(The following story by Tom Webb appeared on the Pioneer Press website on September 4.)
ST. PAUL, Minn. — When political conventions roll into town, so do the party trains.
Union Pacific has brought to St. Paul’s Lowertown area its 28-car vintage passenger train, which is proving a big draw for delegates and visiting Republicans. The railroad is hosting 11 private receptions during the convention, offering officials a chance to tell about Union Pacific, accompanied by grilled shrimp, mixed drinks and train-themed desserts.
“The purpose of these events is to communicate with the communities that we serve,” said Donna Kush, a spokeswoman for the Union Pacific.
But the real attraction isn’t the food. It’s the chance for visitors to glimpse the old train cars — dome cars, dining cars, sleeping cars, lounge cars — now elegantly renovated and ready for a party. To railroad officials, these are known as business trains, and they’re used for meetings and business travel, too. But during convention weeks and Super Bowls, that business is fun.
During one reception Wednesday, delighted delegates from Utah kept asking, “Can we take this back to Utah, instead of flying?”
For one week only, St. Paul is alive again with passenger rail cars. The BNSF has brought to town its 11-car business train, which is parked along St. Paul’s downtown riverfront below the Science Museum of Minnesota.
“The cars are used for a variety of purposes, for customers and government officials, and it’s to give them a bit of exposure to the railroad,” said spokesman Pat Hiatte.
Amtrak has brought a short passenger train near the convention site, with locomotives on both ends. That’s a configuration used for tourist trains and short hops.
Amtrak’s Midway Station in St. Paul is housing a small collection of private rail cars during the convention, including a lounge car, a business car and a parlor car, reported Minnesota rail enthusiast Steve Glischinski.
The depot also has an elegantly decorated business car, the Patron Tequila Express, owned by the Patron Spirits Co., which is using it for hurricane-relief fundraisers.
The trains won’t be here long, though. Once the convention ends, they’re off to new events.