Evening star., 1953-01-08
Harry A. Kari, RoiIrooder to Presidents,
Marks SO Years With PENNSYLVANIA Road

OF way Cleared wen III ADVANCE.
One headache was the tunnel
in Baltimore, where smoke and
combustion gases might have
distressed President Coolidge in
the days before the railroad was
converted to electric power. Mr..
Coolidge suffered from hay or
rose fever.
His trains were pulled through
the tunnel at the highest pos
sible speed. The firemen used
a special coke fuel, and the loco
motive crew did all possible to
cut the smoke volume.
Less Pressure Then, He Notes.
Mr.. Karr made several trans
continental trips with President
Hoover. including one to Palo
Alto. Calf, in 1928. for the cere-
mony of notification. Presidents
Of those days had less pressure
on them. Mr.. Karr believes
"Not that Mr.. Hoover wasn't
a hard worker" he added. "fIe
was up at 6 o'clock every morn
ing. That meant still earlier
hours for me as well as the Sc
cret Service men.
often around sunup, Mr..
Hoover would stroll back to the
observation section to chat with
us. He was a friendly man and
quite a traveller"
The rail trips of President
Roosevelt were adjusted to his
physical condition. The Presi-
dents advisers held speeds down
to As miles an hour. On WASH
ington-New York runs this pro-
vided special problems. espe-
cially on sections where speeds
Of some 80 miles an hour were
routine.
I'VE had to cancel or hold up
passenger trains behind us until
our train had cleared" Mr..
Karr recalled. Sometimes it
upset a whole division, but we
took it in our stride"
War Meant Extra Security.
The taut. grim years Of World
War II drew an even tighter Sc
curity ring around the move
ments Of the President. Depar-
lures and arrivals were made in
secret, from obscure stops in
nearby Maryland or VIRGINIA, or
via a side track at the Burean
OF Engraving and Printing.
Once the Presidents new bomb
and bullet proof, reinforced spe-
cial car was shifted without
warning from one railroad to
another, although the destina-
tion remained unchanged.
Mr.. Karr never learned wheth-
er a runor Of an attempted de-
railment had any substance in
fact.
Mr.. Truman still uses the spe-
clal car built for Mr.. Roosevelt
during the war. It's glass win
dows are 2 inches thick, and the
heavy steel construction is be-
lieved proof against collision, de-
railment or upset.
The rear door giving on the
observation platform is heavy
enough to require power opera
ton. The car has a private
dining room and four spacious
bedrooms. But the weight some
times puts quite a burden on a
locomotive pulling q string of
cars.
Whistles Stopping Tough Job.
One Of Mr.. Karr's toughest
assignments was President Tru-
mans famous whistle stop tour
Of II days during his successful
campaign in 1948. Mr.. Karr felt
his responsibility extended to
those outside, as well .as within,
the train.
I'm many small towns, people
may get to see a President only
once in q lifetime" he said.
They collect from far and near,
and they are eager to get as near
the President as possible. to ex-
change q greeting. or shake his
hand.
Some Of them try to climb on
board, even while the train Is
moving. An injury or a fatality
Is bad enough under any circum-
stances, but think what an acci-
dent would mean II 1t happened
under that kind Of q spotlight"
Here is at least one reason
Mr.. Karr's crew-cut can no long,
er conceal his gray hairs. An
other Is his feeling Of RESPONSE
bility for the safety Of corre-
spondents who accompany the
President.
They're always jumping on