By Brian Westley
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Throngs of well-wishers are expected to line the tracks as President-elect Barack Obama travels by train from Philadelphia to Washington the weekend before his swearing-in as the 44th president, prompting heightened security along the rails.

The 137-mile route will be manned by thousands of police officers from the 40 jurisdictions in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Washington, D.C., that Obama's train will pass through, officials with Amtrak said Thursday as it outlined security plans for the inauguration.

Crowds are expected to gather at numerous spots, including overpasses, parking lots and commuter train stations, as Obama retraces the journey of Abraham Lincoln, who also rode to his inauguration on a train from Philadelphia. Lincoln was smuggled under cover of darkness from one train station to another to avoid a feared assassination attempt.

"There will be opportunities for people to watch the train go past, and we expect that they will do so," said William Crosbie, the railroad's chief operating officer.

Obama and the first family will start their "Whistle Stop Tour" on Jan. 17 with an event at Philadelphia's 30th Street Station before boarding a private charter train and picking up Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family in Wilmington, Del. During his years in the Senate, Biden commuted by train from Delaware to Washington.

The president-elect and Biden will then make a stop in Baltimore before making their way to Washington. A group of "everyday Americans" has been invited to join them on the train.

Authorities did not estimate how many people will line the route, though they are using the funeral procession of Robert F. Kennedy as a guide, Crosbie said. By some estimates, as many as 1 million people lined the tracks from New York to Washington in 1968 to pay their respects to the slain senator, though that journey took place in June, not midwinter.

John O'Connor, Amtrak's police chief, said authorities have been working for several weeks to secure the stretch of tracks for Obama's journey, though he would not provide specifics. He said police are working closely with the Secret Service and local law enforcement.

Although there are no specific threats, FBI officials have told security agencies planning for the inauguration that railways have become targets for terrorists, said FBI spokesman Bill Carter. He cited attacks to transit systems in Britain and Spain as examples.

"We have shared information with our partners out there, so we are aware of the possibility," he said.

Amtrak officials said it was too early to say what kind of impact Obama's trip would have on other trains traveling on the Northeast Corridor. Crosbie said schedules may be adjusted that day and advised passengers to check Amtrak's Web site for any last-minute changes.

Security also will be tight on Inauguration Day for those who arrive in Washington by rail. Access to Union Station in the afternoon will be limited only to Amtrak and commuter-rail passengers.

On the Net:

Amtrak: http://www.amtrak.com