Nearly 2,000 people climbed aboard the three-car Amtrak Exhibit Train during its national tour stop in Fort Worth on Jan. 7 and 8, hosted by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) at its Intermodal Transportation Center.
As Amtrak's busiest Texas city, the Fort Worth event also attracted local news coverage, city officials and resulted in strong tour-stop sales of Amtrak 40th Anniversary commemorative books, DVDs, and other records of Amtrak railroad history.
It was the first 2012 stop for the unique traveling display that showcases memorabilia from the 40-years of Amtrak railroad history with displays of memorabilia from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and exhibits of current operations, future plans and equipment. Many children also enjoyed the Amtrak event's kids play area based on "Chuggington," the Disney Junior series, "but their eyes really lit up when they got to climb aboard and walk through the Amtrak cars," said Dick Ruddell, president of The T.
"Fort Worth and Tarrant County residents are very eager for more and expanded passenger rail, so this was a real highlight for our city," Ruddell said. The T's Board Chair Gary Cumbie and Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price were among community leaders who attended the exhibit.
"The T was a wonderful host for our exhibit train and it again the strength of our partnership and the advantages of bringing modes together in one location," said Marc Magliari, Amtrak spokesman.
The T's transit system includes the Trinity Railway Express, co-owned with Dallas Area Rapid Transit, with The Intermodal Transportation Center as one of its major stations. The T is also moving forward on a new 37 mile commuter rail line from Fort Worth through Tarrant County and recently completed a formal study of passenger rail for Southeast Fort Worth.
