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Entry bubble All Aboard for National Train Day!

By: Nancy | May 08, 2008 | Category: Home and Family

In earlier times, they connected us to each other and brought commerce into far flung parts of the country. Though a less popular mode of travel in the US today, trains are still a source of fascination for history buffs, hobbyists and anyone whose heart is stirred by the sound of that lonesome whistle.

I've loved trains since I was little, when my dad and I would take walks along abandoned tracks in West Virginia, where he'd tell me stories of his father's adventures as a railroad blacksmith in the 1930s. So I was happy to hear that this Saturday, May 10, is the first annual National Train Day. It commemorates the anniversary of the completion of America's first transcontinental railroad in 1869, when nearly 1,800 miles of track were joined by a golden spike in Utah. To celebrate, Amtrak is hosting special events at its largest stations around the country.

That got me wondering about what historic train info I could find by searching on USA.gov. I discovered the Library of Congress' online collection of historic railroad maps and field recordings of folk songs about railroad work and life. And I found railroad art, from historic photography to Manet paintings at the National Gallery of Art.

A lot of local governments like Gaithersburg, Maryland's and libraries like Orange County, Florida's feature web pages dedicated to the contributions that trains made to their towns. And I discovered a number of state train museums, from California's to West Virginia's, located in my dad's hometown of Elkins. I had no idea that was there! I'll have to stop by when I'm in town for the next Cousins Day.

Do you have any train stories or memories to share?

| Post a Comment | View Comments [6] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: amtrak   history   nancy   railroad   train  

Comments (6):

blue comment bubble Posted by dcrider on May 08, 2008 at 08:58 AM EDT

Train is deeply rooted in many people's sweet memory. Thank you for this article. Wouldn't it be better to publish a train tour or steam train highlight on usa.gov when you are blogging the very topic? Just a thought. Great job.

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blue comment bubble Posted by GovExec on May 08, 2008 at 11:42 AM EDT

Why aren't you guys talking about Public Service Week? OhMyGov.com put out a nice article about it wrapped into an article about the appeal of public service.

You guys should cover their stuff or at least provide a link in your blogroll for others to follow. They seem to be really in tune with feds and I think one of them works in the fed government.

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blue comment bubble Posted by nou you on May 09, 2008 at 07:58 AM EDT

you remind my memory when i was in my hometown at age 10.it was a shame that i hadn't seen any until i got

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blue comment bubble Posted by TRAINS? on May 09, 2008 at 12:35 PM EDT

YEAH ONE DAY I'LL TAKE A TRAIN ON A CHRISTIAN TRIP SOMEWHERE SAFE AND WHOLESOME UNTIL THEN I TAKE THE BUS

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blue comment bubble Posted by winnerjim on May 09, 2008 at 05:47 PM EDT

Trains. My dad started working with the Great Northern Railroad Co. before WWI, my older brother overlapped him, retiring about 15 years ago. In the '30's and early '40's I got to travel all over the United States by train (using a pass - or traveling dead-head, as they called it). We had section gangs in nearly every town and city in the country. We never heard of accidents or derailments, as all track and rail work was taken care of daily. I haven't ridden any train in years but when I do hear a train whistle I think back to all those great years of my youth. I sound more like "John-Boy", of the Walton TV Show fame, but you can sure look back to days past and think, very foundly, of the days when trains were the King of travel!

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blue comment bubble Posted by Nancy on May 12, 2008 at 08:49 AM EDT

I'm enjoying reminiscing with you, Winnerjim.

Isn't it funny that most of us don't have even remotely the same fondness for airplanes that we do for trains. Wonder why...

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