National Train Day

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I read an article in this morning’s local paper that Amtrak is hosting a National Train Day this Saturday to try to promote passenger rail service and increase ridership. Events in large cities sounded cool–celebrity MC’s, concerts, equipment tours, and of course model railroad displays. Has anyone else heard of this, and are there events taking place in your area? Unfortunately my rural central MO won’t have any events, though KC or StL might.

Ron

2

How about Seattle?

Sounds like a fun thing, might have to go…

3

Here are a few links to articles highlighting the National Train Day events:

http://www.nationaltrainday.com/

http://www.amtrak.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=Amtrak/am2Copy/News_Release_Page&c=am2Copy&cid=1178294117428

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080504/ap_en_mu/amtrak_train_day

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/world-famous-harlem-globetrotters-join,353093.shtml

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080416005571&newsLang=en

http://www.salisburypost.com/Area/050208-brief-MUST-Amtrak

4

Amtrak pulled out of Columbus, OH decades ago so it is hard for me to get excited about an option I don’t really have. I did take a long distance train trip last year but had to drive all the way to Toledo to board the train.

I think the concept of long distance train travel is all wrong. Only a small percentage of the traveling public is going to choose this option. Amtrak should rethink their business model. Instead of putting the emphasis on a small number of long distance corridors, they should concentrate on shorter distance, regional train travel which might well be an attractive alternative to commuter air travel, since trains can travel from downtown to downtown in major cities. A few years ago I saw a story about bus companies offering the same sort of alternative and they were doing quite well.

In Ohio, there is a natural 3C corridor from Cincinnati to Columbus to Cleveland. There has been a lot of talk the last few decades about a high speed rail connection but so far, no action. A Cincinnati-Dayton-Toledo corridor might also make for a popular travel option. I’m sure in many states there are a number of such routes that might prove to be popular travel alternatives to commuter flights or automobile travel. It seems to me the only places this sort of travel is offered is the northeast corridor, the Chicago area, and California.

5

I couldn’t get the day off so figured I’d catch up to the activities at Penn Station a little later. They are only on til 2 in the afternoon. I won’t get there, seems they would let things go a little later for such a promoted thing. Oh well. So much for National Train Day.