Nixon’s Metroliner Trip

On 24 January 1970 President Nixon, First Lady Pat Nixon and Secretary of State Henry Kissinger traveled on Penn Central’s Metroliner from Washington, DC Union Station to the Philadelphia 30th Street Station. For President Nixon’s travels, the Penn Central provided four Metroliner cars, Club Car Number 883, was designated for the President and the First Lady. The US Army Signal Corps used Club Car Number 884 for communications with a special “hot-line” communications suite. President Nixon had a telephone installed next to his seat to keep in contact with national strategic authorities and White House Staff. The two other snack bar coaches were for TV and newspaper reporters.[1] The cars served a variety of snacks and cocktails - drunk reporters are happy ones! The Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) Metroliners entered into service on 15 March 1969, with a top speed of 160 miles per hour, it was America’s first entrance into modern high-speed rail.

According to the Penn Central Post, “a coach passenger can ride from Washington to New York for $12.75-$5.15 less than the lowest airline fare – with more comfort than in an airliner. And since the trip is from center-city to center-city, he eliminates the problem of fighting auto traffic to and from airports and reach his destination faster than by plane.”[2] The Club Cars served meals and on the 24 January 1970 trip, the Nixon’s chose from Penn Central’s regular $3.50 menu with a choice between Tenderloin Steak or Cornish Hen Singapore. The Metroliner cars used and food and beverage service for the president were same used with the same services provided in daily passenger service. The President and the First Lady reportedly told the car attendants that “the meal was very good – they enjoyed it.”[3] ?The president’s roundtrip to Philadelphia was contracted from the Penn Central at cost far lower than operating Air Force One and furthermore, was environmentally friendly – electrically powered compared to the considerable pollution and carbon fuel consumption of flying the same distance. President Joe Biden weekly trips to Wilmington Delaware, which is along the former Penn Central’s Metroliner route (now Amtrak) between Washington DC and Philadelphia, are far more costly and environmentally harmful. As according to the New York Post, “Air Force One's operational costs are $177,843 per hour, and the trip to Delaware takes roughly 30 minutes…This puts the total operational costs for the trips…at about $4 million…receipt for Biden’s Delaware trips is probably a significant underestimate since it does not tally many other miscellaneous costs. These include spending for additional helicopters that travel along with him, travel to or from military airports before or after an Air Force One flight, and accommodations for staff who accompany him.”[4] President Biden perhaps needs some Flygskam a term coined by the Swedes or in English "flight shaming," shaming people for not using lower carbon emissions transportation alternatives when they are available. And yes, Presidents can use less costly contracted services versus costlier government services when practical.

[1] “Presidential Special,” Penn Central Post. (March 1970): 3

[2] “America Greets the Metroliner,” Penn Central Post (March 1969): 1

[3] “Presidential Special,” Penn Central Post. (March 1970): 3

[4] “Biden’s frequent Delaware trips have cost taxpayers at least $11M,” New York Post (18 November 2022) [https://nypost.com/2022/11/18/president-joe-bidens-frequent-delaware-trips-have-cost-taxpayers-at-least-11m/] (Accessed 2 December 2023)