Click here for a high-resolution version of the NARP Vision Map

Click here for a high-resolution version map of the present Amtrak system (as of March 2013)

The NARP Grow Trains Campaign

Welcome to the web home of the National Association of Railroad Passengers’ 40-year vision for rail in the United States. We aim to shift discussions over intercity passenger rail to emphasize connectivity and capacity expansion for both freight and passenger rail.  Visit the links below for more information.

Please do not hesitate to contact NARP (202-408-8362, narp[at]narprail.org) if you want further information or to give us your feedback.  We are particularly interested in your observations about specific proposed routes on our map, since you live closer to—and may know more about the potential—for many of this routes.  You can also read our news release about our vision.

Endorsement of NARP"S Grid and Gateway Vision does not imply a commitment to any specific service or financing plan. Endorsements are statements of support that more passenger trains and transit are beneficial to their states andcommunities. The following organizations endorse NARP’s Grid and Gateway plan for the expansion of the national passenger train network:

• All Aboard Washington
• Association of Oregon Rail and Transit Advocates
• City of Bonita Springs, Florida
• Colorado Rail Passengers Association
• Edison, NJ Chamber of Commerce
• Kentucky Public Transportation Association
• League of Women Voters of South Carolina
• New Mexico Environmental Law Center
• North Carolina Alliance for Transportation Reform
• Train Riders Association of California
• Troy, MI Chamber of Commerce
• Utah Physicians for a Healthy Environment
• Virginia Association of Railway Patrons

• Pacific Northwest
• Southeast
• Texas and Oklahoma
• Arkansas
• The Midwest
• The Carolinas
• The Plains-Colorado-Wyoming

Compare it to the existing system we have now.

These graphics are internet-friendly.  Please contact the NARP Office if you would like to have a high resolution copy of the map suitable for publishing and poster printing.

Includes news release, map, FAQ’s, and Fact Sheets individually linked below, all in one PDF file.  Click here to download.

A list of commonly asked questions about our plan.  Feel free to contact us if you have others not listed here!

» Fact Sheet: The Grid and Gateway

A parity in route miles

• There are currently 22,000 route miles of rail lines (one land mile = one route mile, regardless of how many tracks are on that mile of land)
• NARP’s proposal will bring the number of route miles to 45,000 – roughly the same size as the current interstate highway system.
• The interstate highway system has grown from its initial 41,000 miles to 47,000 miles in 2004.

An increase in communities served

• Today, many big metro areas have little or no Amtrak service.
• NARP’s proposal would have meaningful service in all major metropolitan areas and a majority of the smaller ones.

Providing a transportation choice people demand

• In 2006, a Harris poll indicated that 79% of adults would like to see an increasing proportion of traffic going by intercity or commuter rail.
• According to a 2005 study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, people living in communities with few transportation options devote the greatest share of their family budget to transportation costs.