Washington, DC
Address:
50 Massachusetts Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20002
American Idol judge, Grammy award-winning record producer and music manager, Randy Jackson, kicked-off the festivities in Washington, DC.
Live Music Entertainment
Trainiacs enjoyed the performances by Grammy-nominated singers Karina Pasian and Vanessa Carlton.
Displays
National Train Day was the perfect place to explore your train love. Here are the fascinating displays trainiacs encountered during this year’s celebration:
Train Equipment Displays: People saw the trains up close and personal with displays that included historic private cars, commuter and Amtrak® equipment.
Model Train Displays: Attendees enjoyed model train displays from Northern Virginia N-Trak and the Washington, Virginia and Maryland Garden Railway Society. Model trains are more than just a hobby; they are steeped in tradition and fun for the whole family.
Exhibits
These are the educational and interactive train exhibits you could have only found on National Train Day:
Trains Move Our Economy Exhibit: Trainiacs learned the importance of trains in our economy with this in-depth exploration of rail’s current and future role in American society, which touched subjects like proposed high-speed corridors, the upgrading of rail infrastructure, electrification and the role of freight trains in our economy.
Go-Green Express: In this free-standing interactive display, people of all ages discovered the green aspects of rail travel – energy efficiency, electric rail, regenerative braking, etc.
Honor the Bright Land: Trains and the Preservation of America’s Great Places: This art gallery honored the connection between trains and our national landscape through the art of J. Craig Thorpe. His beautiful representations explore the spectrum of rail operations in three different settings: urban, rural and wilderness. The gallery also featured a new commission from Amtrak® on the future of rail. In the painting, Thorpe envisions a future influenced by the growing wishes of the country for a faster and greener rail service and President Obama’s commitment to rail development.
Amtrak – Enjoy the Journey: Here attendees learned about Amtrak’s connectivity, available routes, train technology, amenities and offerings.
AmtraKids Depot
National Train Day is a celebration for all trainiacs, especially our little engineers. Kids danced and laughed during the appearances by Radio Disney Rockin’ Road Crew, played interactive games and received giveaways. Magicians, face painters and educational hands-on activities were also onsite, including interaction with Amtrak® employees such as train engineers, conductors and chefs.
Snapshot Station
Trainiacs created fun memories of National Train Day with photos featuring a custom train-themed photo backdrop using green screen technology.
