Amtrak has just done the most adorable thing ever: they released 40 different emojis that represent specific rail lines. No longer must we select either a sleek bullet train or an old-fashioned steam locomotive! Amtrak announced that the emojis reflect the landscapes, industries, cultures and quirks of the states where the routes run.
For instance, the City of New Orleans train is represented by a fleur-de-lis symbol, the Capitol Corridor, which runs from Sacramento to San Francisco, shows the Golden Gate Bridge, and the emoji for the Lincoln Service is a black top hat. Some of the choices are quite literal: the Palmetto train shows a palm tree, the Maple Leaf line shows a maple leaf, the Cardinal train shows a red cardinal and the Crescent shows a crescent moon. Others are a little more subtle. For instance, the emoji for the Vermonter train is a green mountain since it is known as the Green Mountain State, while the symbol for the Downeaster train is a lobster because the train goes through the state of Maine, known for its lobster industry. It’s entertaining to look through the emojis and determine why they were selected.
One puzzler is why the California Zephyr train is represented by a full sun and a saguaro cactus. Although the Zephyr tracks cross over the 40 Mile Desert in Nevada, saguaro cacti only grow in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.
Amtrak reports it will use these emojis in messaging about each of its Northeast Corridor, Long Distance and State Supported service lines.
