rtabern
Conductor
I got this in my e-mail this morning... I think because I am on the mailing list and have worked the events in Chicago and Milwaukee since the original one in 2007.
"Since its inception, Amtrak Train Days/National Train Day has been a popular program with customers and employees, allowing us to celebrate the value that Amtrak brings to local communities nationwide. In light of the financial challenges we are currently facing, we have chosen not to continue the Amtrak Train Days program and to prioritize our resources more efficiently. We would like to thank all of the Amtrak personnel who have devoted their time and effort over the years to making these celebrations of Amtrak and passenger train travel a success."
I kinda saw this coming, sadly.
I worked the booth in Chicago in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 representing the now-defunct Trails & Rails program that ran on the Empire Builder between Chicago and Winona, MN. Then I was just a general volunteer for Amtrak in 2011 and 2012. In 2013 and 2014, we were back representing the now-defunct Trails & Rails program that ran on the Southwest Chief between Chicago and La Plata, MO.
I thought something was up when I didn't hear the usual buzz about National Train Day in early 2015 when things would have normally been rammping up -- and found out through some friends in the marketing dept. about the decision to switch from National Train Day to the Amtrak Train Days event -- a few weeks before it was announced to the public. They did have Amtrak Train Days in Chicago on the usual weekend in 2015 that National Train Days was held... but everyone was told it would NOT continue to be an annual thing.
I got confirmation in November 2015 through some inside sources there would be NO events in Chicago the second weekend in May during 2016. We were hoping to have a booth to represent APRHF Rail Rangers, a new non-profit railroad history group that narrates on private cars, that I am Executive Director of.
Now, the official announcement that it's dead across the country. I kinda have mixed reaction to it. I thought it Amtrak Train Days and National Train Day was a good event and think Amtrak is shooting themselves in the foot by cancelling it ---- as it drew in 10,000 people at least in Chicago every year -- many folks who were looking for a family-friendly weekend experience and have never rode trains before. I think it was great because it opened their eyes to regional and long-distance travel. Especially when Amtrak cut back on paying for private cars to be part of the event in Chicago, I figure it was relatively cheap to put on, as most of the employees and folks like us were volunteering their time. Then again, having worked the event every year since its inception in 2007... It was getting somewhat old and stale with the same activities year after year after year. And, I guess Amtrak has to cut little things like this to prove to Congress they want to put a dent in their expenses.
"Since its inception, Amtrak Train Days/National Train Day has been a popular program with customers and employees, allowing us to celebrate the value that Amtrak brings to local communities nationwide. In light of the financial challenges we are currently facing, we have chosen not to continue the Amtrak Train Days program and to prioritize our resources more efficiently. We would like to thank all of the Amtrak personnel who have devoted their time and effort over the years to making these celebrations of Amtrak and passenger train travel a success."
I kinda saw this coming, sadly.
I worked the booth in Chicago in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010 representing the now-defunct Trails & Rails program that ran on the Empire Builder between Chicago and Winona, MN. Then I was just a general volunteer for Amtrak in 2011 and 2012. In 2013 and 2014, we were back representing the now-defunct Trails & Rails program that ran on the Southwest Chief between Chicago and La Plata, MO.
I thought something was up when I didn't hear the usual buzz about National Train Day in early 2015 when things would have normally been rammping up -- and found out through some friends in the marketing dept. about the decision to switch from National Train Day to the Amtrak Train Days event -- a few weeks before it was announced to the public. They did have Amtrak Train Days in Chicago on the usual weekend in 2015 that National Train Days was held... but everyone was told it would NOT continue to be an annual thing.
I got confirmation in November 2015 through some inside sources there would be NO events in Chicago the second weekend in May during 2016. We were hoping to have a booth to represent APRHF Rail Rangers, a new non-profit railroad history group that narrates on private cars, that I am Executive Director of.
Now, the official announcement that it's dead across the country. I kinda have mixed reaction to it. I thought it Amtrak Train Days and National Train Day was a good event and think Amtrak is shooting themselves in the foot by cancelling it ---- as it drew in 10,000 people at least in Chicago every year -- many folks who were looking for a family-friendly weekend experience and have never rode trains before. I think it was great because it opened their eyes to regional and long-distance travel. Especially when Amtrak cut back on paying for private cars to be part of the event in Chicago, I figure it was relatively cheap to put on, as most of the employees and folks like us were volunteering their time. Then again, having worked the event every year since its inception in 2007... It was getting somewhat old and stale with the same activities year after year after year. And, I guess Amtrak has to cut little things like this to prove to Congress they want to put a dent in their expenses.
