This year on May 9, Amtrak will kick off its “Amtrak Train Days” campaign from Chicago’s Union Station. This series of events is in honor of National Train Day and part of an effort to show why trains matter. The events will take place across 20 locations starting in May and going through October.

Amtrak started the holiday “National Train Day” in 2008. The general idea has been to promote the importance and advantages of rail travel while sharing information on the history of trains in the United States. In the past these events have had equipment displays for train enthusiasts to walk through, as well as guest speakers.

Although the official tour is unable to stop in every community, Amtrak is encouraging local stations, state partners and rail industry colleagues to host their own events. In the past Amtrak has offered special excursion trips such as the Jazz, Blues & Rock N’ Roll trip to Chicago.

For more information about Amtrak Train Days visit: http://www.amtraktraindays.com/.