Henry Kissinger rides Amtrak

[clearfork]

While waiting for the LSL Monday afternoon in the Acela Lounge two Amtrak police....with a dog were standing beside the beverage area talking with a well-dressed older gentleman seated with his back towards my party. He had a deep voice with a German accent. He got up to move to a wheelchair to board his train and I finally saw his face....former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Darn, I wish I had the chance to recognize him sooner....

 

[Cho Cho Charlie]

There have been a few other reports posted here of seeing Kissinger in the ClubAcela in NYP.

 

[ScottC4746]

While waiting for the LSL Monday afternoon in the Acela Lounge two Amtrak police....with a dog were standing beside the beverage area talking with a well-dressed older gentleman seated with his back towards my party. He had a deep voice with a German accent. He got up to move to a wheelchair to board his train and I finally saw his face....former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Darn, I wish I had the chance to recognize him sooner....

Is he still alive?

 

[afigg]

Is he still alive?

Well, if he isn't, doubtful he would in the Acela Lounge at NYP (probably headed to DC). Kissinger is 88 years old and is still fairly active in foreign policy circles.

It is not uncommon to see famous people from TV, media, political circles taking Amtrak between DC and NYC.

 

[sunchaser]

While waiting for the LSL Monday afternoon in the Acela Lounge two Amtrak police....with a dog were standing beside the beverage area talking with a well-dressed older gentleman seated with his back towards my party. He had a deep voice with a German accent. He got up to move to a wheelchair to board his train and I finally saw his face....former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger. Darn, I wish I had the chance to recognize him sooner....

He does have a very distinctive voice. Oh the stories that man could tell...Glad to see he is still getting out and about!

 

[railiner]

Mr. Kissinger is no stranger to rail travel. Back in the 1970's, the Union Pacific assembled a special train of their office cars, dome lounges, diners, etc. that ran from Denver down to Mexico for a special conference of foreign service type luminaries, interested business executives and some press. Mr. Kissinger was the featured attendee.

 

[rtabern]

Yes, he has taken Acela before.

Last summer, I rode Acela First Class from NYP-WAS and met an attendant who has been working at Amtrak for years. We had a good conversation and when he saw I was a railfan, he brought out a couple of photo albums filled with ticket stubs signed by famous people who have rode the train. There were probably 100-200 ticket stubs, including one of Mr. Kissinger. I guess he asked the celebs to sign and donate their tickets stubs to the collection. He gave me permission to photograph the stubs, but then later on in the trip, asked me NOT to post them on-line... as he didnt want people seeing the celebs reservation #s and their AGR #s.

 

[RRUserious]

Truthfully, I don't think anyone should be surprised whoever they see in the Northeast. They are the most inveterate rail travelers in the country. Maybe the presence of new arrivals from Europe where trains are so dominant is the cause. With the population density, trains make total sense. You can live in some of the best places, and still get to the most important cities without a lot of fuss. I look forward to some train riding in that zone.

 

[WhoozOn1st]

In the political realm, in addition to Henry the K there was a recent sighting of presidential wannabe Newt Gingrich aboard an Acela:

Gingrich's Secret Service protection makes no 'sense'

"You'll never guess who I saw on the train up to New York City this afternoon. Newt Gingrich! Yep, the former speaker of the House. Yep, he's still running for the Republican nomination for president. Tomorrow is the Delaware primary. According to the Associated Press, Gingrich is headed to a 'meeting of the Brandywine-Wilmington Regional GOP Committee at state party headquarters in Wilmington.'

"So, when the Acela rolled into the station, Gingrich got up. So did an aide — and four Secret Service agents. I spotted at least two more waiting on the platform, plus an Amtrak police officer. All this for a guy whose campaign is barely on life support?"

And you know whooz paying for the Secret Service agents' Acela rides (perhaps with a government discount?)...

 

[Bob Dylan]

In the political realm, in addition to Henry the K there was a recent sighting of presidential wannabe Newt Gingrich aboard an Acela:

Gingrich's Secret Service protection makes no 'sense'

"You'll never guess who I saw on the train up to New York City this afternoon. Newt Gingrich! Yep, the former speaker of the House. Yep, he's still running for the Republican nomination for president. Tomorrow is the Delaware primary. According to the Associated Press, Gingrich is headed to a 'meeting of the Brandywine-Wilmington Regional GOP Committee at state party headquarters in Wilmington.'

"So, when the Acela rolled into the station, Gingrich got up. So did an aide — and four Secret Service agents. I spotted at least two more waiting on the platform, plus an Amtrak police officer. All this for a guy whose campaign is barely on life support?"

And you know whooz paying for the Secret Service agents' Acela rides (perhaps with a government discount?)...

And whos paying for the Nightclub and the Booze and the Women??? <_<

 

[sunchaser]

In the political realm, in addition to Henry the K there was a recent sighting of presidential wannabe Newt Gingrich aboard an Acela:

Gingrich's Secret Service protection makes no 'sense'

"You'll never guess who I saw on the train up to New York City this afternoon. Newt Gingrich! Yep, the former speaker of the House. Yep, he's still running for the Republican nomination for president. Tomorrow is the Delaware primary. According to the Associated Press, Gingrich is headed to a 'meeting of the Brandywine-Wilmington Regional GOP Committee at state party headquarters in Wilmington.'

"So, when the Acela rolled into the station, Gingrich got up. So did an aide — and four Secret Service agents. I spotted at least two more waiting on the platform, plus an Amtrak police officer. All this for a guy whose campaign is barely on life support?"

And you know whooz paying for the Secret Service agents' Acela rides (perhaps with a government discount?)...

I have no problem with Newt getting Secret Service protection. I'm not sure if you are old enough to remember what happened to Senator Bobby Kennedy on the campaign trail, but I am.

I would hate to have anything bad happen to a candidate because they didn't have protection.

Edited to make more sense!

 

[WhoozOn1st]

I have no problem with Newt getting Secret Service protection. I'm not sure if you are old enough to remember what happened to Senator Bobby Kennedy on the campaign trail, but I am.I would hate to have anything bad happen to a candidate because they didn't have protection.

Edited to make more sense!

I have no problem with protection for legit candidates. The author's point, which I also tend toward, is that Gingrich's candidacy ceased being realistic some time ago: "Everyone can see that the Gingrich-for-president campaign is dead, except Gingrich."

However the point of the post was not political, but a further illustration of a major pol riding Amtrak.

Not only am I old enough to recall Bobby Kennedy's assassination (watched it unfold on TV), but had met him at a SoCal campaign rally two days before.

 

[Henry Kisor]

Reports are that Newt will pack it in sometime Thursday and presumably will lose his Secret Service bodyguards so the issue will be moot.

—Henry the Other K

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I have no problem with Newt getting Secret Service protection. I'm not sure if you are old enough to remember what happened to Senator Bobby Kennedy on the campaign trail, but I am.v I would hate to have anything bad happen to a candidate because they didn't have protection.

&

Reports are that Newt will pack it in sometime Thursday and presumably will lose his Secret Service bodyguards so the issue will be moot.

Considering that Newt spent much of his campaign making intentionally inflammatory claims in order to stoke fear, resentment, and hatred between two already armed and hostile groups he may have needed the protection more than you would think.

 

[sunchaser]

I have no problem with Newt getting Secret Service protection. I'm not sure if you are old enough to remember what happened to Senator Bobby Kennedy on the campaign trail, but I am.I would hate to have anything bad happen to a candidate because they didn't have protection.

Edited to make more sense!

I have no problem with protection for legit candidates. The author's point, which I also tend toward, is that Gingrich's candidacy ceased being realistic some time ago: "Everyone can see that the Gingrich-for-president campaign is dead, except Gingrich."

However the point of the post was not political, but a further illustration of a major pol riding Amtrak.

Not only am I old enough to recall Bobby Kennedy's assassination (watched it unfold on TV), but had met him at a SoCal campaign rally two days before.

I'm glad you were able to meet him. I was still in Jr high and heard the news on my portable radio the following morning. My comment was not intended was not intended to cause hurt or pain. My apologies if I offended. I guess Newt will quit when he's ready.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

Is he still alive?

Well, if he isn't, doubtful he would in the Acela Lounge at NYP (probably headed to DC). Kissinger is 88 years old and is still fairly active in foreign policy circles.

It is not uncommon to see famous people from TV, media, political circles taking Amtrak between DC and NYC.

Hes ONLY 88?

I thought he must have been 60 when he served under Nixon.

 

[sunchaser]

Is he still alive?

Well, if he isn't, doubtful he would in the Acela Lounge at NYP (probably headed to DC). Kissinger is 88 years old and is still fairly active in foreign policy circles.

It is not uncommon to see famous people from TV, media, political circles taking Amtrak between DC and NYC.

Hes ONLY 88?

I thought he must have been 60 when he served under Nixon.

:giggle: Anybody over 30 was old then. He was 46 when he started serving under Nixon in 1969.

 

[Ryan]

Not really a celebrity, but the local sports talk radio station was doing a phone interview with some random hockey guy talking about the Caps/Bruin series that wrapped up last night in Boston.

Halfway though the interview you hear an Amtrak conductor in the background announcing the station stop at Hew Haven. The hockey guy apologized and said that he was on the train headed back to DC, and the host played along with it, joking that they should get the conductor on the air to get his thoughts on last nights game.

I'm sure that it's happened before, but I can't say that I've heard a live radio interview from the train before.