Sign Me Up
25th February 2014
Amtrak has so many empty seats on its trains that it is creating a writers-in-residence program offering free long-distance train rides to writers provided that they tweet their journeys. Despite my skepticism for government subsidies to trains, I love trains and have always dreamed of living on one. So I’m ready to take up my residency.
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Should Amtrak offer residencies to photographers? Painters? Model railroaders? On average, Amtrak trains only fill half their seats, so there is plenty of room for this program’s expansion.
February 25th, 2014 at 10:47
Oooohh!! This opens up SO many possibilities!
The sex angle: “Amtrack – Join the Mile Long Club!”
“Park your Prius and Ride the Rails – Amtrak, we’re just as slow and you won’t have to recharge!”
Slow cooking: “Have you tried our diesel smoked brisket?”
For Northern extremes: “Amtrak – come and race a glacier!”
“Amtrak: We’re like CSPAN, but moving!”
“Amtrak: Hey, you might as well ride ’cause you’re paying for the damned thing anyway!”
“Take the Amtrack to D.C. You’ll finally have time to read the entire U.S. Tax Code.”
“Wanna avoid running into any of those pesky politicians? Ride Amtrak! You won’t see a Congressman, Senator, or President during your entire trip!”
“Dying? Take Amtrak. You won’t live any longer, but it will seem like forever.”