National Train Day
About National Train Day
When is National Train Day? This day is celebrated on the Saturday closest to May 10
Trains are a mode of transportation that changed the world. That’s why we celebrate them on National Train Day. Trains have historic importance in the United States, changing the face of the nation. Trains connected the east and west coasts, making travel much easier. Powerful locomotives traversed the sparsely settled frontier of America in a fraction of the time that wagon trains required. They are vital to transporting people and goods quickly and efficiently over long distances.
The year 1869 was a really exciting time in America. The Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads were speeding across the wild, American frontier, laying tracks for what would soon become the first Transcontinental rail line. Construction occurred at great peril, as vast areas of the west were truly wild and unsettled. Once completed, train service connected the country from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, making the world a whole lot smaller. It would also change the face of America.
On May 9, 1869, the tracks of the two railroad companies met up at Promontory Summit, Utah. A golden spike was driven into the final connection of the two tracks. The first Continental rail line was 1,776 miles long. Towns, big and small, would soon sprout up along the route.
Favorite Television Cartoon Show: Thomas the Train
National Train Day Trivia and Fun Facts
Here are some inciteful National Train Day trivia and fun facts:
- In 1804, Richard Trevithick, a British engineer invented the first full-scale steam locomotive. The prototype was too heavy for the tracks. So, it was never put into service. However, the technology was now proven.
- On August 28, 1830, Industrialist Peter Cooper’s engine, called the “Tom Thumb”, lost a race with a horse-drawn train.
- In 1830, there were just 23 miles of train tracks in the United States. The number of miles of train tracks in the U.S. peaked in 1916 at over 250,000 miles.
- On April 21, 2015, the Central Japan Railway Company and the Railway Technical Research Institute set the world record for the fastest train. The L0 Series high-speed maglev train operates on magnetic levitation technology. It floats above the tracks without physical contact.
How to Participate in National Train Day
Here’s how to participate in National Train Day:
- Take a ride on one.
- Go to a train museum.
- Explore train and railroad history.
- Join a train club – there are many out there.
- Set up a model train set in your basement.
- Watch a movie that has trains in it.
Today's Chuckle
Sometimes someone unexpectedly comes into your life outta nowhere, makes your heart race and changes you forever…. We call those people cops.
History and Origin of National Train Day
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation created this special day. In 2008, the corporation and train fans in general celebrated this holiday for the first time. One would think that this special day would have been created many, many years ago.
This is referred to as a “National” day. However, we did not find any congressional records or presidential proclamations for this day.
Definition of “National” Days – Discover why it is so important to distinguish and identify true national days.
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Holiday Insights, where every day in May is a holiday, a bizarre or wacky day, an observance, or a special event. Join us in the daily calendar fun each and every day of the year.
Did You Know? Moreover, in addition to National Train Day, there are literally thousands of daily holidays, special events, and observances, more than one for every day of the year. Further, many of these holidays are new. People and organizations are creating new holidays regularly. May holidays are no exception. Consequently, at Holiday Insights, we take great efforts to thoroughly research and document the details of each one, as completely and accurately as possible.