Latest news with #Amtrak
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Biden blasted for rude behavior on Amtrak trains while commuting to new DC office
Former President Joe Biden has reportedly been flouting Amtrak etiquette on his beloved rail commute as he infuriates other passengers with his antics. The 82-year-old has been commuting between his Delaware home and a government-provided Washington DC office on a weekly basis in recent times. But not everyone is happy the former commander-in-chief is back riding the rails, as he has reportedly been breaking Amtrak's strict rules on noise in its silent sections. 'He was talking in the quiet car!' one frustrated Amtrak passenger told the New York Post. The outlet further alleged that despite Biden's long history with rail travel, earning him the nickname 'Amtrak Joe' as he famously commuted on the rail throughout his 36 years in the Senate, he has forgotten other Amtrak norms. Biden recently asked for ice cream as a snack from the train's cafe, not knowing it doesn't serve his favorite snack. In recent weeks, social media users have shared random sightings of the former president on Amtrak, seemingly in disbelief he takes the low-key route to DC. But the reason for his repeat trips back to his DC office have also been confusing observers, as many question what he is working on since leaving office. Although some say Biden's Amtrak trips are ruining their commutes, one witness told the Post that it is not entirely his fault. 'If he's talking, it's because he's constantly approached,' they said. 'That is always a criticism of him — that he's too soft spoken! No winning.' Since dropping out of the 2024 election over concerns about his age and cognitive decline, several former staffers now say they are confused at what he is doing on his weekly trips back to DC. 'It's really a mystery,' a former Biden aide said. 'They're supposed to be setting up library stuff but no one has heard anything. We're all wondering the same thing because he doesn't go to restaurants or anything public around here.' An insider told the Post that he often spends time in the office and calls Democrats to pass the time, however many may wish to avoid being too closely tied to the former president following the election drubbing in November. 'He's also been attending events which are sometimes coordinated through the office,' they said. 'He was just in Galveston, Texas, to attend a Juneteenth service as a recent example. Separately, he's working on his book and library and foundation phases of post-presidency.' It comes as Biden has faced a torrid few months since leaving the White House, as former staffers quickly came out to criticize his presidency and apparent cognitive decline. He was diagnosed with stage four cancer in May, with doctors saying the disease has already spread to his bones. This month, the former White House physician to President Barack Obama, Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman, spoke out on the health rumors as he admitted that Biden should have undergone far more stringent cognitive testing during his presidency. Kuhlman didn't mince words warning that Biden should have been subjected to extensive annual neurocognitive exams and that the results should be made public.' My position is that a 78-year-old candidate, Trump at the time, an 82-year-old president [Biden], would both benefit from neurocognitive testing,' Kuhlman stated, noting how age-related decline is inevitable. 'Any politician over the age of 70 has normal age-related cognitive decline.' Kuhlman, the author of Transforming Presidential Healthcare, has been making these recommendations for nearly a year - notably publishing them in a New York Times op-ed on the very day Biden bowed out of the 2024 race. Despite multiple detailed physicals during Biden's time in office, Kuhlman pointed out that none included neurocognitive assessments like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) - a basic test famously taken and 'aced' by President Trump. 'I have no doubt that President Trump aced it,' Kuhlman remarked. Yet Biden's evaluations, spanning five to six single-spaced pages and referencing 10 to 20 specialists, conspicuously omitted any serious cognitive screening.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Biden rides Amtrak to DC office; asks for ice cream; spotted 'talking in the quiet car'
Former President Joe Biden has been making weekly trips via Amtrak to his government-assigned office in Washington, DC, though little is publicly known about the nature of his work there. During one of these trips, an Amtrak passenger expressed frustration to The New York Post, saying, "He was talking in the quiet car!" — a major etiquette breach for regular riders. The 82-year-old, who frequently travelled this route to Delaware throughout his 36-year Senate tenure, seems unfamiliar with current cafe car selections. When he requested ice cream, his preferred treat, but had to settle for a muffin instead. The Acela's "quiet car" is positioned second, after first class, where conductors and passengers strictly maintain silence by hushing violators. Another passenger who observed Biden conversing in the quiet car defended him. "If he's talking, it's because he's constantly approached," the individual explained, noting that whispered conversations are permitted. — BidenActivities (@BidenActivities) Fellow passengers have documented his journeys through photographs, including a May 8 brief conversation with CNN's Dana Bash. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Stunning 2-Bed Senior Houses: Take A Peek Inside! GoSearches | Search Ads Undo Last week, when his Amtrak train halted due to track problems near Baltimore, passengers gathered around the Democrat for photographs. Biden, who abandoned his re-election campaign last year following allies' concerns about his cognitive state, visits DC approximately weekly for meetings, according to the Wall Street Journal's report last month. According to the New York Post, various former Biden White House staff members express curiosity about his activities at his temporary office near DC's Union Station. A person knowledgeable about Biden's schedule indicated he holds meetings with current and former staff, and communicates with Congressional members and Democratic leadership. "He's also been attending events which are sometimes coordinated through the office," the person said. "He was just in Galveston, Texas, to attend a Juneteenth service as a recent example. Separately, he's working on his book and library and foundation phases of post-presidency," the person added.
New York Post
7 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Former President Joe Biden 'talking in the quiet car,' asking for ice cream on Amtrak rides to DC office
Joey, baby! It can't be true. Former President Joe Biden has been commuting on Amtrak most weeks to his government-provided DC office — where little known work is being done — and allegedly forgot a top rule of the train. 'He was talking in the quiet car!' a disbelieving Amtrak regular vented to The Post. Advertisement 6 'He was talking in the quiet car!' a disbelieving Amtrak regular vented to The Post. Obtained by NY Post The 82-year-old former chief executive, who rode the route back and forth to Delaware during his 36 years in the Senate, also has gotten rusty on the cafe car's offerings. Biden recently asked for ice cream — his favorite snack — but had to settle for a muffin. Advertisement Amtrak's 'quiet car' is the second on the Acela — behind first class — and its code of conduct is enforced by conductors and passengers who brusquely hiss 'shhhhhh!' at violators. 6 Biden recently asked for ice cream — his favorite snack — but had to settle for a muffin. Obtained by NY Post The ex-president's travels have been captured in a stream of photos from fellow riders — and even a brief May 8 interview with CNN's Dana Bash. The Amtrak he was on was stopped last week due to a track issue outside of Baltimore and fellow riders flocked to the Democrat for selfies. Advertisement Biden, who dropped his re-election bid last year amid a mutiny by allies over his perceived cognitive decline, has been visiting DC roughly once a week for meetings, the Wall Street Journal reported last month. 6 'It's really a mystery,' one former Biden aide said of his activities while visiting DC, noting that staff still working for Biden 'avoid answering.' Getty Images Several alums of the Biden White House say there's intrigue into what exactly he is doing at his temporary office a short distance from DC's Union Station. The General Services Administration pays for the office until July, meaning Biden will have to relocate soon if he intends to continue commuting to the capital. Advertisement 'It's really a mystery,' one former Biden aide said of his activities while visiting DC, noting that staff still working for Biden 'avoid answering.' 6 Biden has announced plans to write a book and sources tell The Post the family faces financial difficulties after losing his $400,000 presidential pay. Getty Images 'They're supposed to be setting up library stuff but no one has heard anything,' this person said. 'We're all wondering the same thing because he doesn't go to restaurants or anything public around here.' Biden has announced plans to write a book and sources tell The Post the family faces financial difficulties after losing his $400,000 presidential pay. 6 Then-Sen. Joe Biden mingles on an Amtrak in 2008. AP 6 Amtrak's second car on Acela is for 'quiet' — and Biden allegedly broke the rules. AFP via Getty Images Advertisement He has struggled to find takers for his offer to give speeches for $300,000 — a figure first reported by The Post — while his son Hunter Biden, who formerly raked in millions from abroad, admits to trouble selling his artworks. A Biden spokesperson did not immediately provide information on the former president's activities — or dispute that he was talking in the quiet car.
Politico
9 hours ago
- Business
- Politico
America's biggest rail service faces peril from both parties after years of ‘Amtrak Joe' Biden
BENEATH THE EAST RIVER, New York — Twelve years after Hurricane Sandy's brackish floodwaters poured into some of the Northeast's busiest rail tunnels, the damage is still apparent from pooling water and crumbling casing. Political leaders who mattered most — from former President Joe Biden to the region's governors — all backed a $1.6 billion repair of the Amtrak tunnels connecting Manhattan and Long Island. But now Donald Trump is president and New York is taking a more adversarial approach to Amtrak. Even though repair work started last month on the Sandy-damaged tunnels beneath the East River, Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and members of her administration threw intense last-minute shade on the project. They suggested Amtrak cannot be trusted, doesn't care about its customers and compared its officials to a used car salesman. The sharp elbows suggest a new peril for the national railroad following the 'Amtrak Joe' Biden years, when the administration showered billions of dollars on the railroad and New York rail projects, including the separate $16 billion project to build new tunnels beneath the Hudson River connecting New Jersey and New York. Amtrak's leader recently stepped down in a peace offering to Trump and the railroad is facing major layoffs and renewed pressure to turn a profit. If Amtrak doesn't have the confidence of Northeastern Democrats like Hochul, whose state is home to the flagship New York Penn Station and its busiest passenger routes, it's not clear who Amtrak can count on. 'Am I confident?' Hochul said during a recent press conference. 'I don't know.' Hochul's recent criticism of the East River rehab, paired with open hostility toward Amtrak from officials at the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, are yet another sore spot between the Democratic governor and the Trump administration over transit — one among many. Trump is trying to kill New York's signature congestion pricing program. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently seized control of the high-profile overhaul of Penn Station and handed it to Amtrak, under the supervision of former MTA head Andy Byford. But the tunnel clash adds animosity to what was once widely regarded as a slam dunk repair project by Amtrak to its own tunnels. Sandy flooded two of four East River train tunnels, leaving behind a salty residue that's eating away at the concrete casing. Since then, Amtrak has been working on a plan to fix the century-old tubes by closing them one after another for two-and-a-half years of repair work. The closures could prompt delays for Long Island commuters if something goes wrong in any of the other tunnels. Hochul worries those delays could shred public confidence in transit after the state is 'finally getting our footing.' 'The last thing I want to do is have a setback that can go on for years,' Hochul said. 'So I was very clear in my messaging to Amtrak: Don't screw this up.' As the tunnel repair project loomed, Hochul and the MTA asked Amtrak to rip up its closure plans and take a different approach known as 'repair in place,' which would shift the work to nights and weekends and keep the tunnels open during peak commuting times. In doing so, she and her allies have used rhetoric that would have been hard to imagine when Biden was president. 'Amtrak's track record for us is a little terrifying,' MTA CEO Janno Lieber said, citing unrelated problems with Amtrak's system that caused massive headaches for New Jersey commuters last summer. Lisa Daglian, the head of the Permanent Citizens Advisory Committee to the MTA, cited a history of Amtrak system problems to suggest that if something went wrong with the East River tunnels, the 2017 'summer of hell' transit crisis in New York City would look like a 'warm spring day.' In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy and members of the state's congressional delegation have expressed frustration with Amtrak, but for other reasons and in more muted terms. Murphy, a Democrat, stepped in to broker a peace between Amtrak and NJ Transit last summer after the two railroads got into a spat over who was to blame for massive delays for Garden State commuters. Now, every few months, Murphy gathers NJ Transit and Amtrak leaders in front of cameras to field reporters' questions about their joint work. Not so in New York. New York's criticism of Amtrak intensified shortly after Duffy announced in mid-April that it would be in charge of Penn Station, a move that sidelined the MTA and Lieber, who has his own particular vision for what should happen there. It's hard to know if the tunnel flare up aimed at Amtrak is part of a tit-for-tat, but it's a theory few people are discounting given that the MTA and Amtrak had been talking about the tunnel work for years. 'We were surprised by this sudden disavowment of a plan that we had worked together on for a long time,' said Laura Mason, Amtrak's executive vice president for capital project delivery. New York contends it has long harbored worries about Amtrak's plan to close one tunnel for 13 months of repairs, reopen it and then close the other for 13 more months. The East River tunnels are used by Amtrak, the MTA's Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit, which sends trains to Queens so they can be ready to head back to New Jersey during rush hour. NJ Transit has not raised a ruckus over the tunnel project. But LIRR, which is part of the MTA, is the biggest user of the tunnels. And its leader, Rob Free, is worried because it sends more than 450 trains and 125,000 customers through them each day. In early May, Amtrak handed LIRR an easy anecdote to bash it with even before repairs began: Poor quality control meant one of the tunnels wasn't ready to go after an overnight outage, inconveniencing tens of thousands of Long Island commuters. If another tunnel had been closed for repair when that happened, there would have been even more delays and cancellations. 'The governor of New York seems to be more concerned about Amtrak customers than they do,' Free, the head of LIRR, said during a press conference in remarks that echoed Hochul's own. Mason of Amtrak responded that the critique 'didn't hurt because it wasn't true,' but she was frustrated by Free 'misrepresenting the collective effort that went into these plans.' Mason said that while the MTA has had concerns, it has been part of the project for years — the MTA has helped get the money for the project, signed off on the design and participated in the procurement. But there's been a bipartisan group of New York members worried about Amtrak for a while, including everything from Amtrak's service cuts to the full closure of the tunnels. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's ideas about how to run a railroad also loom over the dispute. To avoid a shutdown of the L subway line in 2019, Cuomo's administration instead shifted most of the work to nights and weekends. He was hailed as a sort of hero at the time and wanted to use that same repair-in-place approach on other projects, including Gateway. Now Hochul wants to use the idea for the East River tunnels. Amtrak recently fought back against it by offering a rare media tour of one of the East River tunnels to show just how fragile the tunnels are and why it considers repair-in-place unworkable. The tour began on a recent Thursday with a descent into Tunnel 2 at 1 a.m. Down there, travelling on the back of a truck in an otherwise empty tunnel dozens of feet below Manhattan's 1st Avenue and the East River itself, Amtrak officials pointed to the extent of the damage done by time and Sandy. Rickety catwalks meant for escape in an emergency seemed questionable at best. Water dripped from the ceiling, pooling near tracks in a way that could force trains to slow or stop. Cast-iron casing crumbled in one Amtrak worker's hand. The tunnel repairs Amtrak is making should ensure people can escape in an emergency. It won't stop all the dripping, but it's expected to prevent puddles from shutting down service and will upgrade the tunnel's interior and electrical work. 'What we're designing is a tunnel that helps itself,' said Liam McQuat, Amtrak's vice president of engineering services. 'This has been 12 years in the making.' The biggest impression Amtrak made was just how hard it would be to cram in work on nights and weekends: It seemed hard enough to get a gaggle of reporters in and out of the tunnel — no trains could travel in the tunnel that had to be blocked off and powered down for safety. The message Amtrak sent was that trying to get hundreds of workers and all their equipment in and out of the tunnel each night and have the tunnel reopened in time for the morning commute would be challenging and inefficient. It could also triple or quadruple the time it would take to make the repairs. In a press conference the next day, Free dismissed Amtrak's tour as the work of a car salesman. 'The salesman pulls the car up, you sit in the car, pulls at your heartstrings, pulls at your emotions,' Free said. 'But at the end of the day, it's about the details, it's about what's the bottom line.'
Newsweek
a day ago
- Newsweek
Amtrak Shares Plans for 'Extreme Heat' on US Trains
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Amtrak has unveiled a suite of operational and engineering strategies as summer approaches, which brings with it the potential for severe extreme heat events. Why It Matters Amtrak is the nation's leading high-speed rail operator, transporting more than 30 million passengers each year. It receives state and federal subsidies, much of which goes toward maintaining its busiest route, the Northeast Corridor. Amtrak's update comes as swathes of the U.S. are expected to experience dangerous heat this weekend, according to forecasters. Amtrak's "California Zephyr" passenger train departs Chicago Union Station on March 2, 2022. Amtrak's "California Zephyr" passenger train departs Chicago Union Station on March 2, 2022. Luke Sharrett/AFP via Getty Images What To Know The national passenger rail service outlined its approach in a fact sheet published ahead of summer 2025. According to the sheet, Amtrak enacts heat restrictions when ambient temperatures exceed 95 degrees Fahrenheit or when rail temperatures reach 128 degrees. These restrictions often require trains to reduce speed. Overhead power lines—called catenary wires—are especially susceptible to temperature swings. Amtrak trains operating on the Northeast and Keystone Corridors rely on this electrified catenary system, and heat-related tension can sometimes cause components to fail. Any resulting damage may lead to shutdowns until repairs are completed, Amtrak said. Bridge infrastructure is also affected. The company states that movable bridges, such as drawbridges, can cause delays for marine or other traffic when the structures are moved in high heat. Amtrak's response plan, should a train lose power or air conditioning, includes identifying passengers with special needs and ensuring access to water. Conductors may also open doors for airflow and request emergency support if needed. The firm added that train crews provide updates through announcements, text, email, and the Amtrak mobile app. What People Are Saying Amtrak's fact sheet said: "Our goal is to safeguard customers and employees to ensure our trains are moving with minimal delays. Amtrak takes a proactive approach to notify our customers of heat-related delays. Customers will receive direct notifications on their day of travel if their departure cities are within the heat advisory area." The National Weather Service Weather (NWS) Prediction Center said on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday: "Numerous daily record highs and warm lows are anticipated Sunday into early next week. This level of heat can be dangerous to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration." What Happens Next Heat alerts covered 21 U.S. states on Thursday, with the NWS warning of "dangerously hot conditions" in certain areas. Extreme heat warnings, issued by the NWS when "a period of very hot temperatures, even by local standards, will occur," were in effect across parts of California, Nevada and Arizona. Triple-digit temperatures were forecast for parts of New Mexico and West Texas, and extreme heat watches were issued for a large swath of the Midwest.
