The final results are in for the 10th Annual Amtrak-Lionel Kids Essay Contest. More than 300 children (ages 12 and under) sent in their essays on what they liked about riding Amtrak. The prizes for this competition included one Grand Prize of a Santa Fe El Capitan™ train set and 14 First Place Prizes of a Polar Express™ train set by Lionel.
We had some wonderful entries, and the children did an excellent job describing everything they liked about their experience on the train. Including the friendly crew, their amazement over the scenery from the observation cars, and their contentment with the snacks and beverages being served. Conductors achieved an overwhelming amount of praise with the young riders, with one entrant being very pleased with a Lead Service Attendant calling him "Spidey".
Winners ranged in age from four to eleven years, and were selected from eleven different routes. Enjoy excerpts from the Grand Prize a First Prize-winning essays below.
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
David, Age 7 — Belmont, Massachusetts
Empire Builder
Hi guys when I finish my railroad French toast I will tell you what I like about Amtrak. Munch crunch now I will tell you what I like about Amtrak. Well I love the train. If I was on the train for my whole life I would be Happy to get on a another train. I feel safe on a train. It has every thing you need a place to eat a place to sleep and a place to look out at a pretty place and a bath room with nice smelling soap. The trip begins when you get on the train not like a airplane. I like to eat meals on a train because if you look out the window then eat something and look out again you see a whole new thing and the ice cream is yummy I love the spoon that comes with it I love the chedder cheese sandwiches on Amtrak… First call for lunch… Oh I have to go to the bathroom to wash up with the nice smelling soap and go to lunch to have a good grilled cheese sandwich so bye see you after lunch munch crunch munch crunnnnch.
Hi again I just wanted to say bye before I get off the trains bye …Time to stretch your legs.
FIRST PRIZE WINNERS
Abie, Age 8 — Dallas, Texas
Coast Starlight
The thing I like about Amtrak is when you ride Amtrak, it feels so cool first Its like its boring, but when it starts moving you see all the land and you feel like you in paradise or heaven. Also when you explore you find stuff like theaters cars, sight seen cars, sleeper cars, and seats, just seats you might think that's boring but it isn't, its awesome. In a train like Amtrak once you get on it you know its…better than greyhound and other buseslike that when you get on Amtrak you sense whats it called just like the bus I'm in which is called starlight
Otis, Age 8 — Missoula, Massachusetts
Amtrak Cascades
I love the ways in a Dining car eating in your seat, hamburgers, hot dogs, candyEverything packed in one tiny car!! As you bite into a hot dog you think "More, More, More"!
"Oh that's my stop, Next time I'll discover the sleeper car? Dinning Car
A Poem by Otis Peterson
Liam, Age 5 ¾ — Portland, Oregon
Amtrak Cascades
I like all the Train cars. Looking out the windows watching the movie. I just heard the toot tooting. Sometimes I took a nap. I could see the train tracks out of the window
I really want to wint the Santa Fe El Captain
The bridges are fun to go over. If I win the orange train I will share it with my grandpa.
Liam
Matias, Age 4 — Albuquerque, New Mexico
Southwest Chief
I like the doors and the buttons on the bottom that you kick to open. I like sleeping because I got to sleep on the top bed. I like all the food they have and I like all the people who work on the train like the dinner person who called me "spidey" when I wore my Spiderman shirt. I like speeding on the train and seeing all the trees and machines andother trains and mountains and construction and lakes and cows and deer and I even saw a hawk!
Chloe, Age 5 — Appleton, Wisconsin
Empire Builder
I like it when it's moving! I liked sitting in the observation car (the one with all the windows, and seeing all The things go by. All my animal pets could watch too because I put them all along the window on the ledge so they could see too. =)
Mikey, Age 10 — New York, New York
Empire Builder
There are a lot of things I like about riding on the Amtrak. For example, when you get a sleeper car, it is like a first class ticket, so you get three meals a day and a coffee and the newspaper in the morning. The attendants and conductors are always very nice. When you go to the dining car for a meal, it feels like the chefs and waiters used to work at a five star restaurant. Also, it is a great way to see the country. When you take a plane, all you can see is a blue and white, but when you ride on Amtrak, if you look out your window you might see one of the most beautiful things you will ever see in your life.
Jacob, Age 10 — Portland, Oregon
Amtrak Cascades
All aboard! On August 11th I traveled from Portland, OR to Seattle, WA on the Amtrak Cascades. I embarked on the 3 hour journey with my Mom and Dad. It was a fantastic adventure.
Scenery and small towns popped up along the way. The area with the most scenery was Puget Sound. Puget Sound is a big lake with trees. In the background.
During this train journey you wouldn't have found my in my seat. I was mostly in the bistro car. It is like a fast food restaurant on wheels
My Dad and I + food = My Dad and I in the bistro car. We were amazed at the scenery going by. It was not loud in the bistro car. It was a good chance to forget about school coming up.
It was a Fabulous Jorney and I wanted to stay on the train but I had to get off. On the taxi ride home I was already talking about my next trip. It would be with my uncle going down to Arizona to Visit my grandma, on the train of course.
Hayley, Age 11 — Deal, New Jersey
Southwest Chief
My mom and I celebrated the 10th anniversary of my adoption from China on the Southwest Chief. Seeing my country America through the windows of a train was great.
When we boarded the train in LA, our friendly cabin attendant maned Vic gave me a green glow stick. It came in handy as a nightlight when we were traveling throught the mysterious Mojave.
The next morning, from the obserbation car, I saw mountains, plateaus and mesas that I read about in Social Studies. In Albuquerque, I met real American Indians. They were so nice to me, and my mom even took my picture with them.
Then when I got back on the train something unbelievable happened! I made a friend my own age and we ate together in the dining far, played cards in the lounge, and watched DVD's in her room. When the train arrived in Chicago she sang "Amazing Grace" over the loudspeaker and everybody on the train clapped for her. I will never forget my train trip on the Southwest Chief.
Will, Age 9 — Juneau, Arkansas
Coast Starlight/Amtrak Cascades
What I like about riding Amtrak is that its so beautiful. It goes rilly fast and you also get to see other trains that would proably couldn't get close up to in a car. Its very nice on the inside. It has snack bars and cars with windows all around. My mom and dad are not planning long enough trips. I really want to go on a sleeping car because sleeping cars are very nice and beautiful on the inside. What I'd also like to say, that is not part of the contest, is "you don't always win." You could lose what I always say is "maybe next time!"
Kolbie, Age 9 ½ — Visalia, California
San Joaquin
I'ts fun to Ride The Amtrak Train. My Grandma and I sit up high on the second floor. It's cool because we can see everything. She likes to Look at the mountains and Hills and I cant wait to see the Castle Air Mueseum Because from up high I get a great view of the Stealth bomber. Then when it is lunch time we go to the dining fart. It's fun to walk on a moving train especially seeing my grandma trying to do that. I usually get a burger an fri they're good. Sometimes our seats are by Table where we eat and play cards. I don't have to be qiuet Because, my Grandma isn't driving and doesn't have to concentrate on The Roads. We can Talk all we want. If I need to go to The bathroom it doesn't take my Grandma an hour to find one. It's Right There on The Train. The funny part is sometimes when The train whistle's goes off my Grandma pretends she is honking the horn and says "haha I don't have to drive!" The Amtrak is fun!!
Jessica, Age 8 ½ — Bellevue, Washington
Amtrak Cascades
Every few minutes you could know what's going on like the deli was closing or that an apple iPhone was found. I liked the map on the T.V. so you could see the next stop. The Family Slepper car was big and it had beautiful views and beds you could pull out. On the lake view I saw babies of an eagle. Also the food was delicious!!! I loved the train, and I can't whait to go back!
Dylan, Age 7 — Higginsville, Missouri
Missouri River Runner
Its awesome. I like looking out the windows at all the neat things we go by. It is fun to go to the snack bar and feel the train shake you back and forth when you walk. I like hearing the horn telling people we are coming through. It is cool how the train rocks you like your sitting in a rocking chair. I got to ride the train with my dad before he had to go to Iraq. Now we are riding it again because he is going to Afghanistan. I will miss him, but it is funriding the train with him before he leaves. Me and my sisters all get to move around and play with him on the train. I really like it when we get to pass other trains, I also like pretending we are racing the cars when we go beside the roads.
Sasha, Age 6 ½ — Leavenworth, Washington
Amtrak Cascades/Coast Starlight
It like that the bathroom area bigger than planes bathrooms. I like that on the Coast Starlight we had ice cream for dessert in the dinning car every day. Also on the Zephyr too. You get better quality food then on some planes. On the Coast Starlight we played games like chutes and Ladders we found the Parlor car. I like Coast Starlight Don't you? Isn't it nice? You don't have to situp when you're sleeping. Because we got a sleeper room I could play with my dinosaurs there and hide them all over the room.
Peter, Age 9 — Florissant, Missouri
California Zephyr
The Scenery while having meals ok my choice I went from Chicago to San Francisco. Now when I see Colorado on a map I see snowcapped mountains. The train went thru the rocky mountains. When I see Nebraska Iowa and Illinois I remember the farms. The cities are exciting. Reno is all lit up. Going thru the Sierra Nevada mountains and other parts of the trip had a guide speaker. I lost count of the rivers lakes tunnuls and bridges. All of this with comfort and good food. I loved the trip. Mommy saved money.
NOTE: The essays are transcribed exactly from the children's entries. All spelling, grammar, and punctuation are reproduced as originally written.
