(The following appeared on the State Journal-Register website on August 21.)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Barack Obama campaign this morning urged Chicago supporters to sign up soon if they want to travel by train to Obama’s Springfield kickoff of his “battleground states” tour preceding the Democratic National Convention.
Obama and his still-unnamed vice presidential nominee will appear at the Old State Capitol in Springfield Saturday afternoon.
Roundtrip price on Amtrak from Chicago’s Union Station to Springfield’s Amtrak station is $42, the campaign said in statement on its web site. The reservation phone number is 1-800-872-7245, the statement said.
The Lincoln Service train leaves Chicago at 7 a.m. and arrives at Springfield’s Amtrak station, a few blocks from the Old State Capitol, at 10:15 a.m.
The full timing of Obama’s appearance still has not been disclosed, but the Old Capitol grounds will open to the public at noon.
The return Amtrak trip leaves Springfield at 4:57 p.m. and reaches Chicago at 8:40 p.m. Trains to Springfield are expected to sell out quickly, the campaign statement said.