The United States government has maintained a variety of vehicles for the president. Because of the president's role as commander-in-chief , military transports are exclusively used for international travel; however, the civilian Secret Service operates the president's motorcade.
One of the most famous transports is "Air Force One", which is not technically a specific aircraft, but rather the callsign of certain aircraft when the president is on board. This practice was started when there was confusion between the Presidential aircraft and a civilian aircraft in However, it usually means the VC , converted Presidents have traveled in everything from horses, trains, cars, helicopters, boats, and fixed-wing aircraft.
Since whenever the president is on board a military flight its call sign is the name of the armed service followed by the word "One". If the president uses a civilian airplane, it is designated Executive One. There are at least ten limousines. There is also a bus unofficially called Ground Force One officially called Stagecoach, while the president is aboard, which is operated by the Secret Service.
The carriages were used by Presidents Ulysses S. A number of presidents have traveled by rail. A private railroad car was the equivalent of a private jet today, with the first executive coach built exclusively for the president, a deep maroon painted car named the United States', [ 4 ] completed during Lincoln's term.
Wary of the optics such opulence signaled in the aftermath of the Civil War, Lincoln never got the opportunity to enjoy the deluxe accommodations while alive, however it would take Lincoln on his final journey, a slow circuitous trip from Washington, D. Late 19th and early 20th century presidents would use trains to campaign and travel across the country much as presidents use Air Force One today, conducting whistle stop tours to personally reach voters across the country.
