Grad student reunites with folk singer

"We're all part of a long train ride," sang Peter Yarrow of the acclaimed trio Peter, Paul & Mary, during yesterday's Blizzard of '96 Reunion Tour. Hand clapping, foot stomping and smiling faces accompanied the legendary folk singer and third-year French graduate student Geri Smith while they used their vocal cords to promote public transportation. As part of the tour, Yarrow and Smith "rode the rails" on Metroliner trains from New York's Penn Station to Washington's Union Station singing the praises of friendship, love and Amtrak. The tour was inspired by an impromptu concert Yarrow conducted aboard an Amtrak train in the middle of the storm on January 7-8 while Philadelphia was blanketed in 31 inches of snow. Smith, who was returning to the University at the time, filled in as "Mary" for the performance. Yarrow explained the scenario yesterday to a gathering of 300 people at the station. "I first met University of Pennsylvania student Geri Smith on the Amtrak train," he said to the crowd. "Our hearts locked as our voices merged. "We became instant friends," Yarrow explained. "If she ever gets tired of studying French at Penn, she can come sing with me." The pair reunited their voices on the tour to support Amtrak, America's only national passenger rail service. Several celebrity guests including composer Marvin Hamlisch, pop singer Harry Belafonte and former New York Mayor David Dinkins showed up for the sing-a-thon. Then a casually dressed Yarrow hopped off the 12 p.m. Metroliner with his guitar already around his neck. The formal atmosphere of the station faded away as Yarrow surrounded himself with the 20 people who shared his Amtrak experience. His first song "The Rock Island Line" was dedicated to "the spirit of the people who kept the trains moving during the snow." Smith explained that she and Yarrow wrote new lyrics for several of his famous train songs in preparation for the concert. Lines such as "Amtrak got us through the snow" and "No more cutbacks for Amtrack" were integrated throughout the popular tune. Also along for the ride was former United States Senator Harris Wofford, a Democrat who represented Pennsylvania until he lost his seat to Republican Rick Santorum in the 1994 elections, who came to support Amtrak because of its uncertain financial year. "Peter is the perfect man to lead this tour to promote both friendship and the public transportation system," Wofford said after joining in the first song. "I decided to get on this train because Peter is a good friend of mine," he added. "Also, my wife is a huge fan of both the University of Pennsylvania and public transportation. She does a good job of persuading me." Yarrow and Smith led the crowd in renditions of "The Lonesome Traveller," "500 miles" and "This Land is Your Land." Smith sang "If I Had a Hammer" and Yarrow commented that her singing "makes me feel complete." According to Smith, the tour has been both enjoyable and productive. "I can't believe that I get to sing with Peter again," said Smith. "It has been so much fun and thousands of people turned out to hear our message."