Any brushes with greatness?

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Steve Manfred

Steve Manfred

Train Attendant
Joined
Jan 6, 2008
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90
Has anyone here ever met anyone famous while on an Amtrak train? Got any stories about them to share?

The closest I come myself was on a Southwest Chief trip leaving Los Angeles in 2008 when I was seated in the dining car opposite a very nice older woman who was a funeral director and said she'd buried Marlon Brando, amongst others. Surprisingly, she was really into a cult science fiction show I was watching at the time too.
 
There was a conductor regularly working the Sunset Limited in the 1980s who was a close relative (uncle, I believe) of Yankees pitcher Ron Guidry.
 
Aloha

Never met any on a train, but a number of performers that I worked with liked Trains Sammy Davis Jr. for one. Never Met him, but Cab Calloway owned his own Car.
 
Hi Trainman's daughter,

How about me and Bill (Clinton that is). I was assigned to work the 1996 Clinton campaign train. I met a 16 year old Chelsa, Rosa Parks (told her that was my wife's maiden name) and almost all of the White House press corp. When the President came out for a group picture he made a beeline for me and wanted to thank me for my support. This probably came from a long talk with Chelsa or the IBEW button I wore. He insisted that I stand next to him for the photo and then when they lined everyone up to shake his hand, he grabbed my arm and pulled me next to him and put his left arm around my shoulder and shook all of the other Amtrak employee's hands with his right hand. This led to some pranks (who would suspect that among railroaders) including on the trip to the yard someone got on the PA and dedicated a song to me and played "Lean On Me"!!!

I have also met many other famous (and some infamous) people as in the first ten years of Amtrak's existence I traveled well over one million miles.

oldtimer
 
oldtimer said:
GG-1 said:
Aloha

Never met any on a train, but a number of performers that I worked with liked Trains Sammy Davis Jr. for one. Never Met him, but Cab Calloway owned his own Car.
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Eric

My Sammy Davis Jr story came within a fraction of an inch of being a major disruption.
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Someday I hope to hear the story, Maybe the next Gathering.

Aloha
 
I used to ride Metroliners and Acelas frequently back in the day between WAS and NYP, as well as the old Eastern Shuttle, and met and talked with many Politicians, Media folks and Show Biz Celebs but my favorite celeb meeting was in Grand Junction Colorado.

Was on #6 heading for CHI from EMY in 2012 and the Patron Tequila Express PV was on the back of the consist. When we stopped @_Grand Junction I walked back to check out this jewel and Bill Murray and Dan Akroyd got off the car, talked with people and posed for pictures with passengers! The car Steward came outside to the plarform, I asked if I could take a look inside and he hesitated, stuttered and Dan Ackroyd

Turned around and said "Yeah, let any of these folks that want too look around, just don' t steal the silverware or drink up all the booze!" Big Laughs!

I took a walk through the car, really plush in a gilded sort of way ( a bit over done perhaps). The chef was preparing lunch in the galley and the Satelitte TV was on showing LA News!

My girlfriend had gone into the store by the station and when I got off the train she was standing there talking with Bill Murray about Chicago and the Cubs!!!!!

We soon got the All Aboard call, reboarded our sleeper, and our SCA told us that the Crew had gotten invited aboard the car for brunch in the Oakland yards before #6 left for Emeryville to load although the Stars didn't come aboard until Emeryville, they'd been in Sam Francisco!

Also the steward had told us that the Tequila Express was heading for the Two Political Conventions in Charolette and Tampa where it would serve as a VIP Party Car during the Party, er Patriotic Convention!

I've since seen it parked @ the Austin Amtrak Station during the South by Southwest Music Fest. The AMTRAK agent told me that the Billionaire who owns Paul Mitchell Beauty Products and Patron Tequila was using it as a Hotel during the fest! Never saw anyone around but there was a Security guard on duty outside the car 24/7 I was told!

One of my fondest Amtrak Memories!!!
 
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On the SWC in October there was Peggy Fleming & Betty White.

Oh, wait, that was the SCA & an AUer. :giggle:
 
On eastbound SWC in 2010 I had lunch with Richard Luckin, from Golden Colorado, who was on his way to meet with Amtrak honchos (in DC I think) to discuss his production of the documentary film for Amtrak's 40th anniversary.

He figured it would only be a 30 minute film for PBS, because of budget constraints.

I brought home his business card and followed a few news stories as production was underway in the following months.
 
In the 1980's I not once, but twice had the pleasure of riding the CZ from SF to Chi with John Madden.

I have told this story here before, but I went to the lounge car outside Sacramento and there he was sipping a Miller Lite.

No one spoke to him for about fifteen minutes so i went over and introduced myself. We had several meals together, more than a several beverages, and he was two doors down in the sleeper.

Perhaps a year or so later it happened again. I was flattered he remember me as "the crazy librarian."

Conversation wandered all over the place and his wit and intellect is much more than a football coach and commentator. If Ernie were alive I believe he would describe him as a wonderful traveling companion.

And another example of the wonderful folks you meet on Amtrak.
 
Lots of famous people ride the NE Corridor every day.

As a SCA, I once had Russell Baker and his wife traveling in my sleeper, but didn't talk with them much.

Clarence Clemons (Bruce Springsteen's faithful saxophonist) travelled frequently on the Auto Train with his family until his death a couple years ago. Very nice folks.

The Rooneys (owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers) travel on the Auto Train fairly often, but they tend to keep to themselves.

Johnny Unitas rode A-Train at least once.

Pearl Bailey rode the trains often. I remember seeing her detraining from the Capitol Limited in Washington. She sat atop a pile of luggage on a luggage wagon, and waved to everybody as she was driven from trackside to the station.

Long before Amtrak, I rode the Erie Lackawanna and was told Agnes Moorehead was in the sleeper, but I never saw her.

Tom
 
Last December I had lunch with Dan Sterling. Author of the screenplay "The Interview". He didn't mention it. Wonder how he's doing the last couple of weeks?
 
Wasn't Amtrak, but one weekend I was riding Caltrain, and the conductor was telling people that Jim Harbaugh was in another car with his family. Now I'm not a 49er fan and I've thought he was an arrogant douchebag, but he was with his family. It was during the fall, but I thought it was a bye week for his team.
 
Former ABC sports commentator, the late Jim McKay. He was heading back to his Baltimore-area home from New York. I was sitting right in front of him on the Metroliner. I did not even have to see him to know it was him. That voice was unmistakable.

Not a celebrity, but also on a Metroliner out of New York, I once sat next to a vice president of US Airways. This was in the pre-America West merger days when the US headquarters was in Crystal City, VA. He was heading back to DC. I asked him, "not taking the Shuttle?" He said that from Midtown, the train was much more convenient, and besides, he actually liked trains. Amusing.
 
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At the time that I sat next to him on the Maple Leaf in October 2001, Jason Earle was listed in the Guinness Book as the youngest registered stock broker (17y+207d). He was late to work at the WTC on 9/11.

Since I last saw him in Jasper where he gave me the hat I had lost in Winnipeg, he founded and is CEO of 1800GOTMOLD (Mycelium Holdings).

He is still my friend on Facebook.
 
Great stories so far. Thanks everyone.

But I thought you couldn't swing a cat on a NE train without hitting Joe Biden. No stories about him yet?
 
Ask and you shall receive, I rode several times in his car on Metro Liners and Acela FC when Joe was a Senator from Delaware and used to commute between Wilmington and Washington almost daily!

Very friendly guy, he would "work" the car like politicians do! He usually was reading briefing papers and books after working the car, so people wouldnt bother him after he worked the car and had his drink and sometimes a meal!

I haven't seen him since he became the Veep, but once in a while he still rides the Train to/from his home in Delaware when the Secret Service allows it! The Station in Wilmington is named in his honor!

Its a shame he's old now, he'd make a Great President, especially for Amtrak and other passenger rail!! Only non Civil Servant I know of who spent over 30 years in Washington and isn't rich!

YMMV
 
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I once saw God in the lounge car. At least he said he was. Big imposing fella with a lot of bling and a stentorian voice. The conductor was a nonbeliever and told God to be quiet.
 
Seen George Will and Henry Kissinger in the Acela lounge at NYP a couple times, but I think famous people must go through there every day!
 
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Observer said:
I once saw God in the lounge car. At least he said he was. Big imposing fella with a lot of bling and a stentorian voice. The conductor was a nonbeliever and told God to be quiet.
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In 1983 I was riding the crescent with my dad and mom. We departed Trenton and a drunk preach started preaching to the car. The conductor came through and asked him to be quiet. The conductor left the door open at the end of the car, and the guy continued preach. I knew he wouldn't hear the conductor return and I anxiously awaited the outcome. The conductor magically reappeared 20 minutes later. He scolded the preacher. The preacher said, "you going to hell". The conductor said, "and you are going to Newark." This was funny to me. I saw the preachers sitting on the platform bench as we left Newark. To this day I wonder who hit the better deal.
 
Over the years have had ZZ Top, Oprah, John Travolta, Sharon Stone, Dan Ackroyd, Senators, Representatives, 3 Amtrak Presidents, and others I'm sure I'm forgetting ride behind my throttle. Travolta ordered pizza delivery at a station stop and ate in the diner while allowing the conductors to take selfies with him. I never wanted to bother any of them, just did my job.
 
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