We are taking the Empire Builder at the end of July to Portland, booked a roomette for the trip. Any comments as to what to expect on the trip, or suggestions as to what to bring (i.e., good books, board games, snacks, etc.)?
You can buy snacks onboard, I thought when I took it a few years ago that the food in the diner was very good. From what I understand, the Builder is supposed to be one of the best Amtrak lines re food service; I read that they’re like the last Amtrak train to prepare the food themselves on the train, rather than just warming up pre-packaged meals??
BTW where are you boarding the train?? [:)]
Would there be just one Diner on the train, which would not run between Portland and Spokane?
Here is part of a report that I sent to Amtrak after having taken the Texas Eagle to Milwaukee and the Empire Builder to Portland. I have added some comments.
I stayed overnight in Milwaukee, as opposed to Chicago, because it was significantly cheaper. Also, much to my surprise, Milwaukee turned out to be delightful. It has an excellent mall as well as several museums and good restaurants near the refurbished Amtrak station. It was cold while I was there, but it was not a major problem. It should be very pleasant during the summer.
"On December 2nd and 3rd I took Train # 21, The Texas Eagle, from Dallas to Chicago and Train # 339 to Milwaukee. On December 4th I took Train # 7, The Empire Builder, from Milwaukee to Portland. I was in Roomette # 6 in Car 2220 on the Eagle and Roomette # 3 in Car 2730 on the Builder. I had a coach seat on # 339.
The Eagle was terminated in St. Louis because of an ice storm. No problem! Having grown up in Altoona, Pennsylvania, which was a major railroad center, I understand how nasty winter weather can disrupt railroad operations. We were placed on a comfortable bus and driven from St. Louis to Chicago. As it turned out, I sat next to a man who grew up about 15 miles from Altoona. And like me he is a graduate of Penn State. So we had a nice chat.
My accommodations on both trains were clean, stocked properly, and comfortable. The train personnel were great. The Eagle conductor told us why the train was delayed getting into St. Louis (the ice storm had knocked out the UP’s signals) and, ultimately, that it would terminate there.
The car attendants on 2220 and 2730 were pleasant and helpful. I had heaps of questions for the attendant on 2730. He cheerfully answered all of them. His demeanor was great; he made the trip more enjoyable. If
The dining car normally stays with train 7 and 8 between Spokane and Seattle. Trains 27 and 28 between Spokane and Portland get the snack/lounge car, but it’s been known to run out of most items by the time it gets west of Spokane. We always bring a backpack full of food and drinks just in case (cheaper anyway). Dining car meals are generally good. Expect your best daytime scenery while crossing the Montana Rockies, and along much of the Columbia River. Beautiful sunrise and sunset near the Wallula Gap that time of year if your trains are close to on-time.
On the Westbound Empire Builder, this isn’t really a significant difference. The split at Spokane happens in the wee hours of the morning (I slept right through it), and both sections arrive at their destinations by mid morning, so the only meal after the split is breakfast. As it was set up three years ago when I travelled, the Diner went to Seattle and the Cafe-Lounge went to Portland to provide the meals on their section of the trip. My travel was shortly after they refurbished the equipment and it seemed like Amtrak wanted to make it a stand-out train.
The Lounge car does go to Portland and so breakfast on that leg of the journey is limited to “something wrapped in plastic” if they haven’t run out by then. And by “wrapped in plastic” I mean this is truck stop level stuff. It is possible to run a microwave kitchen and still have pretty decent food, but Amtrak just isn’t interested and perhaps more to the point, it seems to go out of its way to make it clear that it isn’t interested.
The scenery on that leg of the trip is spectacular, extraordinary, and it is really a shame that a passenger can’t get even a minimal decent breakfast to eat while enjoying the ride.
The Dining Car into Seattle is “OK”. Westbound, this is a staff that is entering its third day on the rails, and the “bloom is off the rose” so to speak. The breakfast menu is fairly generic for a decent cafe and, by that point in the journey, there are usually one or two items that are “not available”. But, it’s usually pretty good food. Coming down off of Steven’s Pass is a very scenic, rural experience. On my last trip through, somebody must have left a window open somewhere up front as the heavy diesel exhaust that fills the Cascade Tunnel got into the passenger cars and lingered, unpleasantly, nearly to Everett. That was unusual, though.
On the Eastbound out of Seattle, the dinner menu is likewise fairly generic. Sometimes I have been pleasantly surprised, other times disappointed. The consistency of service is more variable there than at any restaurant I know of.
My first railroad dining car experie
A couple of suggestions after taking my family west on the Empire Builder last summer:
- Bring snacks as the food is rather expensive… someone above suggested a back-pack full, that is a great idea
- If you’re riding in coach, be prepared for later-than-normal meals as the dining car attendant starts in the sleepers with reservations. By the time they get to coach the times are starting to get late (7:30 pm. +++), especially if you’re in one of the last coach cars visited.
- You can do quite fine simply eating out of the snack car; we got off the train at Glacier so we did not experience the snack car running out of anything.
Have fun! Tom
I was just on the Builder last week, and I found the food to be pretty good…
My first night out of Chicago I had a nice salmon steak in a white sauce with saffron rice and vegetables - surprisingly delicious. I’d avoid the flatiron steak though, unless you’re pretty undescriminating with your beef.
Keep in mind that your diner meals are free (minus any alcohol you order) since you’ve got a room. And they had us set up with free cookies to snack on… apple and orange juice… free coffee… etc etc mid-car in the sleepers. I did bring my own snacks (a quick trip to a Trader Joe’s in LaGrange did the trick)… and I didn’t have to hit the cafe car even once between Chicago and Glacier.
The Portland leg gets the better deal in my opinion… sure the Seattle train gets the diner, but the lounge car just has such better views, I don’t feel that the drop in food quality was bad enough to make up for the better view of the glorious scenery going along the Columbia. Get down to the lounge right when the cafe opens at 6am, grab a bowl of Frosted Flakes or a cinnamon roll… and then grab yourself a seat in the lounge, and I think you’ll be pretty happy all morning. I sure was! 
You never did say where you were boarding the train…if it’s in Chicago, I hope the water has gone down by then, since right now the Builder isn’t operating between Chicago and St.Paul.
Wonder how the food service is on Greyhound??
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We are scheduled to get on in Chicago. We aren’t leaving until July 29th, so hopefully in five weeks, the tracks will be above water and repaired. I understand that this Saturday, the Empire Builder will be leaving Chicago again to St. Paul via a detour route.
Do you know what route the detour is taking? Why now and why not before Sat?
From what I have read in the Chicago Trib, initially, BNSF did allow the Empire Builder to detour over its tracks in Wisconsin, but specifically which line or sub I don’t know. Then the detour was suspended due to heavy freight traffic, also detoured using the same line. My guess is that detoured freight traffic has somewhat abated.
THe EB detour route used the tradtional CB&Q route via Savanna & up the Mississipi. THe track between Portage & Wisconsin Dells was closed due to flooding. Lake Delton is across the Wisconsin River at this point. There were some delays for BNSF crews to change in La Crosse. Keep watching for Amtrak or BNSF/CP announcements for the service to be restored.
It appears the ATSF Chief route thru Iowa was the first to be restored, once the MS river went down. However, the station is still closed. (BNSF raised the rail bed to get service running).
BTW the Mid continent Railway museum suffered extensive damage in the flood. Rail fans may want to send them a contribuition to keep operating. Go to their website for details.