Have there been any celebrities onboard Amtrak?

[Brystar41]

I am curious about this because since Amtrak is a national Railroad company they had to have some celebrities that use Amtrak to get where they want or need to be at?

Remember it can be any celebrity from movie stars to politicians, someone that is well known and famous or rising to be famous?

I know Joe Biden is one of them he is known as Amtrak Joe and he supports Amtrak fully, Barack Obama is also a huge supporter for Amtrak and i think he did used a train to get to washington DC?

have you known any celebrities while you were in the trains or has there been a record of anybody of celebrity status using Amtrak?

 

[Guest]

Politicians take the NEC all the time.

I have seen Schumer and Jerry Nadler on the train a number of times. Perhaps the most notable New York-Washingtonian I saw was Sonia Sotomayor, on Acela. She was in Business class!

 

[Henry Kisor]

Lots of folks on this forum ran into John Madden, the football guy, during his long-distance travels on Amtrak. Madden would often hold court in the lounge car over beers. Later he had his own bus. I never saw him but all the stories say he was a hell of a good guy.

Attendants will tell you lots of stories about other celebrities who never come out of their sleeper rooms so that they can escape badgering by star-struck yokels.

 

[MARC Rider]

Let's not forget Vice-President Joe Biden, who was a regular commuter on the NEC when he was a senator.

Also, I recall that President Obama chartered a train to bring him to Washington before his inauguration in 2009.

 

[Guest]

There have been numerous reportings here over the years of celebrities being spotted onboard Amtrak trains. Henry Kissinger comes to mind.

There have also been TV/movie stars that use Amtrak to commute between their homes in the Rhinebeck area and Manhattan (Broadway).

 

[Ryan]

Yes, here are some of the threads where people have told stories:

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/22833-have-you-ever-met-anyone-famous-on-an-amtrak-train/page__hl__celebrity

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/41861-celebrities-on-amtrak/page__hl__celebrities

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/45590-katie-couric/page__st__20__hl__celebrities

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/46801-clooney-rides-train/page__hl__celebrities

 

[OlympianHiawatha]

With Hillary's flying days all but over I look for her to start taking to the rails. I doubt you'll see much of her on the bus :lol:

 

[user 1215]

I sat at dinner on the Capitol Ltd with a gentleman who is one of the artists for The Simpsons comic book. When I worked for Disney, it was a fireable offense to glam over celebs, so I didn't ask for a signature, or a quick sketch of Bart yelling at my kids, or something like that. Then I realized I hadn't worked for Disney for 15 years and that it would be OK. Of course, I'd been off the train for two days so it was too late...

 

[AmtrakBlue]

ME, ME, ME!

No? I'm not a celebrity?

Well, I guess I don't have to worry about fans & paparazzi bothering me then. :giggle:

Sorry, couldn't resist. Some of you know my name and will understand.

 

[AlanB]

I rode in Acela FC earlier this year with longtime NY Congressman Charles Rangel. Also met him one other time in the NY Club Acela.

And this topic over at Flyertalk lists many encounters by Amtrak riders.

 

[Bob Dylan]

What about the AU Gatherings each October in Various Cities? There's always Trains Full of Celebs @ these Fun-Fests! :giggle:

But Seriously Folks, the NEC (Especially on Acela FC) and the Various Routes in California tend to be your Best Bet for Spotting Celebs! Also the Patron Tequila Express,the Luxurious PV, with Main Passenger being Dan Akroyd, Travels all over the Country on the Back of Various Amtrak Trains! In August it was on the Back of the CZ and when we stopped in Grand Junction he Graciously let some of Us who were Interested Tour this Beauty and He signed Autographs and Posed for Pics with Pax on the Platform!

 

[Brystar41]

i know this is fictional but there was an epsiode of the Big Bang Theory that Leonard, Sheldon, Raj, and Howard all hopped aboard the Coast Starlight, i knew for some reason it wasn't Amtrak but it was a train and Sheldon being a Railfan talked alot of the Coast Starlight which i wonder is it true what he was talking about.

also on the epsiode in the train appeared the young beautiful girl Summer Glau from the Terminator sarah chronicles tv series so each one expect sheldon all tried to hit on her but very funny ways and results.

they were going from Pasadena CA to San Francisco CA but the coast starlight doesn't end in San Francisco.

is anybody familar with the Big Bang Theory Tv Series let me know.

 

[tampasteve1]

is anybody familar with the Big Bang Theory Tv Series let me know.

I love that show! Yes, they were going from LA to San Francisco via the Coast Starlight. As a side note, for the show plot it is irrelevant that the train does not end in SF, merely that it stops near there (which it does). Most of what Sheldon says is more or less accurate, as is the scenery outside the train windows - the writers/producers take pride in accuracy in the show (particularly the science bits). They are supposed to be riding in the Pacific Parlor Car:

 

[trainman74]

Most of what Sheldon says is more or less accurate, as is the scenery outside the train windows...

Except, if I recall correctly, they seem to spend an inordinate amount of time sitting at the Bob Hope Airport station.

(That's the only episode of "Big Bang Theory" I've ever seen, because my then-girlfriend made me watch it, for some reason. I just don't like sitcoms with laugh tracks.)

 

[tampasteve1]

(That's the only episode of "Big Bang Theory" I've ever seen, because my then-girlfriend made me watch it, for some reason. I just don't like sitcoms with laugh tracks.)

I know what you mean about laugh tracks. However, BBT uses a live audience - but they have cues when to laugh.

 

[Dovecote]

Shared a nice conversation with Burl Ives back in the 80s on the Empire Builder. On the Acela FC sat across from Meryl Streep and on other run sat across from NY Congressman Charles Rangel. Former Senator Sam Nunn was also on that train but was traveling separately. Each of these individuals were friendly in brief conversations. Also noticed a quick glimpse of Geraldo Rivera in the Washington Club Acela as he rushed for a train.

 

[Shanghai]

I was in the NYP Acela Lounge with Donald Rumsfeld, former Secretary of Defense

and at another time, I sat next to Bill Cosby in the lounge. I also spoke to

Brian Gallagher on the Acela while enroute to Boston.

 

[pennyk]

is anybody familar with the Big Bang Theory Tv Series let me know.

I love that show! Yes, they were going from LA to San Francisco via the Coast Starlight. As a side note, for the show plot it is irrelevant that the train does not end in SF, merely that it stops near there (which it does). Most of what Sheldon says is more or less accurate, as is the scenery outside the train windows - the writers/producers take pride in accuracy in the show (particularly the science bits). They are supposed to be riding in the Pacific Parlor Car:

I just started watching the show and I love it - maybe because of the really cool name of the woman across the hall. LOL. I saw the train episode also and it made me laugh. It was obvious that it was not filmed on the Coast Starlight. I believe Sheldon spoke of the PPC and encouraged his friends to go visit it, but I tried to warn them that it was only available to sleeping car passengers and they were in coach. They did not listen to me. :giggle:

With regard to real celebrities, during the Gathering weekend in 2012, the PHL Acela Lounge attendant told me that Charles Barkley (basketball player) was in the CA watching the University of Florida football game, while waiting for a train. I did not see him - he left a short while before I arrived.

 

[Ryan]

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[stntylr]

Acouple of years ago the producer and cast members of The Big Bang Theory rode the Pacific Surfliner down to San Diego for ComicCon.

 

[pennyk]

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PENNY!!!!

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What do you want Sheldon?

 

[Ryan]

Hi Penny!

 

[Ted Bell]

*knock* *knock* *knock*

PENNY!!!!

What do you want Sheldon?

He only knocks 3 times.

Good stuff!!

 

[pennyk]

Train episode on Big Bang is on TBS right now. 1/8/13 8pm EST.

 

[RRrich]

They are supposed to be riding in the Pacific Parlor Car:

Doubtful. The PPC is never mentioned but IIRC coach is.