Celebrate National Train Day with free events in Seattle from Amtrak Cascades

April 13, 7:28 AMSeattle North American Travel ExaminerStephanie Jolly

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Celebrate train travel across North America during National Trail Day on May 9th.  
Photo: G Schouten de Jel

The second annual National Train Day, celebrating train travel across the United States, will be held May 9th.  Also being celebrated on National Train Day is the tenth anniversary of Amtrak Cascades, the railroad route that runs throughout the Pacific Northwest from Eugene, OR to Vancouver, B.C. 

National Train Day commemorates the driving of the "golden spike" that created the 1,776 miles of transcontinental railway when the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads were connected on May 10, 1869.  Emmett Fremaux, vice president of marketing and product management for Amtrak, states that "National Trail Day gives the public a glimpse into how the train shaped the country and how it will continue to do so." 

Major events will be held across the country in Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington D.C and Los Angeles to encourage Americans to Discover the Rail Way, but local gatherings will also take place in Lacey, WA and Portland, OR.  A free public event and celebration will take place at King Street Station, downtown Seattle.

Clown J.P Patches will be downtown entertaining children and adults with free balloons and prizes, the Purple Passion Swing Band will be playing train tunes and attendants will have a chance to win a trip for two on the Empire Builder with two nights at Glacier Park Lodge.

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