PHOTOS: Ashland Train Day was full steam ahead

Apr 27, 2025 - 09:25

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PHOTOS: Ashland Train Day was full steam ahead

HANOVER COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- Saturday was full steam ahead for Ashland Train Day, which was a railroad extravaganza.

Sponsored by Amtrak and CSX Transportation, the free railroad extravaganza was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, and featured model and kiddie trains, Touch-A-Truck, vendors, food options, live entertainment, a scavenger hunt and more.

During the festival, 12 fully loaded CXS freight trains and Amtrak passenger trains — from real trains to model trains — rolled through town.

The event gave visitors a chance to explore the historic area of Ashland. In addition to trains, the festival also included railroad history, live music, touch-a-truck, food and more.

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Haley Glenn, the passenger rail marketing manager for Amtrak Virginia service, with the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority, explained how this event allows young, aspiring travelers to learn more about trains.

"Ashland Train Day a great way to get the community together, get kids excited about rail transportation," Glenn said. "Trains are a great, sustainable form of getting where you need to go, so we're really excited to get this community out together, teaching this next generation of rail travelers to love trains."

"It's a great way to build excitement for train travel," she said.

Guests were able to catch a shuttle or ride an Amtrak train to the event from Ashland-Junction Shopping Center (167 Junction Dr.), Ashland Hanover Shopping Center (205 N. Washington Hwy) or First Baptist Church Ashland.

"Ashland is a train-centric town," Glenn said. "There's not a lot of towns that have tracks that run right through downtown, so it's just a perfect blend of community and we get to bring the community out and have a great time," Glenn said.

Ashland Train Day 2025 (Photo: William Berksteiner, 8News))