Trails & Rails is a program of the National Park Service, in conjunction with Amtrak, wherein Ranger Guides and Volunteers-In-Parks provide interpretation of a region's history and ecology aboard select Amtrak train routes. The program's goal is to "reach out to people who may not traditionally visit National Park Service areas", according to former NPS Director Robert Stanton.[1]

Trails & Rails logo

History

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Trails & Rails volunteer aboard the Coast Starlight in 2009, interpreting the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail

The idea behind Trails & Rails first formed from an Amtrak marketing director who was on board the Sunset Limited and overheard a National Park Service ranger talking with passengers about the sites outside the window of the Sightseer Lounge.[2] That ranger, James Miculka, served as Chief of Interpretation at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in New Orleans, and started the program with staff from the park aboard the Sunset Limited and soon the City of New Orleans.[2]

Trails & Rails officially became a nationwide program in 2000 when an agreement was signed between the National Park Service and Amtrak.[3] Since then, the program has expanded to nearly two dozen routes under the leadership of National Coordinator Jim Miculka.[4]

Around 2007, NPS began a partnership with the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences (RPTS) at Texas A&M University to house the management of the program there. RPTS faculty assists in training the new Volunteers-In-Parks (VIPs) who work on the program, as well as providing logistical and technical support to the program. RPTS faculty member Susan Scott serves as the Trails & Rails liaison,[5] and coordinates training and support for the program.

The program was suspended during the early COVID-19 pandemic, but resumed in a limited form in 2021. By 2023, eleven routes were participating.[6]

Internships

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Due to the unique relationship between the National Park Service and Texas A&M's Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Sciences, students of RPTS are able to support the program through their studies, gaining hands on experiences. Host Parks in other cities around the nation also seek interns from local universities to volunteer aboard the routes in their area. The National Parks of New York Harbor have recruited students from local universities like St. John's[7] to intern with the unit, and gain experiences volunteering aboard the Adirondack, in addition to their work at the parks.[8]

Routes

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This list is current as of April 2023.[6]

Route Origin Endpoint Sponsoring National Park System unit Days Months Notes
Adirondack New York City Albany–Rensselaer National Parks of New York Harbor, Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt National Historic Site, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site Sat–Sun Jun–Nov
Empire Service
Adirondack Saratoga Springs Westport Saratoga National Historical Park Sat–Sun Jun–Nov
Capitol Limited Cumberland Washington, D.C. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park Sat May–Aug
City of New Orleans Jackson Hammond Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument Wed–Sat Jun–Nov
Coast Starlight Santa Barbara San Luis Obispo Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Thu–Sun May–Sep
San Jose Paso Robles Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Sat–Sun May–Sep
Seattle Portland Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Wed–Sun Apr–Sep
Crescent Atlanta New Orleans Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park TBA TBA Exact city pairs TBA
Empire Builder St. Paul Columbus Mississippi National River and Recreation Area Mon–Wed May–Aug
Seattle Wenatchee Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park Thu, Fri, Sun, Mon Apr–Sep Train 8 on Sun/Thu, 7 on Mon/Fri
Heartland Flyer Oklahoma City Fort Worth Oklahoma City National Memorial Fri–Sat May–Sep
Lincoln Service Springfield Chicago Lincoln Home National Historic Site Sat–Sun Jun–Aug
Texas Eagle
Lincoln Service St. Louis Springfield Gateway Arch National Park Daily May–Sep Also Fri–Sun, Sep–Oct
Missouri River Runner St. Louis Jefferson City
Northeast Regional Washington, D.C. New York City National Mall and Memorial Parks Sat–Sun Apr–Nov Trains 164 and 87

Former routes

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Route Start End Sponsoring National Park System unit
Blue Water Chicago Niles Indiana Dunes National Park
Wolverine
Southewest Chief La Junta Las Vegas Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site
Pacific Surfliner Los Angeles San Diego Cabrillo National Monument

References

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  1. ^ "AMTRAK TRAILS & RAILS". prezi.com. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  2. ^ a b "An Introduction to Trails & Rails". trainweb.org. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  3. ^ "Volunteer New York! Official Homepage | Partner | Trails and Rails Program". www.volunteernewyork.org. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  4. ^ "Trails & Rails Partnership with Amtrak" (PDF). NPS History. 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  5. ^ "Scott, Mrs. Susan". Recreation, Park & Tourism Sciences. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Guenther, Erich. "Trails and Rails offerings on Amtrak routes set for 2023". Trains. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "St. John's Forges Internship Partnership with US National Park Service". www.stjohns.edu. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
  8. ^ "National Park Service Establishes Internship Program at St. John's University (U.S. National Park Service)". www.nps.gov. Retrieved September 30, 2021.
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