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]
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]
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]
This list is current as of April 2023[update].[6]
| 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 |
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| Services |
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| Infrastructure |
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| Organization |
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| History |
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