A New Look for NARP.

I’ve been involved with the National Association of Railroad Passengers for a dozen or more years now. NARP has two primary missions: first, to promote more and better and faster trains; and second, to be an advocate for all rail passengers, whether they’re traveling on a commuter train or a metro system or across the country on one of Amtrak’s long-distance trains.
 
The organization itself was founded in Chicago 50 years ago, although we now have offices and a full-time professional staff in Washington, DC. In fact, a 50th anniversary celebration–it’s being called RailNationChicago–has been scheduled for the first week of November. It will be held–appropriately, and as the name implies–in Chicago.
 
Off and on for years, we’ve grappled with the issue of the organization’s cumbersome official name: the National Association of Railroad Passengers. Finally, the decision was made to not only shorten the name to something we’ll call ourselves 99% of the time, but also to give the graphic design used to identify us a simpler, cleaner, more contemporary train window shape.
 
The National Association of Railroad Passengers will continue to be our legal name, but the name we’ve adopted for everyday use is a lot simpler and easier to both say and to remember: RailPassengers Association.
 
Of course a new name means a new “mark” or “logo” and one has been designed using the traditional shape of a train window, and enclosing the words RAILPASSENGERS.
 
 Here it is adapted to promote our 50th anniversary celebration this November in Chicago.
 
Personally, I like it a lot. I’m especially pleased thatthe rectangular shape evoking a train window and, in fact, this new logo will often be used with a photo or some artwork in the “window”, conjuring up images or viewing the passing scenery through a window on a train.