Hundreds hope to beat soul train record at Philadelphia Museum of Art

As Don Cornelius is laid to rest in Los Angeles today, Philadelphia will pay tribute to the late “Soul Train” host in its own way.

Hundreds of people are expected to gather on the front steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art at 4 p.m. to do their darnedest to beat the Guinness World Record for the longest soul train. The current record rests at 211 people. 

The mechanics of a soul train are simple. Two parallel lines of dancers form a sort of tunnel. At one end, opposing people partner up and dance their way down to the end. Then the second pair starts, and so on down the line. If the expected 500 (or more!) participants show up, decked out in their ’70s-inspired finery, the record breaking could take some time. To count, each dancing pair must make it down to the end before the next one starts. 

“The Sound of Philadelphia” legend Kenny Gamble and Mayor Michael Nutter are rumored to be making appearances. Look to NewsWorks for video later on.