Posters of the Amtrak routes - where to get?

Hello, anyone know where I can get those posters of the Amtrak long distance routes?

Usually, you see them on board the trains.

Examples:






Would be nice to have a collection of all the trains one has been on.

amtrak store doesn't have them, only one I see is Auto Train

http://store.amtrak.com/ProductList.aspx?did=5551

Here's the online store of the artist, Michael Schwab.

I want the Philadelphia Acela poster but not at $150!!!! That's quite honestly a rip off! Unless it's framed no thanks! Amtrak sells them for $15! IIRC. What a rip off!!! I'm sure if he's got a number I could pull the "price match" non sense.

Acela150 said:

I want the Philadelphia Acela poster but not at $150!!!! That's quite honestly a rip off! Unless it's framed no thanks! Amtrak sells them for $15! IIRC. What a rip off!!! I'm sure if he's got a number I could pull the "price match" non sense.

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Just for the record, those posters from the artist's studio are printed on archival paper and they are personally signed by him. They're not mass produced for commercial use.
I was able to obtain several sets of postcard size posters, as well as a couple of posters at NO CHARGE HERE. Be aware that this place is sort of a marketing site for Amtrak ~ basically for travel agencies, government agencies, etc.

Sorry ~ no Philadelphia Acela posters....

For $2, IIRC, I bought a set of postcard sized posters at the 40th anniversary exhibit train. I also would LOVE to have all of the posters framed and in my house!

Can anyone get that great american stations site to work? I tried in chrome, firefox and IE but everytime I try to add something to my cart I get an error message :angry2:

JoanieBlon said:

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I was able to obtain several sets of postcard size posters, as well as a couple of posters at NO CHARGE HERE.

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I got an error message when I clicked on your link. :-(

"The web site you are accessing has experienced an unexpected error.

Please contact the website administrator."

FYI - This text appears one level back:

http://www.westernfo...talog/logon.cfm

These items are intended for distribution to local government agencies supporting efforts in developing Amtrak service and stations facilities in their areas. Customers and passengers desiring Amtrak timetables and brochures please call 1-800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com. Travel agents requiring Amtrak materials and information please call 1-800-525-2550.

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Do what you like with this information.

If someone can find a good high resolution image of the posters somewhere on the internet, one could download them to computer, take on a USB drive to Wal-mart or Staples etc and get it printed on photo paper in a small postcard size or big poster size. Of course copyright issues need to be handled.

Frankly, I don't know why nobody in the copyright chain is selling these posters for costs that most members could actually afford. Amtrak sells a bunch of typical corporate branding crap I'd never want in my home but when it comes to their own beautiful posters I'd be happy to purchase they can't help me. The original artist is willing to sell them at art-house prices but for most members than means between one and zero purchases. If they were produced on standard poster paper for a much more modest sum they could be hanging in hundreds of houses all across the country providing much desired artwork along with an interesting conversation piece for their owners.

Texas Sunset said:

Frankly, I don't know why nobody in the copyright chain is selling these posters for costs that most members could actually afford. Amtrak sells a bunch of typical corporate branding crap I'd never want in my home but when it comes to their own beautiful posters I'd be happy to purchase they can't help me. The original artist is willing to sell them at art-house prices but for most members than means between one and zero purchases. If they were produced on standard poster paper for a much more modest sum they could be hanging in hundreds of houses all across the country providing much desired artwork along with an interesting conversation piece for their owners.

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I totally agree. While I respect the artist for selling numbered prints on archival paper, I would be happy with a $15 - $20 print on poster paper. If they were in that range, I would buy the entire set and call it a day. I seriously was talking about it during my visit to the exhibit train that I wanted a bunch of these, and they would have been great to sell on the train. Instead I bought the postcard collection - but if they had been selling full size versions in the price range I mentioned, I would have easily bought up to $100 worth of posters for my home. It seems like that would be a win for everyone. Interestingly enough, a quick look at ebay shows some of those free posters going for $12 - $20.

amamba said:

Texas Sunset said:

Frankly, I don't know why nobody in the copyright chain is selling these posters for costs that most members could actually afford. Amtrak sells a bunch of typical corporate branding crap I'd never want in my home but when it comes to their own beautiful posters I'd be happy to purchase they can't help me. The original artist is willing to sell them at art-house prices but for most members than means between one and zero purchases. If they were produced on standard poster paper for a much more modest sum they could be hanging in hundreds of houses all across the country providing much desired artwork along with an interesting conversation piece for their owners.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. While I respect the artist for selling numbered prints on archival paper, I would be happy with a $15 - $20 print on poster paper. If they were in that range, I would buy the entire set and call it a day. I seriously was talking about it during my visit to the exhibit train that I wanted a bunch of these, and they would have been great to sell on the train. Instead I bought the postcard collection - but if they had been selling full size versions in the price range I mentioned, I would have easily bought up to $100 worth of posters for my home. It seems like that would be a win for everyone. Interestingly enough, a quick look at ebay shows some of those free posters going for $12 - $20.

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Or even as Texan Eagle suggested, have them sell a high resolution (8MP+) digital image for say $10, and allow us to go print them out ourselves, not to mention we would be able to use them on all of our digital devices!

jdcnosse said:

amamba said:

Texas Sunset said:

Frankly, I don't know why nobody in the copyright chain is selling these posters for costs that most members could actually afford. Amtrak sells a bunch of typical corporate branding crap I'd never want in my home but when it comes to their own beautiful posters I'd be happy to purchase they can't help me. The original artist is willing to sell them at art-house prices but for most members than means between one and zero purchases. If they were produced on standard poster paper for a much more modest sum they could be hanging in hundreds of houses all across the country providing much desired artwork along with an interesting conversation piece for their owners.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. While I respect the artist for selling numbered prints on archival paper, I would be happy with a $15 - $20 print on poster paper. If they were in that range, I would buy the entire set and call it a day. I seriously was talking about it during my visit to the exhibit train that I wanted a bunch of these, and they would have been great to sell on the train. Instead I bought the postcard collection - but if they had been selling full size versions in the price range I mentioned, I would have easily bought up to $100 worth of posters for my home. It seems like that would be a win for everyone. Interestingly enough, a quick look at ebay shows some of those free posters going for $12 - $20.

Click to expand...

Or even as Texan Eagle suggested, have them sell a high resolution (8MP+) digital image for say $10, and allow us to go print them out ourselves, not to mention we would be able to use them on all of our digital devices!

Click to expand...

Actually I meant if one finds a digital image lying somewhere for free, maybe Amtrak promotional material or whatever. "Selling" digital images doesn't work really well because I can pay $10 to "buy" the digital image and then I can upload it on a free site or email the image file as attachment to say, the entire AU group and voila! Now hundreds of people will have the image while the seller earns only $10. This is the reason such content is not sold online.

Amtrak provides free download of timetables, dining car menus, rather detailed route guides in PDF format, I see no reason why they cannot put up the promotional posters for free download on amtrak.com too. It's free advertisement after all.

Didn't someone post here, a ~1.4M .pdf file of the Amtrak route network? The one that kind-of looks like a subway map.

Texan Eagle said:

jdcnosse said:

amamba said:

Texas Sunset said:

Frankly, I don't know why nobody in the copyright chain is selling these posters for costs that most members could actually afford. Amtrak sells a bunch of typical corporate branding crap I'd never want in my home but when it comes to their own beautiful posters I'd be happy to purchase they can't help me. The original artist is willing to sell them at art-house prices but for most members than means between one and zero purchases. If they were produced on standard poster paper for a much more modest sum they could be hanging in hundreds of houses all across the country providing much desired artwork along with an interesting conversation piece for their owners.

Click to expand...

I totally agree. While I respect the artist for selling numbered prints on archival paper, I would be happy with a $15 - $20 print on poster paper. If they were in that range, I would buy the entire set and call it a day. I seriously was talking about it during my visit to the exhibit train that I wanted a bunch of these, and they would have been great to sell on the train. Instead I bought the postcard collection - but if they had been selling full size versions in the price range I mentioned, I would have easily bought up to $100 worth of posters for my home. It seems like that would be a win for everyone. Interestingly enough, a quick look at ebay shows some of those free posters going for $12 - $20.

Click to expand...

Or even as Texan Eagle suggested, have them sell a high resolution (8MP+) digital image for say $10, and allow us to go print them out ourselves, not to mention we would be able to use them on all of our digital devices!

Click to expand...

Actually I meant if one finds a digital image lying somewhere for free, maybe Amtrak promotional material or whatever. "Selling" digital images doesn't work really well because I can pay $10 to "buy" the digital image and then I can upload it on a free site or email the image file as attachment to say, the entire AU group and voila! Now hundreds of people will have the image while the seller earns only $10. This is the reason such content is not sold online.

Amtrak provides free download of timetables, dining car menus, rather detailed route guides in PDF format, I see no reason why they cannot put up the promotional posters for free download on amtrak.com too. It's free advertisement after all.

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And this is where Digital Rights Management (DRM) comes into play and why you have to install proprietary software if you want to print a coupon to your favorite pizza place for your birthday. lol

Texan Eagle said:

Actually I meant if one finds a digital image lying somewhere for free, maybe Amtrak promotional material or whatever. "Selling" digital images doesn't work really well because I can pay $10 to "buy" the digital image and then I can upload it on a free site or email the image file as attachment to say, the entire AU group and voila! Now hundreds of people will have the image while the seller earns only $10. This is the reason such content is not sold online.

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I find it hysterical that you chose to put "selling" and "buy" in quotes but left "find" alone. Talk about Freudian irony. I'm all for free posters though. In fact I'll be happy to "buy" you a canvas and a mount and some paints. I'll even be happy to digitize the result. Of course copyright issues will need to be "handled" but I'll be happy to hand over 50% of the "profits" if that sounds good to you? :lol:

Texas Sunset said:

Texan Eagle said:

Actually I meant if one finds a digital image lying somewhere for free, maybe Amtrak promotional material or whatever. "Selling" digital images doesn't work really well because I can pay $10 to "buy" the digital image and then I can upload it on a free site or email the image file as attachment to say, the entire AU group and voila! Now hundreds of people will have the image while the seller earns only $10. This is the reason such content is not sold online.

Click to expand...

I find it hysterical that you chose to put "selling" and "buy" in quotes but left "find" alone. Talk about Freudian irony. I'm all for free posters though. In fact I'll be happy to "buy" you a canvas and a mount and some paints. I'll even be happy to digitize the result. Of course copyright issues will need to be "handled" but I'll be happy to hand over 50% of the "profits" if that sounds good to you? :lol:

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I am sorry I am not sure if you clearly understood the point I was trying to make. My point was, selling a digital image for some amount of money wouldn't work well because one person could buy it and email it to hundred others. So, if it has to be soft copies, it has to be free. And I did not put find in quotes because I mean find it literally, not steal it. Several movie houses these days keep their posters, wallpapers etc for free download somewhere on the website made for the movie, the idea behind it being, if someone is looking around for a poster or wallpaper for my movie, it means they like my movie and would be my potential revenue generators (by going to watch the movie), so lets give them a freebie, and if they put it up in their homes or office, its free publicity for us. Win-win situation. You never know Amtrak might do something similar too (or rather, should do).. give people copies of posters of trains for free because when they put them up, it shows their interest in the brand and free advertising doesn't hurt!

I hope this will please you, no quotes at all.

No worries.

If you're convinced that digital downloads will result in little or no revenue, and I would honestly tend to agree you on this, then I would suggest Amtrak avoid that route and try to generate at least a little revenue out of a hard copy version. Passenger rail is already under pressure from so many angles (anti-rail congressmen & governors, freight railroads, accident prone trucking companies, Fox News & AM radio, roadway construction companies, insufficient maintenance schedules, ever larger passenger airlines, Tea Party types, etc.) that any new PR endeavor will need to show some sort of ROI.

To be fair, Amtrak does give away posters from time to time. They typically wait until there is a specific event or occasion to do so but it does happen. Amtrak also has provided free images capable of being downloaded and printed from time to time as well, although not at 8MP in my experience. Amtrak does not provide prints or high resolution downloads of their most desired poster series and it seems doubtful to me that this is simply a chance situation. I would imagine this is due to some contractual obligation they have agreed to at some point. That obligation might be possible to renegotiate if a fee of sufficient amount was charged and split with those who hold ownership of the copyright.

If simply given away as a digital freebie to any who care to download I don't think it would be as easy to get approval from all interested parties. If it was I think we'd already have seen something released long ago. This isn't a huge deal to me, but if and when these posters become available for a more reasonable sum I'd be happy to pick them up and provide Amtrak a little "free" press along with some ancillary revenue in the process. Maybe we should reach out to the artist and see if he's willing to cut us a deal for a lower-quality print at a substantially reduced "AU Membership" price? It's quite clear he has the legal and technical ability to sell these posters, so has anyone ever asked?