NORTHEAST CORRIDOR – The Chamber of Commerce “Walk to Washington” train lurches out of the station and it isn’t even past Newark before some of the old-timers are predicting – with a degree of sadness - that no one’s going to get thrown off the train.

There’s a sense among the Democrats that if they let it all hang out with booze and bad behavior in an economic downturn and gubernatorial election year, they will appear crass and out-of-touch.

The establishment Republicans who are here probably have in their minds a preposition-ending statement issued yesterday by the gubernatorial campaign of Republican frontrunner Chris Christie: "Former U.S. Attorney Chris Christie wants to bring real change to Trenton and that comes with ending politics as usual, which this trip has become a symbol of," said spokesman Bill Stepien.

So they too are restrained as the 14-car train clears the South Ward and this rolling world of business and politics collides in happy but measured ceremony with the gubernatorial election and the economy hovering at the edges of every close-quarters conversation as the train heads for Washington, D.C.

“I remember gubernatorial election years where candidates for governor would walk from car to car,” said Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Sayreville). “I guess they don’t do that anymore.

“As for the statement that Republicans put out (GOP gubernatorial candidates Steve Lonegan and Assemblyman Richard Merkt R-Mendham also issued statements rejecting the chamber trip), I don’t understand what they think this is about,” Wisniewski adds. “This is supposed to be wheeling and dealing? Is that what we’re doing here? I suppose if they want to try to give that impression, they can say whatever they want, but that doesn’t make it so.”

State Sen. Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) enters one of the cars with an entourage of Monmouth County allies, including Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (R-Fair Haven) and there’s instantly a news camera on her as someone shouts, “Hey, it’s Lieutenant Gov. Jennifer Beck!”

Sources say she’s on Christie’s short list for the position.  

The fact that Christie in his statement quashed the spirit of the trip as a counterpoint to good government now means every Republican on board has to explain what he or she is doing here, and a reporter tells Beck, “You’re here because Christie isn’t,” in other words, she’s doing ground level PR for Christie while he remains aloof.

“I’m happy they’ve mentioned my name, and I’m also very happy doing what I’m doing now in the state Senate,” says Beck. “I am sure of one thing; I will be working very hard to elect Chris Christie as governor.”

The issue is the economy, and for Beck, Corzine hasn’t delivered. His monetization plan bombed. His affordable housing plan, including an on again, off again 2.5% tax on commercial development, stalled. Paid family leave doesn’t present well as the state leads the country in small business departure, she argues.

“What’s his legacy?” the senator wants to know.   

A few cars back, Corzine settles into a chair a few seats behind former Gov. Brendan Byrne and his wife, Ruthie. State Democratic Party Chairman Joseph Cryan lingers nearby as does Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden).

The governor’s allies make the case that he is the first governor in memory to make sure spending matches revenues, the first governor to pay into pensions in 15 years. He stopped Christmas tree spending excesses, curtailed double-dipping, reduced the overall size of government from what it was before him - even with federal mandates on child safety and homeland security, and made sure New Jersey’s pension fund has outperformed national averages.

Now Corzine as governor anticipates being on the receiving end of money from President Barack Obama’s $819 billion economic stimulus package, which cleared the U.S. House yesterday with no Republican support, and heads to the U.S. Senate. The governor has said New Jersey could get somewhere in the neighborhood of $4 billion, and his chief allies say the infusion would come as a welcome boost.

As for the Republicans, “I don’t understand how they can still be saying that the only answer is tax cuts,” says Assemblyman Gary Schaer (D-Passaic), vice-chair of the budget committee.

The Republicans to a man rejected Obama’s stimulus package and Corzine draws an analogy, calling for unity even as he lands a shot on the GOP.

“I’ll let the public draw its own conclusions about whether we need an economic recovery and stimulus program,” he says. “Generally we’ve seen the same pattern here in New Jersey. We haven’t had Republican support for the economic assistance and recovery program we put together. It’s time for us all to pull together. Everybody knows we are in deepest recession of the last 80 years. It’s time to move forward. President Obama didn’t create this problem but it is very clear we need to have a response to the recession.”

The bar is packed heading over the Susquehanna.

But overall, it’s a sober ride.