Union Pacific unveils locomotive named for Bush 41

[Newsjock]

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/12934952.htm

JUAN A. LOZANO
Associated Press

COLLEGE STATION, Texas - You could call it Railroad One.

Union Pacific Railroad unveiled a new locomotive on Tuesday named in honor of former President Bush.

The locomotive, shown in public for the first time at a ceremony on the Texas A&M University campus, bears the number 4141, in honor of Bush, who was the 41st president. It is painted to resemble Air Force One, the presidential plane.

... "This is the only president who can say he has his own locomotive," said Dick Davidson, chairman and chief executive of Union Pacific, the largest railroad in North America.

... The locomotive was to be on display at the Bush Presidential Library for about a week, beginning Wednesday.

After that it will go into regular service for Union Pacific, initially in Texas, but possibly all across the country, Turner said.

more

[Sanity Claws]

1. It runs only in reverse

just like its namesake

[enid602]

2. 43

They should also name one for the 'out of control freight train' that is Bush 43.

[0rganism]

10. Product specification for the "George W. Bush" model locomotive :

* Suspension always tilts hard to the right

* Upon coming within 2 miles of any steep downgrade, especially a cliff, locomotive will jump tracks and head straight for said cliff

* Never reaches its destination, relies on other trains to transport cargo and passengers from the bottom of the cliffs it goes over

* Uses most expensive fossil fuel available at any given time, but always burns coal to achieve a perfect balance of air pollution and oil-industry croneyism

* Destroys all tracks as it goes, and burns bridges upon crossing

* Passengers in the top 1% adjusted gross income bracket ride free

* Sole qualification for engineering this locomotive will be donations to RNCC and other GOP interests

Any others?

[Vogon_Glory]

33. Are You Sure It Even Pulls Passengers?

Are you sure that the "George W Bush" locomotive would even haul passengers? Considering what Dubya's Manchurian Posse wants to do to Amtrak and also to public transit systems nationwide, I'd think that a George W. Bush locomotive would be "freight-only."

[AlGore-08.com]

34. No French Fries or French Toast available in the Dining Car

* Whistle enhanced with bullhorn

* No seat belts, fire extinguishers or emergency exits, but each seat is equipped with its own Bible

[saigon68]

36. Here's the ANGRY CONDUCTOR

[Booster]

3. Seems appropriate since the Bush's are all train wrecks. This

one will probably wreck on it's day out.

[fshrink]

4. There's one difference though...

When the locomotive gets off the tracks, it stops.

[koopie57]

7. but when it jumps the tracks

it sure makes a mess before it stops. What a slap in the face to all the union railroaders.

[marylanddem]

5. Amazing how George 2

makes lameass George1 look almost - though not quite - good.

[karlrschneider]

6. This news makes me so happy I could just shit.

:D

[punpirate]

8. Good only for hauling...

... oil, coal and money....

[TheCowsCameHome]

9. You can't have stUPid without UP. "W" will have a tricycle named for him

[ThoughtCriminal]

11. U.P. is Evil

Big donor to DeLay, GOP and extreme "Family" right wing groups. Cheney was on the board.

[Gatchaman]

12. Union Pacific are corporate whores

Union Pacific has been "protecting it's copyright" by shaking down model railroad manufacturers who put the Union Pacific logo on their models. They've even gone as far as painting a series of engines in "fallen flag" schemes of other railroads they've absorbed into their borg-like megacorporation, simply so they can claim the logos are "current" to charge model railroad companies even more money.

It makes one wonder, are they really honoring Bush 41, or merely renewing their copyright on him?

[ThoughtCriminal]

15. Here's recent news about UP's Trademark idiocy

They're suing a well respected railfan photographer who published pictures of Union Pacific and Southern Pacific trains in a calendar.

http://www.ble.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=14136

The good news is that this guy is fighting them.

[BiggJawn]

20. UP's mouthpiece worked for "The Company"...

Hmmm....An Ex-CIA lawyer signs aboard the UP and immediately starts snarling at the hobby industry.
WTF is wrong with THIS picture?

Also, I hear it's getting harder to snap railfan pix no matter if you're on public property or not.
Sept. 11 changed EVERYTHING, y'know....

[BiggJawn]

22. They're mild-mannered compared to SUX-uh, I mean CSX...

Ever try to find any stuff with the likeness of Chessie the Cat on it?
Im-fucking-possible. I went to Chicago and Indianapolis both 5 years ago trying to find Chessie items for Xmas. Found a Jacquard Throw FINALLY!

Heard later that CSX licenses very few items, and then only through the C&O Historical society.

[ThoughtCriminal]

24. CSX gave us John Snow

The pattern is corporate arrogance.

[BiggJawn]

29. Yeah, when Il Douche appointed him I tought "Oh, Shit."

If he runs the company like he ran a railroad....
Unfortunately, I was not dissapoointed...

[BlueWolf]

23. A gay friend of mine was fired from U.P. for being gay

I assumed it was an isolated incident, but it appears the whole company is whacked.

[ThoughtCriminal]

26. Probably not Isolated

They seem to like to throw money at anti gay rights candidates - even in states that are not even close to UP's service areas. Take a look at some of the charming organizations and individuals that UP has donated $ to:

http://politicalaccountability.net/Union%20Pacific.pdf

Traditional Values Coalition
Coalition for America's Families
Club for Growth
Texans for a Republican Majority
Alex Mooney (MD State Senate)
Ken Cuccinelli (VA State Senate)
The DeLay Foundation

No big surprise, they are contributing heavily to Tom DeLay's legal defense:
http://www.citizen.org/documents/Anaylsis%20of%20Contribution%20Records%202-1-05.pdf

[BlueWolf]

27. Disgusting...

That's one company I'll avoid like the plague. Thanks for the info.

[KamaAina]

13. It must be a steam engine

runs on hot air... :spank:

[metisnation]

14. riding that train

high on cocaine georgie know u better watch your speed.

[Demonaut]

16. Casey Jones is spinning in his grave

[newscott]

17. I hope it stops at Folsom Prison.

[UpInArms]

18. would never want to be anywhere near

a train named after GHWB - he is a trainwreck

[54anickel]

28. And Lil' George and friends are a runaway train!

[pfitz59]

19. Union Pacific and the Bushies go WAAAY back!

http://www.georgewalkerbush.net/bushfamilyhistory.htm
http://www.tarpley.net/bush1.htm
http://www.spiritone.com/~gdy52150/timeline.html

much,much more.......

[BiggJawn]

21. What, it runs on Cocaine and Xanax?

Oh, that'd be "4343"...

Or WOULD it?

[The_Casual_Observer]

25. Big ass smoke belching diesel burning monster hauling containers

filled with chinese shit from coast to coast. A fitting tribute to a most hated asshole.

[Omaha Steve]

30. photos and UP home town story (yuck)

This engine won't go all the way (to Bagdad)

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2047599

[Canuckistanian]

31. The "Turdblossom Special"?

Kind of reminiscent of robber barons who had their own trains and luxury pullman cars.

Nothing is too good for charter members of Bushco.

[Bridget Burke]

32. The "Midnight Special" was Southern Pacific.

It ran by the Prison Farm in Sugarland every midnight, inspiring prisoner Hudie Ledbetter to write a song. Back then, sugar cane was raised & processed on the Brazos Bottom. Labor for the arduous harvest was often leased from the prisons; earlier, of course, slaves had done the work.

Now there Ain't No More Cane on the Brazos. Sugarland is a suburb of Houston, represented by Tom DeLay.

www.kuhf.org/site/News2?id=12888

Just a little background on songs, trains & the Brazos Bottom. Texas A&M is just a bit farther upstream.

[Hobarticus]

35. Soon to be known as Most Heavily Graffitied Locomotive in History

I may even tag it, hell.

[daleo]

37. "We're the BFEE Pacific, and we've got the wrong of way" n/t

[progressivebydesign]

38. Runs on hot air. n/t