Let me suggest Valley Forge as a place everyone should visit, especially if you're in the area, and especially if it's winter. Any time's a good time but you really need cold weather to get the full impact of the place, that high ground with the wind whipping over it will chill you in more ways than one, trust me.
I've been to Valley Forge at least 15-plus times and never get tired of it, truly inspirational.
AND while you're in the area not too far away in Lansdale is a great old-style "brick-and-mortar" train hobby shop no railfan should miss, Henning's Trains, great place with great people. www.henningstrains.com
And let me second David's suggestion of Mount Vernon. Truly a magical place, every time I go there I never want to leave.
Agree. Regret I never visited Gettysburg. Maybe someday I will.
But in addition to multiple Williamsburg visits (353, Mountain View twice), Monticello, Ashlawn, Moiunt Vernon.
Actually, I believe there are two locations near DC that every member of Congress and all others that make policy decisions should visit and get an extensive tour of....Williamsburg and Gettysburg.
Williamsburg can be toured any time of year. Gettysburg needs to be done in the early July heat like when the battle took place with the forces have march miles and miles in heavy woolen uniforms to lay their lives on the line for their percieved causes.
Both locations bring the reality of the American Democracy to life.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
Not a terrible idea to get the folks who have to vote to fund passenger service to actually experience a train ride. I'll bet there are quite a few who have never ridden an Amtrak train.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
Wiilaimsburg is a great place and a physical history that every USA Citizen should enjoy and experience at least once---
I think a necesssity for every Congressman and Senator, and staff as well!
(Like a visit to Jerusalem for a Jew or to Rome for an observant Catholic)
Firelock76That's crossed my mind as well. Whether any of it sticks to 'em or not is another matter. We can only hope.
If you ask me I think this is the location where their new underground Nuke Shelter is located and this is just a dry run.
schlimm Colonial history roots, etc. Good setting for the nation's leaders.
Colonial history roots, etc. Good setting for the nation's leaders.
That's crossed my mind as well. Whether any of it sticks to 'em or not is another matter. We can only hope.
C&NW, CA&E, MILW, CGW and IC fan
BaltACD blue streak 1 Does this VRE e mail mean what we may think it does. Any one know details ? VRE Train Talk Alert <vre@public.govdelivery.com> VRE trains 303, 305 & 327 will be delayed out of Union Station at least 15 minutes due to holding for congressional train to depart Union. www.vre.org gotrains@vre.org Automated Service Information: 1 To Today at 3:19 PM VRE trains are delayed out of Union Staion VRE trains 303, 305 & 327 will be delayed out of Union Station at least 15 minutes due to holding for congressional train to depart Union Station. Amtrak was operating a Special Train from Union Station to Williamsburg and return for new Congressional electees.
blue streak 1 Does this VRE e mail mean what we may think it does. Any one know details ? VRE Train Talk Alert <vre@public.govdelivery.com> VRE trains 303, 305 & 327 will be delayed out of Union Station at least 15 minutes due to holding for congressional train to depart Union. www.vre.org gotrains@vre.org Automated Service Information: 1 To Today at 3:19 PM VRE trains are delayed out of Union Staion VRE trains 303, 305 & 327 will be delayed out of Union Station at least 15 minutes due to holding for congressional train to depart Union Station.
Does this VRE e mail mean what we may think it does. Any one know details ?
VRE Train Talk Alert <vre@public.govdelivery.com> VRE trains 303, 305 & 327 will be delayed out of Union Station at least 15 minutes due to holding for congressional train to depart Union. www.vre.org gotrains@vre.org Automated Service Information: 1
VRE trains 303, 305 & 327 will be delayed out of Union Station at least 15 minutes due to holding for congressional train to depart Union Station.
Amtrak was operating a Special Train from Union Station to Williamsburg and return for new Congressional electees.
I've heard about this before, I believe the Williamsburg trip is for a seminar or "boot camp" for incoming congresspeople, how it works, the whys and wherefores, stuff like that.
Although why they do it in Williamsburg I don't know. Williamsburg is a cool place to visit though, living about an hour away I usually go at least once a year.
Dakguy201 There is something wrong when the general public has to be inconvenienced to accomodate a couple dozen Representatives.
There is something wrong when the general public has to be inconvenienced to accomodate a couple dozen Representatives.
Dakguy201 JPS1 When you run a railroad that is beholden to politicians, as opposed to a market driven system, you stroke those who feed you. In FY15 Amtrak received $1.5 billion from the federal government to continue operations and enhance its property, plant, and equipment. As the auditors have noted in every annual report since the get go, Amtrak could not continue operations without federal and state taxpayer monies. Hauling Congress persons and probably their families on a special train for an outing is good politics. Most of the people on the commuter trains will quickly forget the delay or why it occurred. But the Congress persons, hopefully, will have had a good experience on Amtrak and will remember it at appropriations time. All of that is true. However, it is not as if the money to run Amtrak was being paid out of the pockets ol those Representatives. Instead, it is being paid by those same folk who were delayed and many others like them. Each time I have been in Washington in the last few years I have been offended by a skyline dotted by construction cranes at a time when the country has scrambled just to stay even. Official Washington is doing very well; and as for the rest of us, our trains are still waiting in the station!
JPS1 When you run a railroad that is beholden to politicians, as opposed to a market driven system, you stroke those who feed you. In FY15 Amtrak received $1.5 billion from the federal government to continue operations and enhance its property, plant, and equipment. As the auditors have noted in every annual report since the get go, Amtrak could not continue operations without federal and state taxpayer monies. Hauling Congress persons and probably their families on a special train for an outing is good politics. Most of the people on the commuter trains will quickly forget the delay or why it occurred. But the Congress persons, hopefully, will have had a good experience on Amtrak and will remember it at appropriations time.
When you run a railroad that is beholden to politicians, as opposed to a market driven system, you stroke those who feed you.
In FY15 Amtrak received $1.5 billion from the federal government to continue operations and enhance its property, plant, and equipment.
As the auditors have noted in every annual report since the get go, Amtrak could not continue operations without federal and state taxpayer monies.
Hauling Congress persons and probably their families on a special train for an outing is good politics.
Most of the people on the commuter trains will quickly forget the delay or why it occurred. But the Congress persons, hopefully, will have had a good experience on Amtrak and will remember it at appropriations time.
Those construction cranes are busy building apartment buildings, because Washington DC itself has a huge housing shortage. They're trying to attract people that live in Virginia and Maryland into the District. It has little to do with government largess and more to with the District trying to find tax revenue. The cranes on the Virginia side are trying to get businesses to relocate from older office buildings in the District or to not move out of Virginia after everyone started decamping from Crystal City. Most major cities are undergoing housing construction booms right now, because lower crime rates are combining with generational shifts in taste that are moving people back into the urban cores. Even Cleveland and Pittsburgh are experiencing it.
Also, anyone taking VRE is just going to shrug and go on with their day. This is a city where "sorry, motorcade' isn't even questioned when you tell your boss that's why you're late for work.
Well if three late trains bother you, please don't go anywhere near the city around the inauguration. Doesn't matter what party wins, it is always a madhouse. Downtown is choked. Everything is off schedule.
Dakguy201 BaltACD Amtrak was operating a Special Train from Union Station to Williamsburg and return for new Congressional electees. There is something wrong when the general public has to be inconvenienced to accomodate a couple dozen Representatives.
BaltACD Amtrak was operating a Special Train from Union Station to Williamsburg and return for new Congressional electees.
Rio Grande Valley, CFI,CFII
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