page_title: National Train Day
section_title: Events
hierarchical_section_title: National Train Day / Events
caption_attribution_description: National Train Day is held each year to introduce the general public to trains and train history. This year it also was a way to celebrate the 75th anniversary of streamline passenger service to Florida so what better place to hold it than Tampa's historic Union Station. Amtrak still uses Tampa Union Station to host the Silver Star, which carries passengers between New York City and Miami.
context_page_description: National Train Day was a holiday started by Amtrak in 2008 as a method to spread information to the general public about the advantages of railway travel and the history of trains in the United States. It was held each year on the Saturday closest to May 10, the anniversary of the pounding of the Golden spike in Promontory, Utah, which marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. Events were held at major Amtrak stations as well as railroad museums across the country and often have passenger cars and model railroad layouts on display. The largest events took place in Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles. National Train Day was discontinued after 2015 due to budget cuts within Amtrak, although other rail organizations continue to observe the holiday.
context_section_description: The major events of National Train Day usually consist of equipment displays in the major stations across the Amtrak system. This includes Acela Express and Keystone Service sets in the Northeastern cities, and Superliner cars in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Florida that are used on long distance trains in those regions. In addition, many private cars are also put on display. Other large cities featured rail equipment and displays from freight railroads, transit agencies, non-profit rail organizations and historical societies as part of National Train Day.  Some smaller events consisted of a model train layout from a local club or other train-related items on display.
  Because of a scheduling conflict on the original National Train Day in 2008, Toledo Union Station hosted their NTD event a week before the rest of the country in 2008. This tradition of having the 'first' Train Day has continued every year since at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza Amtrak and intermodal station.
  Besides events at active Amtrak stations, railway history museums participate in National Train Day as well. This often includes tours of historic rail cars and excursion train rides.
  The 2011 event celebrated Amtrak's 40th Anniversary celebration, as the company first went into service on May 1, 1971.
  The National Association of Railroad Passengers, the largest non-profit rail advocacy organization in America, announced that their members would be celebrating the first National Train Day in 2008. Many other non-profits participated regionally.
  In 2013, Duluth, Minnesota, hosted one of the largest events, having steam locomotives Milwaukee Road 261 and Soo Line 2719 operating on the North Shore Scenic Railroad, as well as large museum displays and events.
  In 2015, it was announced that the community program called National Train Day would be replaced by a company sponsored event called Amtrak Train Days.  The format changed from multiple events on a single day in many cities to individual events over the course of the spring, summer and fall.
caption: An interpretive sign aboard an Amfleet coach for National Train Day 2014
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