The City of Toccoa will join with Amtrak in celebrating the 2010 National Train Day on May 8, 2010 with a special event at the historic train depot in downtown Toccoa. Mayor Bob Troup, city officials, and citizens will welcome the train as it stops in Toccoa on its way to Atlanta at 6:15 a.m. AM630 WNEG Radio will broadcast live. A drawing for free train tickets to Atlanta, a $500 Amtrak voucher, a framed Amtrak poster, and a canvas bag will be held at the event. Enter to win at these locations: Ionosphere Travel, WNEG Radio, and the Chamber of Commerce.
The City of Toccoa has had a long history with the railroad industry. In fact, the city originated in 1873, and can be traced back to the development of a coaling station for the Atlanta to Charlotte Railroad after the Civil War. Over the years, due to access to the railroad, industry came to Toccoa as well as a college and a United States military training camp. The city has also benefited for the past thirty years from Amtrak’s Crescent Line being one of only three stops in Georgia. In 2008, more than 3,000 people came through the historic downtown via Amtrak and the number increases every year.
“Not only does the National Train Day celebration help focus on the importance of the railroad to our community, it highlights the opportunities it presents today. We continue to promote Amtrak travel as a relaxing way to visit Toccoa,” said Sharon Crosby, Special Events Coordinator.
The Crescent Line travels through more states – including the District of Columbia – than any other Amtrak route. Offering daily service, the 1,377 - mile route travels from New York’s Penn Station to the New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal in 30 hours, stopping in 33 communities along the way.
National Train Day, 2009
The City of Toccoa joined with Amtrak in commemorating the 30th anniversary of the historic Crescent Line as part of National Train Day with a special event at the train depot on Alexander Street in Historic Downtown Toccoa on May 9, 2009 at 6 a.m.
Toccoa Mayor Ron Seib and other city commissioners, city officials, the chamber, the industrial development authority, county officials, and many citizens welcomed the train as it made its regular morning stop heading South to Atlanta and, eventually, New Orleans.
The Mayor boarded the train and handed out information packets about Toccoa to those on the train.
AM 630 WNEG broadcasted the event live. Reporter Robin Dake wrote an article about the event. Her article also ran in the Anderson Independent.
Drawings were held for free round-trip tickets to Atlanta (donated by Ionosphere Travel Agency and won by Brian Bridges and Rebecca Harris) and a $2,000 Amtrak voucher (donated by AM 630 WNEG and won by Chris Green).
Amtrak donated tote bags and a framed commemorative Crescent poster (won by Knox Holcomb) were also given away as part of the event in Toccoa.
"We want to thank Amtrak, Ionosphere Travel Agency, and AM 630 WNEG Radio for their event sponsorship," said Downtown Development Director Connie Tabor. "And we also want to thank the community for coming out and helping us welcome this train to Toccoa."
Amtrak tickets can be purchased online or locally by visiting Ionosphere Travel Agency in Historic Downtown Toccoa (706.886.9471).
Connie Tabor, Director
92 N. Alexander Street
P.O. Box 579
Toccoa, GA 30577 Phone: 706.282.3269 or
706.282.3232
