shows spanning business, technology, politics and culture. Make sense of the stories changing your business and your world.

Connect with us on…

[BLUESKYSEVE]

And then I said, if you don't fire the prosecutor, your not getting the money. And what do you know...

[WatchmyPlaylist.]

His greatest achievement yet. He's getting better and better at this! We're all proud of you joe . You made it up those stairs ! America is saved

[lisme]

And 8+ million people have left blue states and moved to red

[illreportbackinabit.]

"Jiill help me!!! I was climbing the stairs and cornpopped in my britches!!" President Joe

[dlcolossus]

They thought it through this time, they made the stairs shorter so he wouldn't have to walk as long thus decreasing the chance of him falling down...Secret Service at their finest

[soylentg]

I am sure proud to see him board that zero emissions aircraft!

[dannyjarvis]

He approached the stairs slowly, he let Jill go in front of him just in case he falls. He takes his time going up paying close attention to each step. He reaches the top and everyone exhales when they realize he’s OK. It was a remarkable day for Joe!

[travisruble]

They have him go up the lower stairs for air force one! Less stairs for the public to see him climb.

[mullahbaksheesh]

“Ya know, if you think about it…when I was Vice President with Barack, he allowed me to put together a budget for Amtrak and it had money for a high speed rail at 200 MPH — from, from uh, uh Charlotte, one, another line going from…in Florida, down to Tampa, another line — if we had moved…we’d have that tunnel fixed in New York now!, ”
---DR Demento 30 April 2021

[federalistpapers]

An airplane crashes in the US every 1.4 days. Let's hope today is one of those days.

[huemann]

Our troops look like they work for Cobra Commander.

[Bicbawsaq]

He must be getting some of that amtrak dough

[nancyking]

I guess this is a big story 'cause he made it up the stairs

[MisterTwister]

Wants to be zero emissions by 2050, yet flys in a 747 to Philadelphia, to wave to a train.

[nicedaydayman]

Today Joe personally inspected some of the train cars that will be used at a later date.

[sgtbattleaxe]

Who else is here to see if ol' Joe can make it up the stairs without tripping and falling? 🤣

[ruthhaynes]

Feel so bad for the military that has to stand and salute him

[antiblonda]

Held the rail, made it, let’s make it a story you care most about 🤣

[AM-xpru]

Biden going for a ride on a choo-choo!
Awesome news 😂

[danhutson]

Why did he not go by Amtrak, if he is celebrating the rail system? Going by plane just shows he does not trust the passenger rails.