Amtrak’s California Zephyr passes a plateau throughout its 2,438-mile journey to Emeryville/San Francisco from Chicago.

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Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Amtrak’s California Zephyr passes a plateau throughout its 2,438-mile journey to Emeryville/San Francisco from Chicago.

Joe Raedle/Getty Images

He says he is ridden each mile on the Amtrak rail community, and has by no means grown bored with wanting on the nation by way of a prepare window.

Who is he? Nat Read is a real traveler.

• He has visited all seven continents and each the North and South Poles, however a few of his greatest journey reminiscences occurred aboard U.S. passenger trains. 
• He’s 84 now, and as of his journey final month to Brunswick, Maine, he says he is now ridden each mile of the Amtrak map. That’s about 21,000 miles.
• Read stated he did not got down to do it, however about 4 years in the past he was a map and realized how shut he was to finishing the whole community. He took out a coloured marker and famous every leg he hadn’t but completed.
• On July 21, Read coloured within the final of these spokes, from Boston to Brunswick, telling NPR: “Oh, I enjoyed every minute of it. In fact, after I finished it, I took trains all the way back to Los Angeles.”

Want to take heed to the complete All Things Considered dialog with Nat Read? Tap the play button on the prime of this web page.

What’s the large deal? For Read, there’s a magic to trains that vehicles and planes simply cannot seize.

• He stated considered one of his earliest reminiscences of trains was touring residence after seeing his father off to WWII. From there, he was captivated by the journey and alternative they supplied.
• He additionally as soon as labored in publicity for a high-speed rail venture within the Eighties, which aimed to construct a San Diego to L.A. hall.
• Read additionally says the sprawling community of prepare strains provide a comforting perspective on the United States: “To me, this is America with a flag that is equal parts blue and red. And I see the railroad tracks across America as the lace that ties us together,” he stated.

You simply cannot compete with a prepare, in keeping with Read.

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Spencer Platt/Getty Images

You simply cannot compete with a prepare, in keeping with Read.

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

What’s he saying? Read spoke to NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer about his adventures. Here’s what he stated:

On the magic of prepare journey:

On a prepare, I sit on the highest of a two-story magic carpet whereas watching a technicolor diorama scrolling beside me as I progress from the mountains to the prairie, from sea to shining sea. And that is distinctive to railroads. I by no means tire of coasting to a cease in one other small city and watching a cluster of pickup vehicles on the station and folks coming collectively, pals and kin, to precise their love and their bonding. 

On how he felt pulling into the final station in Brunswick:

Oh, I felt euphoria. The conductors on the prepare made an announcement — “We have on the train today a Mr. Nat Read, who has completed…” — , they made the entire announcement. It was really a somewhat lengthy announcement, so after we bought to the station, folks have been lining as much as have their image taken with this well-known individual!

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