National Train Day
Celebrate our train/railroad system. Visit all three of our local train museums - Cameron, Hearne, Rockdale. We are celebrating with a "Triple Header" event!
Time & Location
May 11, 2024, 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Rockdale Depot Museum, 11 N Main St, Rockdale, TX 76567, USA
About the events
Triple Header Train Day Celebration
The Rockdale I&GN Depot, Hearne Depot and the Milam County Railroad Museum in Cameron are all celebrating National Train Day on May 11. National Train Day marks the anniversary of the 1869 Golden Spike ceremony at the Promontory summit in Utah. On that date, the rails of the first transcontinental railroad met, connecting the Central Pacific and Union Pacific railroads.
Our local celebrations include an opportunity to win a $100 cash prize for those guests who visit each Depot/Museum on May 11. See the link below for more details.
History
National Train Day was a holiday started by Amtrak in 2008. The event was a way to spread information about the advantages of railway travel and the history of trains in the United States. It was held each year on the Saturday closest to May 10. That date was the anniversary of the pounding of the Golden spike in Promontory, Utah. The anniversary marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the U.S. Initially events were held at major Amtrak stations as well as railroad museums across the country. Many of the event venues had passenger cars and model railroad layouts on display. Amtrak's National Train Day celebration was cancelled after 2015 due to budget cuts. But, individual celebrations continue annually to commemorate our train history.