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Trip Report: Amtrak's Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago

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Memma

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22 Jul 2020
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Hi All

Another trip report just published! This one on the Empire Builder from Seattle to Chicago via Glacier National Park. What a beautiful trip!

My trip was pre-COVID so the service onboard described is pre-Flex Dining (read microwaved or convection heated pre-prepared food) on Amtrak's western long-distance trains, but Amtrak's plan is to revert to Dining Car service once the pandemic is over (fingers crossed it happens!).

https://trainreview.com/article/exp...-americas-north-aboard-amtraks-empire-builder

I hope everyone is well and staying safe!

Amtrak's Empire Builder, which links Seattle (or Portland) with Chicago over the route of the historic Great Northern Railway, is one of the great rail journeys of North America. Passing through the spectacular Glacier National Park, crossing Big Sky Country and the Great Plains, winding down the Mississippi and much more - the Empire Builder is a rite of passage for railfans and a bucket list experience for adventurers. Whilst the Great Dome Cars and Pullman sleepers of the famous Streamliner which once transported the rich and famous across the country have been retired, the Empire Builder's spectacular scenery remains mostly unchanged.

I may be one of the few people on the planet who loves boarding a long flight. Long flights signify the start of new adventures, the anticipation of landing somewhere I haven't been, or somewhere I am excited to return. And so, on a freezing June morning, I was excited to board a flight to Seattle. I am setting off on an adventure on board Amtrak's Empire Builder. On the way, I will summit the Cascades, pass unparalleled views of the stunning Glacier National Park, cross a high-altitude desert, gaze at Big Sky Country, marvel the Great Plains and explore booming regional economies and diverse, exciting cities. There is only one obstacle between me and this great train – 19 hours in the air!

Landing in Seattle, a city I have spent significant amounts of time in previously for work, feels very familiar. Sea-Tac airport hasn't changed, and the city's excellent Link light rail still connects the airport with one of the world's more unique pieces of transit infrastructure – the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. Seattle's Downtown Transit Tunnel carries a mix of bus and light rail vehicles both stopping at subway style platforms designed for both modes of transport.
 
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Shinkansenfan

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3 Aug 2009
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Just read your trip report today. Nice reporting combining a balance of trains, on board experiences and wayside history.

Makes me want to ride this train again and alight at some of the smaller towns/cities. Thanks for the report.
 
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