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Liveblogging National Train Day
Saturday, May 10, 2008
The first annual National Train Day is underway at stations all across the country today. Amtrak originally conceived the event to make a marketing splash in four of their biggest cities, but thanks to the tireless work of rail advocates and civic boosters working on the local level, communities all across the country are celebrating National Train Day as a call to action to increase train travel options in cities large and small. Google News current shows 255 articles on the event, a sign of the great interest it has generated.
NARP Vice President Jim Churchill and I are staffing our table at Washington Union Station today. I’ll be updating this entry as the day progresses. If you’re in the area, please feel free to stop by! And if you have photos or tidbits from other events, please feel free to e-mail me at mmelzer (at) narprail.org.
UPDATE, 10:32 AM: Amtrak President and CEO Alex Kummant opened the event with a brief speech thanking the event partners, including NARP. AAR President Ed Hamberger remarked on the environmental need to move more goods as well as passengers by rail. But the crowd was mostly anxious to get a photo with Al Roker!
UPDATE, 11:19 AM: The turnout so far is great, with many families who are not traveling. The line to tour an Acela trainset and private cars is stretching well into the station. Amtrak’s ARTE environmental mascot and Screech, the Washington Nationals mascot, are greeting fans. Amtrak also has computers with Microsoft Train Simulator in Acela mode set up.
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, churchill, melzer, national train day, washington union station,Liveblogging National Train Day, Part 2
Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles just finished her concert in the Great Hall here at Union Station, playing to an enthusiastic crowd following Al Roker’s introduction.
Here are some more shots of the exhibitors, followed by a view of the line to tour the Acela train and private cars (which stretched back for several hundred feet).
NARP Board Member (and Virginia Association of Railway Patrons President) Mike Testerman sent the following report from the event in Richmond:
The VARP, VHSR, DRPT and City of Richmond event at Main Street Station was a first-time-out success. Counting passengers and event guests, there were close to 50 participants. Remarks were delivered by Vickey Badger and her husband Chip, on behalf of the city and DRPT, respectively. Marc LaFountain read Mayor Wilder’s NTD proclamation. VHSR executive director Danny Plaugher gave a vision of Main Street Station’s future in the new Golden Age of Rail, coming to Virginia and the nation. NBC Channel 12 TV showed up after the ceremony, but in time to interview Vickey Badger and film #194 running about 50 minutes late. (# 67 was about 40 minutes late.)
There was a 20 foot banner, poster of NARP’s Grid and Gateway map for Virginia, and posters with watercolor renderings of high speed trains at Main Street Station. The Executive Summary of the Passenger Rail Working Group’s report was among the many handouts.
Amtrak furnished National Train Day badges and stickers, which children of all ages enjoyed. VHSR provided refreshments with a special National Train Day cake from Ukrop’s and punch.
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, national train day, sara bareilles, washington union station,Liveblogging National Train Day, Part 3 of 3
The exceptionally large crowd has trickled out of Union Station and the displays are gone, but we sincerely hope that the first annual National Train Day events here and elsewhere have raised citizens’ (especially young ones’) consciousness about passenger trains. Certain events in the country were designed to focus primarily on the advocacy angle, but Jim and I were grateful to speak with the countless folks who came by our table to find out how they could join the fight to increase train service. Some of the recurring themes we heard included the high price of Amtrak fares on the Northeast Corridor (necessitated by political realities and market demand), the need for dedicated rights-of-way for very-high-speed passenger service wherever feasible, and incredulity at the fact that it has taken so long for politicians to catch up with the traveling public’s demand for more train travel options. Several visitors from foreign countries also praised the fact that the US has not privatized or dismantled Amtrak, including the long-distance routes.
Thanks again to all our volunteers across the country for their great efforts leading up to today! We look forward to hearing more about the other events, and to building upon this year’s success for the second annual National Train Day in 2009.
UPDATE, 4:06 PM: Click here to read about a Jacksonville, FL event from Jerry Sullivan of the Sunset Marketing and Revitalization Team (SMART). NY1 has coverage of the New York Penn Station event.
Several folks have already uploaded photos to Flickr from today’s events!
UPDATE, 10:52 PM: Click here to see Andy Smith’s photos and commentary from the event at Los Angeles Union Station. News coverage of events continues to trickle in via Google News. We’ll have more photos and commentary from our volunteers on Monday!
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, national train day, washington union station,Report on Los Angeles National Train Day
Monday, May 12, 2008
This past Saturday, May 10th the first annual National Train Day was celebrated at train stations across our country. It was 139 years ago on May 10, 1869 that the first trans-continental railroad was completed. National Train Day is conceived as a way to bring this heritage into the future by celebrating and rediscovering train travel. It’s a mode that people and policy makers are increasing turning to in this age of airport and highway congestion, declining oil reserves, and awareness of the effects global climate change.
I saw several thousand people come out to Los Angeles Union Station on Saturday for the festivities that included live music, tours of Amtrak train cars, tables from various organizations, art by train photographer John Acurso, and various kids’ activities.
Fellow NARP board members Paul Dyson, Ryan Stern, Ed Von Nordeck, and I represented NARP at our table along with the other train groups such as the Rail Passenger Association of California, the California High Speed Rail Authority, Metrolink, and Los Angeles Metro Rail. We were assisted by volunteers, especially 17 year old Justin Walker, who’s leading the Coast Starlight Communities Network, a grassroots coalition to advocate for the Coast Starlight service between Los Angeles and Seattle that originated from NARP’s initiative to form citizen teams to support the long-distance routes.
The event was opened in Union Station’s old ticketing room by Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak’s Vice President of Marketing & Product Management, and Will Kemptom, Caltrans Director. Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge presented Fremaux, on behalf of the City and the Mayor of Los Angeles, a proclamation declaring Saturday, May 10th National Train Day in Los Angeles. He also gave Fremaux a large loaf of pumpkin bread, a trademark of Councilmember LaBonge.
Later I got a chance to tour some Amtrak train cars, including the recently restored Pacific Parlour car for the Coast Starlight train.
On the restored Pacific Parlour car, I got a chance to talk to Fremaux about the days’ events and Amtrak. By brining together local stakeholders and the community on National Train Day across America, Amtrak was able to do far more good with their limited advertising dollars than would be possible with by just buying conventional media advertising, Fremaux said.
He was also quite proud of the upgrades to the recently restored Pacific Parlour cars. Fremaux and Amtrak President Alex Kummant have committed to improving the product and growing the business.
Judging from what I saw in L.A. and heard from others around America, Amtrak is going in the right direction with National Train Day. Let’s celebrate our country’s great and continuing passenger train heritage. But let’s also begin building a consensus that we need passenger trains for America’s future!
Dennis Lytton
Member, NARP Board of Directors
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, arte, los angeles union station, national train day,Report on Tampa National Train Day
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
NARP Vice President Robert Stewart reports that the entirely grassroots-organized event at Union Station in Tampa, FL was a great success. He writes:
It was a wonderful day and one of the highlights was the Amtrak coach for touring. This [Amfleet II] car and [P42] engine were in fantastic shape and [Amtrak’s] staff was wonderful with the visitors. As a matter of fact everyone there from Amtrak was a big help and had a great attitude. They were excited about the special day and being able to show off one of the passenger cars and engine.
We had 600-800 people during the exhibition time. Besides the Amtrak coach we had various model railroad layouts, operation lifesaver display, other displays, a guitarist and 3 gals that sang and pretended to be the Andrews Sisters from the 1940’s. We also cut a cake.
CSX did a good job of getting both [Silver Star trains] 91 and 92 on time into Tampa. Between both trains we were able to greet over 400 passengers.
The mayor of Tampa could not make it but she sent Elaine McCloud, Transit Manager, who read a proclamation from the city for National Train Day. Radio Disney did a live on site broadcast from the station.
Here are some photos he sent, along with captions (NARP Board Member Jackson McQuigg also posted a set of photos on Flickr):
Inside Tampa Union Station.
The Andrews Sisters performing on stage.
A nice looking Amtrak engine and coach. The inside was in immaculate condition.
E.M. Jones, Judy Loving, Ray Nunes, Israel Stallings, and Rick Hurst are all ready to greet the guests of National Train Day. (missing from the photo was Tom Fortune and Norma Johnson who were working elsewhere).
Three guys who worked very hard to make this a successful day: Steve Sayles (President of FCRP), Jason Sanford (VP of FCRP), and Jackson McQuigg, (Secretary of FCRP and NARP Board Member).
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, national train day, silver star, tampa union station,Report on San Luis Obispo National Train Day
Volunteer Station Host David Weisman almost single-handedly organized Saturday’s National Train Day event in San Luis Obispo, CA with Amtrak’s cooperation. He got Trader Joe’s to donate food, volunteers to donate their time, and garnered local media coverage. The SLO Model Railroad Association also participated. David writes, “I wish to extend my sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of you who made the first National Train Day in San Luis Obispo an enormous success. We collected over 175 names on our petitions, which means at least 175 adults passed through (who took the time to sign) plus dozens of children, and undoubtedly adults who didn’t sign, which means over 200 people passing through the station. A tremendous turnout!”
As you can see from David’s photos below, the event attracted the young and the young at heart!
Volunteers Alice, David, and Barbara. Thank you for your efforts!
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, california station host program, national train day, san luis obispo,Report on Emeryville National Train Day
Friday, May 16, 2008
NARP Treasurer and Board Member Bob Glover worked with the City of Emeryville and the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority (CCJPA) to plan and execute the National Train Day event in Emeryville’s popular and modern station. One of the highlights of the event was the presentation by CCJPA, Caltrans, and Amtrak of the first ever California Golden STAR (State Advocate of Rail) award “to honor advocates from California who are dedicated to the cause of passenger rail” (according to a CCJPA news release). The honor was bestowed upon Emeryville resident Doras Briggs, a former NARP Board Member who founded the successful, all-volunteer California Station Host Program. At 89 years old, she still greets and assists passengers most mornings at the Emeryville station, where she began the Station Host program in 2001. Congratulations, Doras, and thank you for your tireless service on behalf of railroad passengers!
From left to right: CCJPA Chair Forrest Williams; City of Emeryville Mayor Ken Bukowski; Award Recipient Doras Briggs, Amtrak Assistant Superintendent Anthony Chapa; William Bronte, Chief, Caltrans Division of Rail; and CCJPA Managing Director (and NARP Board Member) Gene Skoropowski. (Photo is courtesy CCJPA; the following photos are courtesy Bob Glover.)
The band set up and ready to go.
City of Emeryville Community Preservation Officer Nancy Templeton at the popcorn machine, with crayons and coloring sheets. She also gave out train whistles, fans, and other goodies. Station owner Wareham Properties sponsored raffle prizes during the event.
The balloon team at work creating hats for the kids.
Emeryville Mayor Bukowski reading the City’s Proclamation of Train Day.
General view of attendees.
Jumping house shaped like a train.
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, california station host program, capitol corridor, doras briggs, emeryville, national train day,Texas National Train Day Events
Information about the National Train Day Event held in Marshall, TX is available on the East Texas Corridor Council web site. The event was focused on the following agreement which made the event not merely symbolic, but a catalyst for future train service in the region:
In the spirit of the 139th anniversary of the joining together east and west of the Transcontinental Railroad at Promontory Summit, an historic signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding took place bringing together the East Texas and North Central Texas Council of Governments with the Northwest Louisiana Council of Governments.
This MOU is designed to build interstate support for a strengthened passenger rail service in the Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas (Ark-La-Tex) region, envisioning a future east-west connection between Marshall to Shreveport/Bossier and on to Meridian, Mississippi (as well as a connection between Little Rock and Memphis), thus creating a southern rail route to the Atlantic seaboard.
Volunteers also organized events in Dallas and Fort Worth, and Texas Rail Advocates has information on those events. The two major cities in the DFW Metroplex, plus Grapevine, issued proclamations for National Train Day.
Thank you to NARP Board Members Christina Anderson and Tim Geeslin for their dedicated work in Marshall, and to Board Member Peter LeCody for organizing the DFW events!
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: amtrak, ark-la-tex, dallas, east texas corridor council, fort worth, marshall, national train day,Belated Report on Toledo National Train Day
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
By all indications, the events of May 10 in Toldeo, OH were a smashing success. Organizer Beth McCray tells us that estimated attendance was about 1,000. Of the activities that took place, she writes that there were two local musical groups - a jazz/pops trio and a Dixieland/New Orleans band. A Karaoke contest ended the day. Two clowns - including balloons - were on hand all day. Two model railroad organizations provided working layouts in 3 different gauges. People could sign up for drawings for various donated gifts; drawings were held every hour. Amtrak gave two pairs of tickets good for travel to any destination served by The Capitol Limited and The Lake Shore Limited. There were 38 organizations with displays/exhibits.
Support was provided by local Amtrak employees, All Aboard Ohio, the Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments, and the Toledo/Lucas County Port Authority, which owns the Amtrak station building.
The highlight of the day was a ceremony with dignitaries to honor National Train Day, which attracted media attention.
Toledo Mayor Carleton “Carty” S. Finkbeiner (D).
TLCPA President James Hartung.
Derrick James, Senior Officer, Government Affairs Midwest, Amtrak.
NARP Board Member and President of All Aboard Ohio Bill Hutchison (l.) receives a resolution from Toledo City Council President Mark Sobczak.
Bill Hutchison and State Sen. Teresa Fedor (D), who presented a proclamation from the Ohio Senate.
Stu Nicholson, Public Information Officer, Ohio Rail Development Commission.
Demonstration of a Segway Personal Transporter.
All Aboard Ohio Regional Coordinator William Gill and Beth McCray, without whom the outstanding program would not have been possible.
--Matthew Melzer
Posted by NARP
Tags: all aboard ohio, amtrak, capitol limited, lake shore limited, national train day, toledo,©2006 National Association of Railroad Passengers | » NARP website
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