It symbolizes and highlights the important role Amtrak plays in the nation’s transportation network.

Amtrak worked with the National Park Service, the National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, and the National Christmas Tree Railroad, to have its model train circle the 26-ft. evergreen located at President’s Park just south of the White House.

The model Amtrak train is a G scale (1:22.5) and includes two GE Genesis P42 diesel locomotives and four single-level Amfleet passenger cars plus a café car. It represents Amtrak’s Midwest Corridor service, as well as the Northeast Regional service south of Washington, D.C. where the trains operate using this type of equipment. It will be on display through Jan. 1, 2012.

In addition, Amtrak is partnering with Washington Union Station and MTH Electric Trains to bring the new Holiday Train Show to the Main and West Halls of the historic station. The display features O gauge trains from the steam and modern eras and includes F40 diesel locomotives and Amfleet passenger cars representing Amtrak corridor trains from the 1990s. It will be on display through Jan. 2, 2012.

City.Mobi

Also in US today, City.Mobi is celebrating the success of its new guide to Washington DC.

City.Mobi offers the most comprehensive mobile travel guides available, with over 800 cities in 200 countries listed. Each is developed by the City.Mobi team to combine into a single global travel directory.

However, each city retains its own mobile identity via a dedicated domain. Already on offer are Brussels.Mobi, Paris.Mobi, Sanfrancisco.Mobi and Sydney.Mobi.

WashingtonDC.mobi is the latest in this illustrious line up, offering click to call functionality – which means no scribbling down telephone numbers.

Most entries are also linked to websites where users can quickly access more detailed information if needed.

Other key features include information on accommodation, restaurants, attractions, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, and transport.

City.Mobi guides include user reviews and traveller utilities such as a translation guide, currency converter, news and local weather guide.