Union Pacific says the special Bush Funeral Train will run from its Westfield Auto Facility at Spring, Texas, on the north side of Houston to College Station at a location across from Kyle Field. The special is scheduled to depart at 1 p.m. and arrive 70 miles later at 3:25 p.m. The train is the last portion of the multi-day funeral that begins in Washington, D.C., and moves to the Bush family church in Houston on Thursday.
Meanwhile, over the weekend, UP hustled SD70ACe No. 4141, painted like Air Force One and named for Bush and his presidential museum and library, from storage in North Little Rock, Ark., to Houston, and specially-painted veterans unit No. 1943 led the funeral train consist from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to Houston.
Presidential funeral trains began with Willliam Henry Harrison in 1841 and ended with Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1969, according to Bob Withers’ landmark 1996 book, “The President Travels by Train.” Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train followed most of his 1861 route from Illinois to Washington, D.C., in reverse and lasted almost two weeks. Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s 1945 funeral train from Warm Springs, Ga., to Washington, D.C., was perhaps the best known of these moves that have been forgotten by all except presidential history fans.
Bush campaigned by train in the Midwest and Southeast in his unsuccessful re-election bid for the White House in 1992. For that train a CSX unit was repainted 1992 and emblazoned with a giant American flag on its sides.
Anyone know what it took to get 4141 out of storage, up and running, and down to Houston? Great looking loco! And done for a good reason – as spoken by someone of a different political party but who appreciates the effort and the person being honored.
What kind of car was directly behind the locos?
It was interesting to watch the TV feed from 4141. I noticed the extra antennas on the roof. 4141 must not have been pushed much as in one shot from a helo noticed white smoke from unit when accelerating. UP had a camera in one of the domes and you could hear the crew discussing the setup.
Truly a lifetime of service to our nation, His last journey is to be with his lifelong lover & Wife and Daughter. His legacy of service to America should be respected and heralded.
RIP 41 …
I have the issue from 1992 which featured his changian train, it is signed by President Bush, which he did while in Mogadishu, Somali
The live aerial view of Union Pacific’s Number 4141 telecast on local Houston television and online was an awesome sight to behold.
However, the presentation was marred by the autocarriers in the background marked in graffiti. That should have been an embarrassment to Union Pacific Railroad. I was embarrassed for the company.
When making a public presentation, one should make the best appearance including the surroundings.
I was fortunate enough to see the Eisenhower Funeral Train on the B&O (now CSX) Illinois Sub in 1969. We waited for several hours until the phone call came in to the station master that the train had left Vincennes Indiana.
Not only was I amazed by all the people along the ROW, but also when the band struck up “Hail, Columbia!”
The train was only going about 20 mph, had tons of bunting on the sides and a big US flag flying at the front.
War veterans of all eras stood at attention and saluted with respect at the train as it passed.
People had climbed up the B&O signal towers where it crossed the Illinois Central to watch and the workers at the shoe factory nearby stopped working and came out to pay respects.
All amazing things for a then 8 year old to see.
Sorry, Paul, but since this was NOT part of the funeral procession, your comment is moot. On Thursday, if that happened, I’d consider siding with you, but not when work has to be done, freight traffic has to move or is waiting to move. If you were embarrassed for the company, you need to get out more.