Today, authoritarian governments use trains to keep people in.

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In the wrong hands, trains are the perfect tool for governments to weaponize. They can easily be utilized to keep people in or kick them out. That’s why when Trump announced his takeover of Washington, D.C., Union Station, I was immediately concerned.

Union Station was once described as “the gateway to the capital city.” As you step outside the grand, Beaux-Arts style train station, you stare directly into the eyes of the Capitol Building, with the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress only a few blocks away.

The iconic station has stood the test of time. It witnessed both world wars, welcomed generations of presidents to the White House and survived the auto-industry boom that brought the original New York Penn Station to its tragic end.

The station is more than just a place to come and go; it’s part of the anatomy of the city, and it’s an important building for residents and visitors alike.

The Trump administration knows this.