US Car Number 1 is 120-tonne, bulletproof beast that used to transport the US President everywhere
Published on Feb 12, 2026 at 2:01 AM (UTC+4)
by Grace Donohoe
Last updated on Feb 11, 2026 at 6:42 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
We’re all used to seeing the US President hopping off Air Force One when travelling to official engagements, but way back when the plane wasn’t part of presidential makeup, US Car Number 1 was the ultimate option.
We’re talking over 100 tonnes of pure, kitted-out magic, from large living areas to fancy escape hatches.
One lucky creator got to experience the famous mode of transport at an American museum and retrace the steps of past political figures.
Nowadays, a railcar would be seen as a less efficient and unsafe method of ferrying the President from A to B, but back in 1940, it was all the rage, and for a good reason too.
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The US President has an impressive fleet of vehicles that keep the figure safe
Every head of a country is deemed a security threat, so it will come as no surprise that the US President has specialist vehicles that have been kitted out to keep him safe.
From Air Force One, which allows secret communication to occur while airborne, to ‘The Beast’ limo which is said to carry a blood supply that directly matches the President in case of emergency – the specialist vehicles are impressive.
Seriously, the special forces have thought of everything when it comes to keeping the leader of the US safe outside of the White House.
But, in the 20th century, transportation and protection methods looked slightly different from those of the present day.
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Meet US Car Number 1 – the OG transport used by the President of the States
In the 1940s, a railcar called US Car Number 1, aka the Ferdinand Magellan, was utilised.
It was built in 1928 and was ready to tackle any challenge that was thrown at the US President.
To take a deeper look inside US Car Number 1, creator Tom Scott visited the Gold Coast Railway Museum in Miami and stepped inside the historical railcar to experience presidential comfort.
“The railcar is the heaviest US railcar ever built; they had to build special trucks just to support the extra weight,” said Director of Training at the museum, Cully Waggoner.
The US Car Number 1 had two escape methods in the form of hatches in both the bathroom and ceiling to allow a safe and easy exit in an emergency.
Of course, the railcar was kitted out to a suitable standard, with the President’s quarters having extra legroom in the bedroom, a plush observation lounge, and a specialized bathroom.
Although US Car Number 1 wasn’t completely bullet-proof, it sure did provide a sterling level of safety and was also painted in a ‘Pullman green’.
All in all, presidents travelled all over the country in the railcar, and the carriage even earned a place in history thanks to an iconic picture of President Truman holding a newspaper on board US Car Number 1.
While Dwight D. Eisenhower barely used the railcar, he did travel to Pennsylvania and Ottawa – with its last use taking place in 1954, according to the museum.
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Beginning her career as a lifestyle reporter and social-media manager, Grace joined Supercar Blondie in February 2025. Since coming on board, she has thrown herself into the busy daily writing schedule. Her editorial sweet spots include writing about luxury properties and the quirky features inside them that the one percent are investing in, as well as groundbreaking advancements in space exploration.
