Fort Worth on track for National Train Day

A. Lee Graham Reporter

lgraham@bizpress.net

Guided trolley tours and a new railcar fresh from GE Transportation’s Fort Worth locomotive plant are just a few attractions planned as the city participates in National Train Day. Activities are set from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday May 11 at the Fort Worth Transportation Authority’s Intermodal Transportation Center, 1000 Jones St. in downtown. “This year’s National Train Day celebration will showcase that, in addition to simply moving people and freight, trains are powerful catalysts for local and national economic growth,” said Peter LeCody, president of Texas Rail Advocates, commenting in a news release. In 2012, Amtrak welcomed 31.2 million riders, employed 20,000 people and produced $2 billion in sales. “National Train Day is a way to celebrate this positive impact by inviting current and future passengers to tour equipment, enjoy family-friendly activities, and hear from local dignitaries,” LeCody said. Those attending the free Fort Worth event can expect a new BNSF Railway locomotive to be unveiled, guided tours of the 100-year-old InterUrban Trolley, and a Chuggington Kids Depot with train-themed children’s activities based on the children’s animated television series. Also planned are tours inside stationery Trinity Railway Express and Amtrak trains and prize drawings for free Amtrak train travel. More information is available at www.nationaltrainday.com.