Dozens of people gathered at the Antioch-Pittsburg Amtrak station Saturday to protest its planned closure.
"The train is a big deal for me and my family. We like to take the train just to go up to Sacramento, sometimes to Fresno," said Antioch resident Monique McCoy, who read a poem at the rally on Saturday. "The message is just, put yourself in our shoes. If you couldn't get to work and take the train to work, maybe to Sacramento or the surrounding area, how would that affect you and your family?"
Many people at the rally Sunday live in Antioch, but some attendees took the train to Antioch from Richmond and Oakland to attend. After the rally, they all joined in on a walking tour of nearby destinations around Antioch. Residents toured the El Campanil Theater and the Royal Banquet and Event Hall.
Attendees told NBC Bay Area they use the train to go to work, to get to doctor appointments, and even to see their family members.
"The train has been very, very strategically important, especially since I've had an injury, and I can't sit too long in the car, so on the train, you can get up, walk around, get something to eat," said Contra Costa County resident Eddie Gums who often rides the train to attend public meetings.