Date:  Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Contact: Vickie Sheehan, WSDOT Communications, 360-878-2088

OLYMPIA – After a four-month sales blitz through an innovative partnership with Washington’s Lottery, the Amtrak Cascades “Cash Train” Scratch ticket campaign finishes with higher-than- expected sales and immeasurable promotional value for the state-supported passenger rail service.

Retail outlets across Washington sold more than three quarters of a million Cash Train Scratch tickets over the past three months, with total sales revenue of more than $4 million. A percentage of sales from the Cash Train Scratch ticket will be reinvested in Amtrak Cascades operational costs to help offset the state’s tax subsidy. Depending on the final total of ticket sales, Amtrak Cascades could receive as much as $70,000.

The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), Amtrak and Washington’s Lottery partnered to develop the Cash Train Scratch ticket to promote the state-sponsored Amtrak Cascades passenger rail service. The $5 ticket was sold throughout Washington from March through June and paid out cash prizes up to $50,000.

In addition to the cash prizes, three “Second Chance Prizes” went to winners drawn from non-winning tickets that were submitted to the Lottery. Second Chance Prizes were provided courtesy of Amtrak, Tourism Vancouver, Tourism Whistler and Washington’s Lottery. They included an Amtrak Cascades trip to Vancouver, B.C., and a ski/spa getaway in Whistler.

“The Cash Train Scratch ticket has been a fun promotional way to highlight Amtrak Cascades and the benefits of train travel,” said Washington State Transportation Secretary Paula Hammond. “We thank Washington’s Lottery, Amtrak, and our tourism partners in Vancouver and Whistler for their support to make this program a success.”

“We’re so proud that our first collaboration with Amtrak and WSDOT on a themed Scratch game for Washingtonians was a success,” said Washington’s Lottery Director Bill Hanson. “Not only did the Cash Train ticket help raise awareness for the Amtrak Cascades rail service, our players had fun with it at the same time.”

The partnership between the Washington’s Lottery and WSDOT began more than a year ago when WSDOT proposed a Scratch ticket for Amtrak Cascades. The agencies worked together during the past two years to develop a successful program that promotes and helps fund an efficient travel option for Washingtonians.

Amtrak Cascades operates three daily round trips between Portland and Seattle; one daily round trip between Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., and one daily round trip between Portland and Vancouver, B.C.; and two daily round trips between Eugene and Seattle, via Portland. Amtrak Cascades is operated by Amtrak in partnership with the Washington and Oregon Departments of Transportation. For Amtrak Cascades fares and schedules, visit AmtrakCascades.com.

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