Saturday May 8th Union Station and environs will be a whirl of transportation activism and fun activities.

At 10 a.m. the Metro Special Board meeting in the Metro Board Room on the upcoming fare change will be held. It should be an interesting spectacle if nothing else as I noted in my previous commentary.

Then starting at 11 a.m. and until late afternoon the 3rd Annual National Train Day will occur all over Union Station.

This includes various transportation-related exhibitors who will be staffing tables on the walkway off the south courtyard near the old Fred Harvey Restaurant facing Alameda.

Participants include:

• Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen
• California High Speed Rail Authority
• California Operation Lifesaver
• Fillmore & Western Railway
• Grand Canyon Railway
• Metro
• Metrolink
• Pacific Railroad Society
• Rail Europe
• Rail Passenger Association of California (RAILPAC)
• Santa Barbara Car Free
• South Coast Railroad Museum
• Southern California Transit Advocates
• Train Riders Association of California, Inc. (TRAC)
• Transit Coalition
• VIA Rail Canada

There are National Train Day events being held Saturday throughout Southern California — including in Bakersfield, Guadalupe, Los Angeles (at Traveltown in Griffith Park), Oceanside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Santa Barbara. Plus I’ve confirmed refreshments will be provided in the afternoon at the Van Nuys Train Station (7724 Van Nuys Blvd)

http://www.nationaltrainday.com/events/other/

I’ll be at the SO.CA.TA table at Union Station from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Given the response last year, I expect a robust turnout and a chance to hear from the public about the issues they care about. I always appreciate a chance to exchange views and perspectives. Overall should be quite a day.