MSNBC cable network has placed its Democratic National Convention "anchor booth" immediately to the North of Denver Union Station. The "Union Station - Travel by Train' marquee is there for the world to see as NBC's pundits ramble on during the many "dead zones' inherent to such a live event. Also the UP "Executrain' complete with a Dome Car was quite visible in the background.
Even if misleading, it is worthy of note that there is "Travel by Train", and beneath the sign is often visible behind the pundits the UP immaculate "Executrain" consist. Wonder how many viewers will confuse such with Amtrak's offering.
Posted by palmland (Member # 4344) on :
It is a great set and when I tuned in they showed a close up of 844 blowing its whistle that disrupted the commentators.
However I did turn to another network at 10pm when they began coverage. Prefer 'talking heads' other than those on MSNBC.
Posted by Railroad Bob (Member # 3508) on :
Good point, Gil- but as Mr. Palmlamd says, perhaps there are other news conduits a bit less "in the tank" for a particular candidate. I prefer CSPAN, which allows viewers to come to their own conclusions without too much "help" from the heads...
Posted by Ham Radio (Member # 6587) on :
Any free advertising of passenger rail to the general public is good for all of us in the long run.
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Good point, RRBob, I learned of the short "everyman speech" delivered by an Amtrak worker from Beech Grove only by surfing over to CSPAN. Also, I learned from a CSPAN surf last night that the DNC still adheres to a meeting conducted under Parliamentary rules when I heard a Benediction followed by a Motion to recess.
I did watch Hillary's speech last night on broadcast NBC simply for the Hi-Def. Hey I paid dearly (and pay Comcast more dearly) to have the stuff; may as well use it.
Posted by sojourner (Member # 3134) on :
I saw the Amtrak employee's speech when I was watching on C-SPAN. I have been watching mainly on C-SPAN because they are showing the convention, not the blathering about it--also sometimes PBS does the same. But I cannot believe the coverage on the "news" channels, which show next to nothing of the speeches. And the prime time channels doing the same; it's absurd. However, I do turn on MSNBC occasionally, only because I love seeing Denver Union Station!
Posted by Gilbert B Norman (Member # 1541) on :
Conservative New York Times columnist continued with the theme of "anAmtrak convention":
We heard from Joe Biden, whose 643 years in the Senate make him uniquely qualified to talk to the middle class, whose family has been riding the Acela and before that the Metroliner for generations, who has been given a lifetime ban from the quiet car and who is himself a verbal train wreck waiting to happen
Volks, now that Sen. McCain is about to announce his VP selection, Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK), it doesn't appear that the "soiree in St Paul" next week will be much of an "Amtrak convention'.
If passenger rail is the issue on which your vote is cast, than it's "Joe and Barry".
CBS Radio News picked up on the story during World News Roundup this AM; they learned that a General Aviation aircraft that had filed a PANC to KDAY Flight Plan had landed about 1159PM (OK, they said Midnight, but I tend to be a bit more precise with my reporting - lest we forget, there is no Midnight on the railroad) last Evening.
Finally, lest we forget that there has been one Palin who has been a passenger train enthuiast - actor Michael Palin; oh but whoops, it can't be him as he is a British Subject.
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Mr. Palin, it appears, is a British CITIZEN. (He still can't run for VP, more's the pity.)
I'll stand corrected on that one, Mr. Kisor; I haven't been overseas "in quite a spell' but back when I regularly did (my Sister and family were expats; UK 1970-89), British Subject is how passports were so labeled - my Niece had one such having been born in the UK during 1977.
BTW, I wonder if the McCain campaign could have kept the VP selection "under wraps' until the moment of announcement, had Gov Palin, family, and entourage, changed aircraft somewhere en route at an airport at which an FP into KDAY would not have attracted the attention that a PANC to KDAY evidently did.
Finally it appears that if anyone here is compelled to vote "the Amtrak Ticket", I guess it will be 'Barry and Joe".
Posted by George Harris (Member # 2077) on :
"Barry"?
Instead of his real name?
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
George, Obama was called "Barry" as a youth. GBN was just being jocular. Nothing wrong, in my opinion, with either "Barry and Joe" or "Johnny and Sally" (the diminutives of John and Sarah).
Not that we'll see either of these on campaign buttons. They broke the mold with "I Like Ike."
P.S. I don't think that Air Traffic Control would tell the press about a flight plan from Anchorage to Dayton. At least I hope not, for that would be a security breach. For that reason a pilot does not tell ATC who's aboard his aircraft, just puts "VIP" in the "remarks" section of the flight plan. Perhaps somebody at Anchorage saw Gov. Palin boarding the plane, found out where it was going, and put two and two together.
Posted by royaltrain (Member # 622) on :
QUOTE]Originally posted by Henry Kisor: Mr. Palin, it appears, is a British CITIZEN. (He still can't run for VP, more's the pity.)
The issue of who is or is not a British subject is very complicated as shown by the Wikipedia article. I have always considered myself a British Subject no matter what the latest British Nationality act may say, and no matter what the Canadian government may do to remove such terms from our passports. Up until about 1977 my Canadian passport stated that a Canadian Citizen is a British Subject. This is a touchy area with monarchists such as myself who hold our links with the motherland near and dear, and we in Canada, the UK, Australia, New Zealand and certain other places where The Queen is sovereign head of state are Her Majesty's subjects and proud to be so. This posting may give you a little hint as to why I call myself royaltrain
Posted by Henry Kisor (Member # 4776) on :
Royaltrain, we are all citizens of the world here, subject of course to our personal beliefs and feelings. I will be happy to hoist a pint to Elizabeth II with you and sing a few bars of "God Save the Queen."
Posted by royaltrain (Member # 622) on :
Mr. Kisor, I'll take you up on that offer although I would prefer toasting with a G&T.