- I found my grandfather's photos from an Amtrak ride he took in 1984.
- It inspired me to take an Amtrak journey and use the same film camera to snap photos.
- The uniforms have changed a lot but Amtrak still uses a lot of the same colors and features.
In October 1984, my grandparents took an Amtrak train from Denver to northern California so that my grandmother could attend a library conference.
They flew from their Massachusetts home to Denver and hopped on the California Zephyr Amtrak, which still runs almost the same route today. My grandfather, though a doctor by profession, took hundreds of photos everywhere they went with a Canon AE-1 and a Leica.
About 40 years later, I found perfectly preserved slide trays from this trip (and others) while opening boxes in my grandma's house.
While going through them, I was able to step into the past — and I felt inspired to take an Amtrak ride of my own with the same camera.
My grandfather's photos documented what it was like riding an Amtrak train in 1984
They rode a Superliner, which has two levels to accommodate more passengers. You can still ride these types of train cars around the country on 11 different Amtrak routes.
From 1972 to 1993 Amtrak trains were painted with relatively uniform colors and stripes.
In 1984, when my grandparents traveled, Amtrak likely would've still been using its original logo that featured a custom Helvetica font, chevron-style Amtrak Arrow, and red, white, and blue. The company used this logo until about 1999.
Some of Amtrak's Superliners — including the one my grandparents were on — have sightseer lounges with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Today, seven Superliner trains have observation rooms like this one. When I spoke to my grandmother, she recalled looking through the observation-car windows to see the canyons in Utah and other views along the route.
My grandfather also captured what Amtrak crew members were wearing at the time for the snowy trip from Denver to San Francisco. The crew member he photographed was wearing a red cardigan and matching hat.
According to Amtrak's history blog, the company had a uniform shift in the 1980s. Employees at this time would've been able to choose from different "timeless accessories" like cardigans and sweaters so they could put together their own unique look.
With my grandpa's Canon in hand, I rode an Amtrak train and tried to recreate some of the photos he took
I boarded the Lake Shore Limited from Cleveland to Boston on March 10 and tried to recreate some of the photos my grandfather took on his 1984 trip.
I used his camera, a Canon AE-1, which had been kept safe and in perfect working condition. Using it was straightforward to use once I was able to find the manual for it online. For film, I used a Kodak Ultramax 400, a stock I've photographed with for many years.
My train, being a Viewliner, only had one level. Unlike the train my grandparents took, this type of train doesn't offer an observation deck on board.
Still, the train's large windows provided me with some beautiful views during my 15-hour train ride.
Amtrak uniforms have changed a lot since my grandparents' travels
The staff uniforms have gone through several evolutions since Amtrak's founding in 1971 as different designers took charge.
I was able to photograph two Amtrak employees on my trip, and both wore navy-blue Amtrak zip-up windbreakers. Although the look is different from the red one my grandfather captured, it's clear that staying warm has remained important with these uniforms.
My train's exterior had a lot of the same colors as my grandparents' ride
The Lake Shore Limited has been in service since 1975. My specific train happened to be part of Amtrak's Heritage Unit, which celebrated 40 years of the company in 2011 by painting a number of modern train cars in color schemes from previous generations of Amtrak.
Either way, Amtrak still uses the patriotic color scheme of red, white, and blue on most of its trains. The current Amtrak logo, which features three curved rail lines, has been in use since 2000.
Overall, a lot has changed about Amtrak since my grandparents took their trip in 1984. But despite new uniforms, designs, and cars, the most important aspect of taking an Amtrak — the trip and the journey — felt very much the same to me.