The upper level of my two-level layout is all narrow gauge, depicting a portion of the former Denver & Rio Grande Western’s Fourth Division line in southwestern Colorado and northern New Mexico.
Nixon's 1968 Campaign Train
On October 22, 1968, a whistle-stop campaign train for presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon traveled from Cincinnati to Toledo via Columbus, Marion and Lima, Ohio – with a stop in Springfield. According to Trains magazine (Nov 1971 issue), this was the only campaign train that operated during the 1968 Presidential campaign. I was not particularly political in those days of political upheaval, but seeing Nixon and a campaign train was enough to get me to attend. These are some images that I captured that day.
 The crowds assembled and waiting for the train, with much excitement. Springfield OH |  This was probably the first time I saw a reference to “Tricky Dick”, on a sign held by a protester in the crowd. Notice the Secret Service agent with the rifle on the rooftop. |  No, this wasn’t Nixon’s train. Penn Central used an aging NYC E7A 4034 in advance to confirm that the route was secure. |  Penn Central E8A 4042 led the campaign train, with cheerleaders barely off the tracks. A second locomotive followed. This ex-NYC E8 was probably the cleanest it had been since delivery from EMD in 1951. |  Smile, you’re on camera. As you might expect, every open vestibule was guarded. The train had about 12 cars. |
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 This is the Chesapeake & Ohio business car that Nixon and family rode in that day. |  Vice Presidential hopeful and Governor Spiro T. Agnew addressing the crowd first from the rear platform of the C&O business car. Both he and Nixon eventually resigned from office. |  Nixon addressing the crowd, flanked by Secret Service agents in the telltale sunglasses. I have no recollection of what he said. |  Nixon, with his wife Pat and daughters Tricia and Julie, in between Secret Service agents, as the train prepares to depart for Columbus. |  As the train moved east toward Columbus, many supporters ran after the departing train for a final glimpse of the candidate and future President. |
 While the crowd dispersed, I photographed Springfield Union Station, which was decked out with bunting for the occasion. |
Epilogue: Richard M. Nixon won the 1968 election, defeating Democrat Hubert Humphrey and Edmund Muskie. Four years later, Nixon again won, in a landslide election, over George McGovern and Sargent Shriver. However, the Watergate break-in and subsequent cover-up by Nixon and his advisors led to his resignation in 1974. Spiro T. Agnew resigned earlier in 1973 over corruption charges, stemming from his days as Governor of Maryland. Gerald Ford was appointed by Nixon to replace Agnew as Vice President, and Ford ascended to the Presidency upon Nixon’s departure, never having been elected to either office by the voters or the Electoral College.
Springfield Union Station, built in 1910, was demolished in 1969, a year later after these photos were taken, to make way for an urban renewal project. I believe that its last regularly schedule train was NYC’s Ohio State Limited, which was discontinued on December 2, 1967.
Campaign whistle-stop trains have largely become a thing of the past. I feel fortunate that I was able to witness this bit of history during the turbulent 1960s.