National Train Day 2022

[WWW]

National Train Day - Wikipedia

National Train Day

Saturday May 7th or 14th - depending on what is on your local track forum

To what extent this will take place this year maybe much like last year - put on virus hiatus or limited.
Sure miss the good ole days riding the EB to Chicago to take in one of the best examples of Amtrak and Private Varnish equipment.
Chicago sure put on quite a show.

Other conflicts - following day Sunday May 8th is Mother's Day and in some northern states fishing opener
Sorry Mom I didn't plan it this way - I am only the messenger.

Make the most out of it the best you can - maybe you can find a freight car with graffiti to dream on about distant RxR travel !

 

[TinCan782]

Los Angeles Union Station hasn't hosted a NTD since 2014. I used to attend every year.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

Does riding the Vermonter on May 1st count?

 

[jis]

I decided to do it one day early. Tomorrow is reserved for visiting with friends.

 

[Railroad Bill]

Toledo Ohio once had a very successful NTD with several freight railroads supplying locos for display. Amtrak had a large presence and the depot was an outstanding display of national passenger groups, many model layouts, etc. Not sure if anything is going on up there this year
Update. NTD Toledo will be Saturday May 14 9:30-4. I will be out of town that day but hope for a good turnout. See their website for more info. toledotrainday.org

 

[daybeers]

Toledo Train Day – Saturday May 14, 2022

I too wish there were more events. Great advertising opportunity for passengers and employees alike. Metro-North used to park an EMU set at New Haven Union and Amtrak had a table or two. You could walk around in two cars or something and sit in the cab; honk the horn.

In the past in other Amtrak stations, they have parked a consist with at least an open coach, sleeper, maybe a diner and/or SSL out west; I'm not sure. It was a fantastic way to introduce people to what the experience of being on a train was like, especially for sleepers. Even with countless videos and 360° views, it's very difficult to get a true sense of how it feels staying in a sleeper until you are in it.

It was also an opportunity for Operation Lifesaver to advertise, which is always a good thing.

Guess all that cost too much and definitely didn't bring in any new riders whatsoever.

 

[Cal]

Not sure what it's at now, but Fullerton used to have a pretty big NTD. The parking lot would be full of train-related tents and layouts. BNSF would bring a locomotive down for you to go into. Santa Fe 3751 would be there for people to go in (I think for a fee), and Amtrak would bring down a heritage unit with some superliners (One time a PPC was there). A lot of people came down to see it.

 

[AmtrakBlue]

St Paul, MN - June 4th & 5th

https://www.uniondepot.org/event/train-days-2022/2022-06-04/

 

[Alice]

The Fort Myers ham radio club is celebrating national train day at the local train museum May 7.
National Train Day Special Event | FMARC

The Sacramento train museum is hosting a fundraiser May 7, music performance, film, some other things, regarding Chinese railroad workers. National Train Day is not mentioned in the announcement, nor is anything about it on the museum website.
Railroad Museum to Present “All Aboard the Eastbound Train” on 5/7

Some museums that used to celebrate national train day are now having their own celebrations. Two I've enjoyed in the past are in Dunsmuir and San Luis Obispo. Both of these require a car to reasonably get to all of the exhibits although a few people do manage Dunsmuir and Weed from Dunsmuir Amtrak station with a carry-on folding bike.

June 9-12 Dunsmuir and Weed
Coming Events / News
2022 Dunsmuir Railroad Days: June 10, 11 & 12

Oct 7-9 SLO (during our gathering)
https://www.ccrrf.com/

Cal mentioned Fullerton, which is a really cute little museum with a bunch of nice vintage cars you can walk through. They are only open first and third Saturday mornings each month, so May 7 would be a great day to visit. Free admission. Anyone who lives nearby, they are always looking for volunteers. They cancelled 2020 train days for the pandemic so maybe they'll be back in the future.
https://fullertontrainmuseum.org/museum/
Note to gathering organizers: Fullerton would be a great Metrolink ride, with lunch (or dinner) very close. Museum is closed then but the cars are outside.

 

[Amtrak709]

I believe that last time I celebrated National Train Day was way back in 2009. I rode from ATN-WAS on the Crescent to the festivities at Union Station Washington; then later that day on to Philadelphia. I remember riding to WAS with famous railroad artist Robert West. Have not really kept up since then--but I guess the reason is there has not been a lot of planned activity surrounding the event.
As a curiosity, has anyone been in contact with or know the whereabouts of Robert West? I have known him for nearly 35 years but have not seen him lately. He attends lots of shows and "train day" type of events.

 

[Rasputin]

Happy National Train Day which I always thought was on or around May 10th to coincide with the completion of the transcontinental railroad.

But I guess it is no longer a "national" day. Amtrak used to celebrate it but it got too popular and Amtrak couldn't deal with all the positive vibes so it got dropped like a hot potato. It just drew too much attention to passenger rail service.

So whenever you celebrate it, have a happy day!

 

[AmtrakBlue]

But I guess it is no longer a "national" day. Amtrak used to celebrate it but it got too popular and Amtrak couldn't deal with all the positive vibes so it got dropped like a hot potato. It just drew too much attention to passenger rail service.

I call BS on this.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Rising popularity met a shrinking budget.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/07-national-train-day/

 

[Rasputin]

I thought that Amtrak's abrupt cancellation of its National Train Days celebration was very unfortunate and short-sighted. Amtrak could have taken measures to reduce some costs but it appears they made no efforts to do so other than canceling the event outright.

 

[jis]

Interestingly, National Train Day both started and ended during the Boardman regime. Indeed it coincides almost exactly with Boardman's tenure as Amtrak CEO.

 

[NorthShore]

Pullman is holding their own celebration:

https://www.pullmanil.org/event/save-the-date-pullman-railroad-days-2022/

 

[NorthShore]

Pullman is holding their own celebration:

https://www.pullmanil.org/event/save-the-date-pullman-railroad-days-2022/

Related story: builders of the last Pullman car (now an Amtrak superliner) visit the car this week as a personal part of their railroad commemoration:

https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/pullman-celebrating-chicagos-rail-car-history-this-weekend