[il-talk] Chicago to discover the rail way this saturday

[Robert A. Hansen]

News Release

National Railroad Passenger Corporation
60 Massachusetts Avenue NE Washington, DC 20002 www.amtrak.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ATK-09-034

Contacts: Amtrak Media Relations (312) 880-5390 Edelman (312) 240-7567 
May 1, 2009 Chicago to Discover the Rail Way(SM) on National Train Day

Amtrak Celebrates the Past, Present and Future of Rail Travel with Event 
at Chicago Union Station

WASHINGTON - Amtrak will celebrate America's love for rail travel with 
events in Chicago and across the country at its second annual National 
Train Day, May 9, 2009. Marking 140 years of connecting travelers from 
coast to coast, National Train Day celebrates the importance of train 
travel with complimentary live musical entertainment, an interactive 
green exhibit, VIP appearances, an AmtraKids Depot, J. Craig Thorpe 
Gallery, model train displays, and Amtrak and historic train cars.

"Train travel is deeply rooted in American culture and it shows great 
promise to become a growing part of our country's transportation 
future," said Emmett Fremaux, Amtrak vice president marketing and 
product management. "National Train Day gives the public a glimpse into 
how the train shaped the country and how it will continue to do so 
through exhibits showcasing how train travel provides greener travel 
options with clean technology and greater efficiency through high-speed 
rail travel."

Chicago will host one of the four largest National Train Day events from 
10:00 am until 3:00 pm, starting with an opening ceremony and remarks by 
Amtrak President and CEO Joseph H. Boardman.

Event Exhibits and Festivities

An experience for the whole family, National Train Day allows Americans 
to Discover the Rail Way and participate in the following, all without 
charge:

* AmtraKids Depot: Enjoy appearances by The Radio Disney Road Crew where 
kids and former kids can enjoy music, a dance party, interactive games, 
and receive giveaways. Magicians, face painters and educational hands-on 
activities including interaction with Amtrak employees such as train 
engineers and conductors will also be onsite.
* Train Equipment Displays: See the trains up close and personal with 
displays that include Amtrak railcars used in short-distance routes from 
the Chicago hub and railcars used in overnight trains operating to and 
from Chicago to points to the north, south, east and west. Historic 
private luxury rail cars will also be available for tours. To avoid 
waiting in line to see the displays, print your free tour tickets at the 
National Train Day website http://www.NationalTrainDay.com.
* Amtrak Brand Display - Enjoy the Journey: Learn about Amtrak's 
connectivity, available routes, train technology, amenities and 
offerings. Amtrak "travel experts" will also be on hand to ensure 
National Train Day attendees receive all the information they need.
* J. Craig Thorpe Gallery: Visit notable train artist J. Craig Thorpe's 
exhibit, "Honor the Bright Land - Trains and the Preservation of 
America's Great Places," featuring his vision of trains in urban, rural, 
wilderness, and future settings.
* Trains Move our Economy Exhibit: Learn how the upgrades to 
infrastructure and expansion of high-speed corridors will create jobs 
and establish energy-efficient, world-class rail transportation that 
benefits everyone.
* Go-Green Express - Eco Exhibit: Discover the green aspects of rail 
travel - energy efficiency, electric rail, regenerative braking - with 
this free-standing interactive display.
* Model Train Display: Enjoy model train displays dispersed throughout 
the stations. Model trains are more than just a hobby; they are steeped 
in tradition and promote family fun.
* Snapshot Station: Create fun memories of National Train Day with 
photos featuring a custom train-themed photo backdrop.

Musical Entertainment

Musical performances by Shemekia Copeland and Unique will entertain the 
crowds throughout the day. Shemekia Copeland is the daughter of 
legendary Blues guitarist Johnny Copeland, and performed at the famous 
Cotton Club in Chicago when she was only eight years-old. She continues 
her love of performing and most recently headlined at the Chicago Blues 
Festival. Unique is an emerging R&B artist from Island Def Jam's latest 
talent roster. He draws inspiration from well known artists such as 
Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Beyonce and Gwen Stefani.

Radio Remotes

In addition to Radio Disney, The Lite FM 93.9's own Beth Reynolds will 
be doing hourly call-ins to the station to let WLIT's listeners in 
Chicagoland hear what's happening.

Get on Amtrak, Get in on the Fun

In honor of National Train Day, Amtrak riders will earn double Amtrak 
Guest Rewards points on each of the first four Amtrak train trips and 
triple points for the fifth trip and beyond, from March 16 through May 
8, 2009. Plus, earn quadruple points for any trip taken on National 
Train Day, Saturday, May 9, 2009.

For more information about National Train Day events, promotions and 
information about the opportunity to host a National Train Day event in 
your city, visit www.NationalTrainDay.com or follow National Train Day 
2009 on Twitter via www.twitter.com/trainday09.

About Amtrak

Amtrak has posted six consecutive years of growth in ridership and 
revenue, carrying more than 28.7 million passengers in the last fiscal 
year. Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service to more than 500 
destinations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system. For schedules, 
fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit 
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