In the early 1990s, Amtrak embarked on an advertisement campaign that gave way to the famous "There's Something About a Train That's Magic" ads. These ads featured a song sung by Richie Havens. This is that song in its entirety. Huge thanks to @theseaboardarchives on YouTube for uploading the Amtrak training tape this is from.

Full Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRDbO3tTUcs&t

Lyrics:

The way you see,
the fields of grain, 
the way the rivers run,
the waves along the ocean shore.

Journeys begin again,
memories take you home.
The way we see this land of ours,
gliding across America.

There's something about a train,
that's magic!

There's something about a train,
that's magic!

The way you see,
the way you see the miles passing by,
the way you look
out on life.

Cities and mountains,
shadows across the sky.
The way we see this land of ours,
gliding across America.

There's something about a train,
that's magic!

There's something about a train,
that's magic!
All aboard...
Amtrak!

(Chorus)
Ride on down to Santa Fe,
or Philadelphia, PA.

New Orleans, Albuquerque too.
Heading on out to Kalamazoo.

Departing from Baltimore
to Minneapolis/St. Paul.

Omaha to Yuma,
zoomin' into Zuma.
If you wanna,
down to Tijuana.

Buffalo, Chicago.
Don't forget El Paso.
Toronto, Reno,
San Bernardino.

Something Magic (Amtrak 90s Theme Song)

This background track is perfect for film or video as it represents the perpetual motion of traveling by train.  Written while riding in an Amtrak sleeper car, the piece evokes the feel and adventurous journey of traveling by rail.  This is the perfect piece to represent ongoing motion.   (*NOTE* This piece can be edited to meet your time and/or tempo needs. Contact me for details)

The Train Journey Within

Recorded September 16, 2024 at 1:00 p.m.

Sony PCM-D100

Photograph: Daniel Case (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Amtrak train arriving at the platform - Rhinecliff, NY

From Murder Mystery Fun on the Orient Express to Soaking Up the Views on Canada's Rocky Mountaineer, and Experiencing America on Amtrak, this episode of Big Blend Radio's VACATION STATION Travel Podcast explores the world of train travel! 

FEATURED GUESTS WHO ARE ALL TRAIN TRAVEL ENTHUSIASTS:
- BARBARA REDDING - Travel writer and photographer. See her story on the Dirango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad: https://barbararedding.com/a-rolling-history-ride-in-durango/

- ROSE PALMER - Travel writer and photographer. See her train travel stories from Europe and England:
* https://quiltripping.com/luxury-without-murder-orient-express/
* https://quiltripping.com/merry-christmas-train-trip-a-british-pullman-day-trip-to-the-winchester-christmas-market/

- DIANE DOBRY - Travel, food, and wine writer. Follow her adventures at https://gettinghungary.com/ and http://discoverydaze.com/

- EVA ELDRIDGE - World Traveler, writer, and editor. More: https://evaeldridge.com/

- VICTORIA CHICK - Contemporary figurative artist and early 19/20th century print collector. More: https://victoriachick.com/

- DAVID KRISO - Travel writer and speaker at https://dektraveljournal.com/. Hear his interview about Amtrak travel: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/the-joys-of-amtrak-travel/

PLUS, we close the show with Steve Schneickert's Hollywood History segment covering Railtown 1897 State Historic Park in the historic California gold rush town of Jamestown.

The World Of Train Travel

NAmTrans Director, Joel Wood, sits down to interview Rebecca Nieves, GM of Universal Interiors in Champlain, NY. Rebecca and Joel discuss the company's history, products, customers, career opportunities, and so much more!

We Make The World Move - Episode 29 - Universal Interiors Pt 1

$16 billion is the estimated cost to build the new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. Decades of delays and funding spats ultimately led to the creation of the Gateway Development Commission, the bi-state entity responsible for making the tunnel a reality. Joining the podcast is Alicia Glen, co-Chair of the Gateway Development Commission, founder and managing principal of MSquared, and current CBC Trustee. Glen is also the chair of the Trust for Governors Island, and the former Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development during the de Blasio Administration.

$16 billion, with Alicia Glen

This song track presents a familiar bit of Americana with a Folk Rock ballad dedicated to the Acela Train: "Rolling Rails to New York" is a nostalgic ode to the train ride from Boston to New York aboard the Amtrak Acela. The song captures the essence of high-speed train travel, gliding high above the bustling streets, bypassing traffic, and uniting passengers across all classes—coach, business, and first class. With vivid imagery of the café car offering Hebrew National hot dogs and mac and cheese (served separately, of course), the lyrics celebrate the shared experience of reaching the destination together. The song concludes with a heartfelt farewell to the Acela as it continues its route to Washington, D.C., blending humor, romance, and the timeless charm of train travel.

Rolling Rails to New York: The Amtrak Acela Train

In this episode of the Hurdy Gurdy Travel Podcast, host Justin Vacula discusses low-cost travel using points and miles, focusing on Amtrak Guest Rewards with special guest Deker. 

They delve into the benefits and earning potentials of Amtrak's credit cards, including a special offer for 40,000 points. Deker shares his journey into the world of points and miles during COVID, his experiences with Amtrak's credit cards, and tips for maximizing travel rewards. 

The conversation also covers notable Amtrak routes, the benefits of different train cars, and how to find the best deals for train travel. 

Listener questions about Amtrak's amenities, connection opportunities with the Amtrak social media team, and future travel plans are addressed. The show concludes with announcements about upcoming meetups and events.

Justin and Deker also give a shoutout to Amtrak superfan Pari Kim, PurplePrincessPari on Instagram, who recently appeared on season three of the Netflix show 'Love on the Spectrum.'

00:00 Introduction to Low-Cost Travel with Points and Miles
00:32 Meet the Host and Special Guest
00:47 Amtrak Guest Rewards and Meetups
01:38 Decker's Journey into Points and Miles
02:35 Discovering Amtrak's Loyalty Program
03:16 Hosting Points Quest Conference
06:16 Amtrak's Popularity and Challenges
10:55 Exploring Amtrak's Scenic Routes
17:10 Amtrak Credit Cards and Benefits
24:12 Creative Spending Strategies
25:05 Listener Question: Earning Guest Rewards Points
26:10 Maximizing Amtrak Points and Status
26:54 Finding Good Deals with Amtrak
28:07 Speculative Travel and Cancellation Policies
29:33 Travel Tips for Long Amtrak Journeys
32:55 Must-Have Items for Comfortable Travel
34:58 Listener Questions: Amtrak Social Media and Cafe Closures
39:19 Upcoming Travel Plans and Credit Card Strategies
41:59 Connecting with the Amtrak Community
45:46 Closing Announcements and Future Events

--

Main website, including episode transcripts: https://hurdygurdytravelpodcast.com

Referral links: https://hurdygurdytravel.com/donate-referral-links/

CardPointers affiliate link: https://cardpointers.com/hurdygurdytravel

Join me for in-person meetups I host in Willow Grove, PA: https://www.meetup.com/phillymilesandpoints/

SubscribeStar: https://www.subscribestar.com/hurdy-gurdy-travel

SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/hurdygurdytravelpodcast

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast/id1489093490

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8EcIcoNU1HK4KKhQtTkAWw

Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/hurdy-gurdy-travel-podcast

Google Play: https://www.play.google.com/music/listen?u=0#/ps/l5bmuntd4wpvtklvg42ejg42ejg4apiu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HurdyGurdyTravelPodcast 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/HGTravelPodcast

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/justinvacula

Copy and paste the podcast RSS feed -- http://feeds.soundcloud.com/users/soundcloud:users:706382626/sounds.rss -- to listen on your favorite podcast-playing platform!


Amtrak Guest Rewards with Deker

Pari Kim from 'Love on the Spectrum' Interview - Trains and Amtrak

I’ve always loved trains, whether they were my childhood model trains or real trains, trains have been an adventure for me all of my life, so it was only natural for me to take the auto train to Florida for a visit with the grand-kids. Traveling on the Auto Train offers a unique and convenient way to explore the East Coast of the United States without leaving your car behind. Operated by Amtrak, the Auto Train runs nonstop between Lorton, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C., and Sanford, Florida, near Orlando, allowing passengers to relax in comfortable accommodations while their vehicles are safely transported in specialized rail-cars. The Auto Train combines the freedom of a road trip with the comfort of rail travel...no traffic, no overnight driving, and plenty of time to unwind.
Fortunately my wife Sarah is an experienced travel agent and she was the one who booked this trip.
Using my old iPhone I recorded some of the more interesting moments starting with getting there.

The Amtrak Way

Dr. Justin Bai, Recent doctorate graduate from University of Colorado - Boulder, talks [Oak-Remento] Athletics and Transit.

Dr. Bai's Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/justinbai.bsky.social
Dr. Bai's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transittransittransit/

Last Call Baseball T-Shirts: https://last-call-baseball-shop.fourthwall.com/collections/all
Last Call Baseball Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lastcallbaseball/
Last Call Baseball Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/lastcallbaseball.bsky.social
Intro and Outro Music: DeCarlo 
Podcast Logo Artist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/regan_vasconcellos/

184 - Dr. Justin Bai

Recorded 2025-07-11 06:07:00

Sennheiser MKH 8040 (stereo pair in ORTF) + Zoom F3

Southbound Amtrak train passing along the Hudson River - Tivoli, NY

On peine à oublier
On surfe sur la vague
On retient un nuage d'été quand l'hiver nous accable
Hey, mais regarde autour de toi
Les journées sont graciles, déambule dans la ville
Hey, mais regarde autour de toi, même si rien n'est facile...

Yseult - La Vague (re disco ver ''HEY'' You've got The Deepest LOVE Dark Club reMix) back to 2015

In this episode of GTM Innovators, we sit down with Phil Portman, founder and CEO of Textdrip, to explore how SMS is evolving from a simple communication tool into a powerful, intent-based automation channel for modern go-to-market teams. Phil shares his entrepreneurial journey from flipping houses to building a scalable, compliant SMS platform designed for regulated industries. We dive into how Textdrip leverages AI (without losing the human touch), the dos and don’ts of SMS campaigns, and why deliverability and trust are the new battlegrounds in business texting. If you’re curious about how to integrate SMS into your GTM strategy the right way, this episode is for you. 

Texting with Intent - Phil Portman on Smarter SMS for Modern GTM Teams

Late night on a train back from Boston,
lost in my thoughts of you.

Miss Those Days (WIP - v3 Instrumental)

Pronounced: Mee-In

Hi!  I'm JJ.
I'm just a guy with a studio who writes music for fun.

Here is where I upload unfinished works and instrumentals before they're officially released.  Official releases can be found on nearly every digital store, including Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, and YouTube.

I'm a music producer, singer, songwriter, and audio engineer skilled in producing many different genres of electronic music such as EDM, contemporary R&B, pop, rap, lo-fi hip hop, and soundtrack scores.  Occasionally I dabble in other genres, but some I prefer to write over others and therefore I end up with more of those.

===============================
A note about my music:
===============================

While some of the tracks here are personal ones which I intend to keep for myself, others are intended to be used by others as they please.

My portfolio of rap, hip-hop, and r&b beats is a collection of tracks produced by me for other artists who wish to use them.

++If a specific track that still bares a "WIP" mark is desired, feel free to message me here on Soundcloud and I'll make it a priority.

++If you would like me to produce a specialized track for you I am happy to do so.  Please feel free to message me here on Soundcloud about inquiries and I'll follow up with you on specifics.

***I am in no way trying to claim ownership or generate revenue from these songs, I have simply posted them because I liked them, and they are (or were at the time) unable on SoundCloud. If you are the original artist and have a problem, please DM me.*** 

I post whatever I like here. Mostly songs and remixes from TLOZ: Spirit Tracks, but also just random stuff I like.

"Mister Radio" invites you to participate from the comfort of your own home. "Mister Radio" will interview you about anything: politics, education, religion, science, industry or the arts. So, if you’d like to share your life with a short phone interview please let "Mister Radio" know by emailing him at misterradio2020@gmail.com.

Select Big Blend Radio interviews that are featured in the digital, interactive Big Blend Radio & TV Magazine and Parks & Travel Magazine. Hosted by Nancy J. Reid and Lisa D. Smith, mother-daughter travel team and publishers.

Travel the world at next to no cost with credit card rewards!

Performer, multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, creative individual,  pastor

Join me for baseball, drinks, and everything under the sun.

Where is the purpose in your life
Where is the truth
Do you remember your hopes Your dreams
They are no longer your own
This day is for living your own life
Don't let this world capture your heart
Your passion lost to a thousand themes
Surrendered to the screen
This is not a story
This is not a book this is your life
And this is not a play
Some TV show you've seen
This is real life

New tracks tagged #amtrak