An Old Fashioned Inauguration

updated 7:52 a.m. EST, Sat January 17, 2009

Obama set to ride rails to historic inauguration

(CNN) -- President-elect Barack Obama looks to President Abraham Lincoln for his inspiration, so it's only fitting that the president-elect would retrace Lincoln's 1861 trip from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Washington, D.C., to assume the presidency.

Obama will appear Saturday at a town hall meeting in Philadelphia around 10 a.m. before boarding the train for its 137-mile journey.

The train will take its first "slow roll" in Claymont, Delaware, meaning the president-elect will wave at residents gathered near the tracks. Claymont is also the town where Vice President-elect Joe Biden's family moved in 1953 when he was 10 years old.

The train will pick up Biden and his family in Wilmington, Delaware. Obama and Biden are also expected to make brief speeches before departing again.

The next "slow roll" is expected to be in Edgewood, Maryland, 25 miles northeast of Baltimore, Maryland.

The tour then stops in Baltimore before reaching its final destination: Washington. iReport.com: Is the train coming to your town? Send us your photos

Security for Obama's train ride will be tight. Law enforcement officers from 40 jurisdictions will provide protection from the ground. The U.S. Coast Guard will be stationed at points on waterways along the route as well.

The Federal Aviation Administration is establishing "moving" flight restrictions that will prevent private pilots, news helicopters, balloonists and others from getting anywhere near the train.

FAA spokesman Paul Takemoto said flights will be restricted from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday in Philadelphia, and move with the train.

The FAA is imposing additional airspace restrictions in Washington on Sunday during pre-inaugural activities, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, the day of the inauguration.

Nearly 2 million people are expected to hit the streets of Washington on Tuesday. Police will shut bridges across the Potomac River into the city, along with a huge chunk of downtown. People coming from Virginia will have to walk or take public transport, such as the area's Metro subway system.

Two of the major routes coming into the city -- Interstates 395 and 66 -- will be closed to inbound traffic, at least for private vehicles.

Amtrak said it has increased the number and length of trains running to Washington on Inauguration Day. Tickets are still available but are going fast, it said.

Security officials also say charter buses, taxis and car services are an option for those attending.

There are several obvious items that are prohibited, according to the U.S. Secret Service, including:

"Firearms, ammunition, explosives, weapons of any kind, aerosols, supports for signs and placards, packages, coolers, thermal or glass containers, backpacks, bags exceeding size restrictions, laser pointers, animals other than helper/guide dogs, structures, bicycles and any other items determined to be a potential safety hazard."

Items surrendered to security officials will not be returned. Other banned items include baby strollers and umbrellas.


Obama looks out from the back of his train as it departs Saturday from Philadelphia.


The Obama Express passing through Colwyn, PA.