Watch for Obama Events in Phil and Wilmington Sat. Jan. 17

[JPZenger]

No details have been announced, but I'll try to add them here as they are released. On Saturday Jan. 17th, in the morning, Obama will be holding an event as he boards an Amtrak train at the 30th Street Station in Phila. They will then pick up Biden at the Wilmington station in Center City Wilmington. There will also be an event in Baltimore along the way that day.

I mention this in case anyone wants to set aside time for it.

There is an AP article today about how police will be watching the train tracks along the entire length, where many spectators are expected.

[JPZenger]

1. Here's the latest info on the events

Released by the Presidential Inaguration Committee Today:

Saturday Jan. 17

Philadelphia, PA
Event Begins: 10:05 AM
Tickets: Tickets are required and have ALREADY been distributed to the public.

Wilmington, DE
Where: Back of Wilmington Train Station, 100 South French Street, Wilmington, DE
Doors Open: 9:30 AM
Event Begins: 1:00 PM
Tickets: Event is OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Baltimore, MD
Where: War Memorial Plaza, 101 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD
Doors Open: 1:00 PM
Event Begins: 4:15 PM
Tickets: Event is open to the public

[JPZenger]

2. Train schedules disrupted

Watch out - train schedules will be disrupted Saturday morning. If I heard correctly, no commuter trains will stop at 30th Street station Saturday morning around the time Obama is there. Some AMTRAK trains were cancelled.

It definitely looks like Wilmington is the place to be. 30th Street Station would be a waste of time because it is an indoor event with no tickets available.

[JPZenger]

3. Here's more info

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20090116/NEWS02/901160344&referrer=FRONTPAGECAROUSEL

From the Wilmington newspaper:

"Thousands are expected in and around Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park on Saturday for a chance to see President-elect Barack Obama when his train stops here at 1 p.m. Spectators can access the park at 9:30 a.m. -- and the wind chill will be in the teens by the time Obama's train stops at the train station to pick up Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

"No one will get turned away -- it's an event that is free and open to the public," a spokeswoman for the Presidential Inaugural Committee in Washington said Thursday. "The park is not enclosed. There will just come a point where people could be standing in places where they will not be able to see ."

Wilmington Communications Director John Rago would say only that he thinks there is room for about 9,000 people in and immediately around the park. "Obviously, once it fills up, people will have to be turned away from the security screeners at the entrances," he said.

The Wilmington Police Department issued an advisory Thursday that includes a list of street closings and items that are not allowed in the park. "The public should expect traffic delays ... and be prepared to walk long distances to the venue," Sgt. Steven Barnes wrote."