National Train Day 2014

ohioriverrailway wrote:So, what's the overall thought? Was this pretty much a bust for this year? And are there any constructive ideas that could be put forward for next year???

I thought that Amtrak did a very good job with its own equipment; its staff was very, very gracious and presented a very appealing image for the railroad.

My interest in railroading was not met, though, since there were so few pieces of private equipment available, so I wouldn't make the effort to travel for NTD this year.

The display at Grand Central last year was amazing, and something like that again would be terrific.

SouthernRailway wrote:

ohioriverrailway wrote:So, what's the overall thought? Was this pretty much a bust for this year? And are there any constructive ideas that could be put forward for next year???

I thought that Amtrak did a very good job with its own equipment; its staff was very, very gracious and presented a very appealing image for the railroad.

My interest in railroading was not met, though, since there were so few pieces of private equipment available, so I wouldn't make the effort to travel for NTD this year.

The display at Grand Central last year was amazing, and something like that again would be terrific.

I think the reality of the situation is the novelty has worn off. Without the private cars or something unique, how will you hold interest? How many times can you show the same people the same equipment they usually see? That is what makes this idea so great:

SouthernRailway wrote: I can't help but think, though: wouldn't it be a better use of Amtrak's marketing dollars to have its equipment on display where there is less Amtrak service available than in places such as Philadelphia? For example, put an Acela Express on display in Charlotte, where few people have ridden one, and it would attract a lot of attention. Putting one and some Amfleet equipment on display in a station where Northeastern railfans will look at it maybe gets some more business, but how much?

Even though it isn't feasible from an operational or financial standpoint, I love to ship the Acela to somewhere outside of the NEC. I'd like to drag a Talgo set to WAS, a Cascade to PHL, ship the 8400 to Texas, the 10004 to ABQ, the California Bilevels to MIA, the 9800 to HUN, the Sounders to ALB and the 9800 to RUD . Mix it up. Let the people see something they aren't used to seeing so they know what else is out there.

We'll see if the lack of PV cars dropped the numbers. Maybe they'll change their tune next year.

Events/features at NYP included an appearance by Amtrak Chairman of the Board Anthony Coscia, a Chuggington display and Chef Michel Richard. Photos/recap on Twitter under National Train Day. Boardman himself was in Minot.

We finally had a big event in St. Louis. In years past they did a little something at the Kirkwood station, but we actually have a really awesome historic station to use for this! They had music, stuff for the kids, the model railroading clubs came out, and they debuted the light show in the Grand Hall. Amtrak had a set of cars from the Lincoln Service. American Rail Excursions had some fo their cars.

I met a guy from the TRRA who made the effort to put STL on the National Train Day map, keeping assets from going to KC. While most of the stuff I'm sure railfans have seen before, I overheard many who had never been on a train before. Helps to sell a ticket, especially when train travel is rarely seen in popular culture, dominated by driving and flying. And the kids loved it. Hope they keep doing it.

Wow, looks like a nice event at St. Louis!

IMO, the event in Philly was definitely a sucess. However, I'm not real hard to please. I think if I went and only the 10004 was there I would be happy. While PV are nice they have never been the main attraction for me, so the lack of PV in Philly didn't really bother me.

Here is my best attempt at an unbiased report based on my five year experience going to Philly's NTD:

-A large amount of Amtrak equipment on the display tracks. Also a good sampling of NJT stuff with an ALP-46A, a dual mode, and a multilevel II cab car. This was the first time I have gone and there has been no SEPTA equipment. It is also the first year that there was a Juniata Terminal E8. There were only two PV cars, both Juniata cars, but they were not open to walk through. The show stoppers seemed to be the E8, ACS-64, and the 10004. The crowds in the equipment displays seemed to thin out unlike other years. Amtrak also had no LD equipment.

-The employees at the equipment displays were VERY friendly. The Amtrak and NJT guys that I talked to were all great. This was a highlight for me. I didn't talk to any Juniata employees, but that doesn't mean that they were not there.

-On the main level there wad much less activity. In past years there has been a stage with scheduled events, but not this year. There were tables and model RR's though. There was also a merchandise store.

-The SEPTA train I came in on definitely had a few people for NTD.

Overall it was a fun day and I plan on doing it again.

A cute thing they've done at the fancy bar in the Grand Hall. They named the cocktails after railroads.

If Amtrak returned to their pre-2014 business model for NTD, as it pertains to private cars, then there would once again by greater participation from private car owners.

For 2013 and earlier years, the deal was this:

Amtrak would pick up the transportation charges for moving the private car on the Amtrak system to the display site, usually 3 nights parking at the display city, and the move back home on Amtrak.

The car owner would not charge Amtrak for their use of the car in the display, and would cover the costs of moving the car between home storage and an Amtrak terminal in both directions, as well as prepping the car for public display.

In general, the private cars that were on display this year at various Amtrak locations were there because of the following:

The car owner wanted to be there and/or was there for additional non-NTD reasons and picked up the tab for all the rail transportation charges.

The car owner had a charter which covered some/all of the costs of moving the car to/from the display site.

An easy switch move was all that was needed to get the car(s) between their storage location and the display site --- an example would be Juniata Terminal Company equipment at 30th Street Station Philadelphia, or equipment moved from the Garden Tracks into Los Angeles Union Station.

Those are some beautiful photos there

quincunx wrote:A cute thing they've done at the fancy bar in the Grand Hall. They named the cocktails after railroads.

The bar in the Cira Centre, connected by footbridge to 30th St., has been doing something similar, but they marred the effect somewhat by naming the last cocktail BOLTBUS.