Amtrak Celebrates the Past, Present, and Future of Rail Travel with Nationwide Festivities in May

WASHINGTON - Amtrak will celebrate America’s love for rail travel with events across the country at its second annual National Train Day, May 9, 2009. Marking 140 years of connecting travelers from coast to coast, National Train Day commemorates the day the first transcontinental railroad was created and looks toward the future of rail travel with large scale events in Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles, and many more locally organized events in communities nationwide.

"Train travel is deeply rooted in American culture and it shows great promise to become a growing part of our country’s transportation future" said Emmett Fremaux, vice president marketing and product management, Amtrak. "National Train Day gives the public a glimpse into how the train shaped the country and how it will continue to do so through exhibits showcasing how train travel provides greener travel options with clean technology and greater efficiency through high-speed rail travel"

On May 9, Amtrak will host complimentary events in four of its gateway stations across the U.S., Washington, DC, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles from 10 am to 3 pm. An experience for the whole family, National Train Day allows Americans to "Discover the Rail Way" while enjoying live musical entertainment, interactive green exhibits, VIP appearances, a Kids Corner, and train exhibits from the past, present and future. In addition to the four major market events, communities across the country are encouraged to develop and host their own National Train Day events, which nearly 100 local sponsors participated in hosting for the first National Train Day in 2008.

In honor of National Train Day, Amtrak is offering members of its loyalty program, Amtrak Guest Rewards, the ability to earn double points for any trip taken between March 16 and May 8, triple points after their fifth trip taken during this timeframe, and quadruple points for any trip taken on National Train Day, May 9. Amtrak Guest Reward enables frequent train travelers to earn points redeemable for free Amtrak travel year round in addition to a variety of other rewards.

For more information about National Train Day events, promotions and information about the opportunity to host a National Train Day event in your city, visit www.nationaltrainday.com.