"Spend a Week in Washington" advertisement, 1972.

This advertisement was one in a series created for Amtrak between 1971 and 1973 by the Ted Bates agency of New York City. According to the text at the bottom of the piece, it was intended for placement in Cumberland, Md., newspapers. In a letter to Amtrak, the agency noted that advertising was placed in newspapers, radio, television and magazines, but the first two were preferred "because of their ability to present local information and immediate impact."

It promotes spring travel to Washington by showcasing an image of the city's famous cherry trees and the new John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts. In spring 1972, the route was equipped with a unique TurboTrain, an articulated, lightweight trainset with gas-turbine propulsion.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation as part of a program to explore the future of high-speed rail service, the TurboTrains were designed by United Aircraft and built by Pullman-Standard. They entered service in 1969 for Penn Central and were later operated by newly formed Amtrak where they were primarily used between New York and Boston until their retirement in 1976. In 1971, Amtrak took the TurboTrain on a national tour to show off the new high-speed technology.

From the Amtrak Corporate Collection.