Among the attractions are:
- Free, 45-minute tours showcasing the construction, architecture and art of Union Terminal, including the world-famous mosaic murals, President's Office, Amtrak waiting room, and Rookwood Tea Room. Tours are held at noon, 1 P.M., 2 P.M., and 3 P.M.
- Cincinnati in Motion in the Cincinnati History Museum, the nation's largest full-motion, S-scale urban layout featuring 17 miniature trains. Visitors can also climb aboard a historic Cincinnati streetcar.
- Tower A, the original control tower for Union Terminal, providing a birds-eye view of the active rail yard and displays of numerous artifacts from the building's rail history. Free and open between noon and 4 P.M.
- Rocky Mountain Express in the five-story OMNIMAX Theater, a film journey through the Canadian Rockies on a steam train highlighting the epic engineering involved in building a railroad through some of the most demanding – and breathtaking – landscapes on Earth. Special screenings take place at 2 P.M. and at 6 P.M.
Now in its fifth year, National Train Day was started by Amtrak as a way to spread information to the general public about the advantages of rail travel and the history of trains in the United States. It's held each year on the Saturday closest to May 10, the anniversary of the completion of the nation's first transcontinental railroad.
Previous reading on BC:
Rogers, curator of Union Terminal, retires (3/29/11)
Museum Center hosts celebration of trains this Saturday (5/5/10)
Panel discussion makes case for Issue 6; Museum Center wins national award (10/6/09)
Museum Center to host 'historic' meeting (9/30/09)
Museum Center seeking expanded landmark status (5/26/09)
