National Train Day- May 11, 2013
Apr 8, 2013, 6:24 am
#1
Formerly known as MLW20
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National Train Day- May 11, 2013
The sixth annual National Train Day will be held on May 11, 2013.
Events will be held all around the country. It's a "nation- wide celebration of trains and train travel".
Here is are a couple of infographics about why trains matter
Connectivity: Amtrak is connecting the dots. Friends and families come together, and businesses expand their reach on our trains. From big cities to small towns, coast to coast, trains matter because they keep America together.
500 destinations in the U.S. and Canada
31.2 million people rode Amtrak trains in 2012
3 passengers riding Amtrak trains VS. 1 passenger flying
25 million Americans live within 25 miles of an Amtrak station
Economic Impact: Amtrak is American business. While employing thousands, and connecting businesses and communities across the country, Amtrak trains keep America's workforce moving towards the future.
276 different pairs of cities are served on one of Amtrak's routes
50% of Amtrak's daily trains reach 100 miles or more per hour
20,000 people employed by Amtrak
73% of Acela riders are traveling on a business trip
Find out more about National Train Day and find an event near you HERE.
Apr 8, 2013, 8:32 am
#2
In Memoriam
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While it's not yet listed on the linked site, that is also the weekend (probably because it's train day) for those in the New York Area
GRAND CENTENNIAL PARADE OF TRAINS
MAY 11 – 12, 2013 | 10AM-4PM
VANDERBILT HALL, TRACKS 34-37, AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN GRAND CENTRAL
which will feature a car from the 20th Century Limited
Full details here - http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/...end/2145403542
Join us for a free, family-friendly weekend filled with an extraordinary assembly of historic train cars, a model train collectible show, and fun activities at “Kid Junction,” sure to appeal to railroad enthusiasts of all ages.
Historic Railcar Collection On Display | Tracks 34 thru 37
Seventeen historic train cars will come from across the country to Grand Central, including one from the iconic 20th Century Limited, “The Most Famous Train in the World.” Other historic cars on display and available for tours include: The Babbling Brook (1949); The Berlin (1956); The Birken (1954); The Cimarron River (1948); The Dover Harbor (1923); The Hickory Creek (1947); The Kitchi Gammi Club (1923); The Montana (1947); The New York Central 43 (1947); The New York Central 44 (1947); The Ohio River (1926); The Overland Trail (1949); The Pacific Sands (1950); The Salisbury Beach (1954); The Tioga Pass (1959); The Vista Valley (1947); & The Wisconsin (1948).
Accompanying the historic trains will be twelve cars from Metro-North Railroad’s collection, including the recently introduced M8 commuter car, and an older model currently undergoing restoration.
Model Train Collectible Show | Vanderbilt Hall
Grand Central’s first “Railroadiana” antiques and collectibles event includes a wide variety of buyers and sellers lining one half of Vanderbilt Hall, offering sales and appraisals of unique railroad and train-related items.
Kid Junction | Vanderbilt Hall
The other half of Vanderbilt Hall will be full of free activities for children and families to enjoy, including exhibits and activities from Disney’s beloved Chuggington animated train series, the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester, and The New York Transit Museum. Other activities will include train-themed story time, musical performances and more! Check back for more details.
GRAND CENTENNIAL PARADE OF TRAINS
MAY 11 – 12, 2013 | 10AM-4PM
VANDERBILT HALL, TRACKS 34-37, AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN GRAND CENTRAL
which will feature a car from the 20th Century Limited
Full details here - http://www.grandcentralterminal.com/...end/2145403542
Join us for a free, family-friendly weekend filled with an extraordinary assembly of historic train cars, a model train collectible show, and fun activities at “Kid Junction,” sure to appeal to railroad enthusiasts of all ages.
Historic Railcar Collection On Display | Tracks 34 thru 37
Seventeen historic train cars will come from across the country to Grand Central, including one from the iconic 20th Century Limited, “The Most Famous Train in the World.” Other historic cars on display and available for tours include: The Babbling Brook (1949); The Berlin (1956); The Birken (1954); The Cimarron River (1948); The Dover Harbor (1923); The Hickory Creek (1947); The Kitchi Gammi Club (1923); The Montana (1947); The New York Central 43 (1947); The New York Central 44 (1947); The Ohio River (1926); The Overland Trail (1949); The Pacific Sands (1950); The Salisbury Beach (1954); The Tioga Pass (1959); The Vista Valley (1947); & The Wisconsin (1948).
Accompanying the historic trains will be twelve cars from Metro-North Railroad’s collection, including the recently introduced M8 commuter car, and an older model currently undergoing restoration.
Model Train Collectible Show | Vanderbilt Hall
Grand Central’s first “Railroadiana” antiques and collectibles event includes a wide variety of buyers and sellers lining one half of Vanderbilt Hall, offering sales and appraisals of unique railroad and train-related items.
Kid Junction | Vanderbilt Hall
The other half of Vanderbilt Hall will be full of free activities for children and families to enjoy, including exhibits and activities from Disney’s beloved Chuggington animated train series, the LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Westchester, and The New York Transit Museum. Other activities will include train-themed story time, musical performances and more! Check back for more details.
Apr 8, 2013, 10:43 am
#3
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
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Since this really isn't a a "Travel News story," and is more of a promotional press release, and since there really is not news story link to discuss per the forum description and rules, I'll send this to the Amtrak forum.
cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News
cblaisd
Moderator, Travel News
May 11, 2013, 12:44 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
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Thinking of driving down to DC in the mid-morning. Anyone going to be there?
Wikipedia also says PHL tends to have one of the larger events in the country. That's a touch closer than DC to me (1.5h vs 2h)...
Also, someone asked about special perks for AGR MC holders this year as in previous years. Anything? Anything for S+? Can I board the $5 Acela ride from the Club Acela and get a 500-point minimum for my $5 ticket?
Wikipedia also says PHL tends to have one of the larger events in the country. That's a touch closer than DC to me (1.5h vs 2h)...
Also, someone asked about special perks for AGR MC holders this year as in previous years. Anything? Anything for S+? Can I board the $5 Acela ride from the Club Acela and get a 500-point minimum for my $5 ticket?
May 11, 2013, 9:12 pm
#5
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I didn't see any indication that having the AGR credit card would have gotten you ahead of the line for the equipment tour or opened any other perks, but a) this was my first time at the National Train Day circus, and b) I was solo-parenting almost three-year-old Mini DCA writer, so I didn't exactly have all of my wits about me.
May 11, 2013, 9:31 pm
#6
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I had the same question in mind myself!
I didn't see any indication that having the AGR credit card would have gotten you ahead of the line for the equipment tour or opened any other perks, but a) this was my first time at the National Train Day circus, and b) I was solo-parenting almost three-year-old Mini DCA writer, so I didn't exactly have all of my wits about me.
I didn't see any indication that having the AGR credit card would have gotten you ahead of the line for the equipment tour or opened any other perks, but a) this was my first time at the National Train Day circus, and b) I was solo-parenting almost three-year-old Mini DCA writer, so I didn't exactly have all of my wits about me.
I made it down to DC but since I couldn't get away from home until 1:30pm, missed the festivities due to track work on the red line (parked at Forest Glen). By the time I got to Union Station, they were pulling everything down.
Ah well, the Smithsonians are open until 7:30 on spring weekends, so the trip wasn't entirely in vain.
May 14, 2013, 1:57 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 394
"25 million Americans live within 25 miles of an Amtrak station"
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
Looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions and populations on Wikipedia, it appears to me that Chicago and New York alone have ~29 Million people living with 25 miles of an Amtrak station...
Take care,
saunders111
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
Looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions and populations on Wikipedia, it appears to me that Chicago and New York alone have ~29 Million people living with 25 miles of an Amtrak station...
Take care,
saunders111
May 14, 2013, 2:06 pm
#8
Join Date: Apr 2003
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"25 million Americans live within 25 miles of an Amtrak station"
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
Looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions and populations on Wikipedia, it appears to me that Chicago and New York alone have ~29 Million people living with 25 miles of an Amtrak station...
Take care,
saunders111
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
Looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions and populations on Wikipedia, it appears to me that Chicago and New York alone have ~29 Million people living with 25 miles of an Amtrak station...
Take care,
saunders111
If you go to the source page and click
on the "more info" tab, it reveals that the full claim is that "25 million Americans live within 25 miles of an Amtrak station between Chicago and Los Angeles, placing them within a marathon's distance of Amtrak's longest route."
So what they are saying, it would seem, is that 25 million people live less than 25 miles away from a station along the route of the Texas Eagle between Chicago and Los Angeles (not including CHI and LAX themselves, presumably). This is probably accurate, since that route would include the big cities of St. Louis, DFW, Austin and San Antonio. I assume it's a way of showing that Amtrak is not just for people in big coastal cities, it's also for people in the vast interior spaces of our country, too.
But yeesh, what a tortured way to make a point.
May 14, 2013, 2:22 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 13,988
"25 million Americans live within 25 miles of an Amtrak station"
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
Looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions and populations on Wikipedia, it appears to me that Chicago and New York alone have ~29 Million people living with 25 miles of an Amtrak station...
Take care,
saunders111
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
Looking at the Metropolitan Statistical Area definitions and populations on Wikipedia, it appears to me that Chicago and New York alone have ~29 Million people living with 25 miles of an Amtrak station...
Take care,
saunders111
I see what they did. The stat appears on this page and if you click on the pop-up, it goes on to say:
"25 million Americans live within 25 miles of an Amtrak station between Chicago and Los Angeles, placing them less than a marathon distance away from Amtrak's longest route."
May 14, 2013, 2:23 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 394
"276 different pairs of cities are served on one of Amtrak's routes"
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
The Southwest Chief alone, for example, serves 33 stations. Assuming you can take Amtrak between any pair of those stations, the Southwest Chief alone serves 33*32/2=528 station pairs. This is not even considering the rest of the Amtrak system!
If you take the 500 stations number as accurate (I have no idea of its veracity), and again assume that you can travel between any two of them, then Amtrak in fact serves 124,750 station pairs. A bit more than 276...
Take care,
saunders111
ps And yes, I see they were referring to just the Crescent, once you access the "footnote". But what a way to undersell their actual service to the nation!
pps And anyway, I calculate 350 station pairs served on the Crescent between DC and New Orleans. Sheesh, indeed.
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
The Southwest Chief alone, for example, serves 33 stations. Assuming you can take Amtrak between any pair of those stations, the Southwest Chief alone serves 33*32/2=528 station pairs. This is not even considering the rest of the Amtrak system!
If you take the 500 stations number as accurate (I have no idea of its veracity), and again assume that you can travel between any two of them, then Amtrak in fact serves 124,750 station pairs. A bit more than 276...
Take care,
saunders111
ps And yes, I see they were referring to just the Crescent, once you access the "footnote". But what a way to undersell their actual service to the nation!
pps And anyway, I calculate 350 station pairs served on the Crescent between DC and New Orleans. Sheesh, indeed.
Last edited by saunders111; May 14, 2013 at 2:43 pm
May 14, 2013, 2:28 pm
#11
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 394
And in fact, it makes the exact opposite of the point they want to make. When I see "25 million Americans have access to Amtrak (less than one in every 10 Americans)", which is a fair translation of their claim, my immediate interpretation is "So Amtrak is just for a select few elites, not for us REAL Americans."
Not so good, Amtrak!
Take care,
saunders111
Not so good, Amtrak!
Take care,
saunders111
May 14, 2013, 2:35 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: n.y.c.
Posts: 13,988
"276 different pairs of cities are served on one of Amtrak's routes"
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
The Southwest Chief alone, for example, serves 33 stations. Assuming you can take Amtrak between any pair of those stations, the Southwest Chief alone serves 33*32/2=528 station pairs. This is not even considering the rest of the Amtrak system!
Take care,
saunders111
Although surely true, is this not a vast underestimate?
The Southwest Chief alone, for example, serves 33 stations. Assuming you can take Amtrak between any pair of those stations, the Southwest Chief alone serves 33*32/2=528 station pairs. This is not even considering the rest of the Amtrak system!
Take care,
saunders111
May 14, 2013, 5:36 pm
#14
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 14
I count in the current national timetable 27 stations in the Crescent route between DC and New Orleans. So the total number of city pairs, assuming that EACH DIRECTION of travel is a separate city pair, would be 27*26=702 city pairs. Or 351 city pairs if direction is not considered. Note, however, that travel is not permitted in both directions for some city pairs. For example, ticketing travel on the Crescent from DC to Alexandria, VA is permitted, but ticketing travel on the Crescent from Alexandria, VA to DC is not permitted.
May 15, 2013, 9:56 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 394
I count in the current national timetable 27 stations in the Crescent route between DC and New Orleans. So the total number of city pairs, assuming that EACH DIRECTION of travel is a separate city pair, would be 27*26=702 city pairs. Or 351 city pairs if direction is not considered. Note, however, that travel is not permitted in both directions for some city pairs. For example, ticketing travel on the Crescent from DC to Alexandria, VA is permitted, but ticketing travel on the Crescent from Alexandria, VA to DC is not permitted.
saunders111