It is time to visit the great northwest. We think a train trip from Minnesota to the coast would be fun. Who has tried this and what have you learned, both good and bad?
Hi Art
If you go to this shady little place out in Missouri http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=35270&REPLY_ID=710998#710998
Ask for the Tarbender Tom. He has done a lot of rail travelling and maybe able to give you some pointers. Then again word has it the Parrot is the brains of the show and watch out for Tex as he hovers under the tables looking for food scraps.
Tell’m Fergie sent ya [;)]
Art, there’s only one thing to do. Jump on the Empire Builder (quick before it disappears). I’ve taken that trip to Seattle. Nice ride, though it can be a bit tedious being on the train for the better part of two days, even for a railfan.
If you like baseball, why not schedule your trip to coincide with the Twins playing the Mariners. They have a ballpark that we can only dream of. They are there June 6 - 8. This is close enough to the longest day of the year, so you’ll get the full scenic effect for your trip.
P.S. Seattle is a nice place to visit. My ex wife and I went there on our honeymoon. We were there during the San Francisco earthquake of 1989.
That’s one thing I’d like to do before I get too old. Either the Empire builder or the Canadian Excursion Train or the Alaska Excursion Train (don’t know the specific names).
I would like to do the Empire Builder route just because it was the Great Northerns main route…oh the history of my favorite road.
ROCKY LIVES!!
The Empire Builder is the only rgularly scheduled train that cah get you from Minnesota to the west coast. I have had several friends take it and they all said it was great.
Actually, we didn’t ride the train for our honeymoon trip. We rode it about 7 years later as part of a package tour. It was a rail circle trip, out of St Paul on the Empire Builder to Seattle. Then on Via from Vancouver to Winnipeg, with a bus ride home. Not bad, but I’m not much for traveling in groups.
As for the rail equipment, Via is much more interesting, as they have classic single level cars from the 50’s. None of this Superliner stuff.[}:)][;)]
I’ve only done the Chicago-Twin Cities part of it. It’s very nice, those Superliners are great !! Don’t overlook that part of it, three hours by train running along the westbank of the Mississippi is pretty nice, very scenic area with steep bluffs - not at all like the flat prairie you find west of the Cities. But then Chicago - St.Paul the EB is on former Milwaukee trackage, not GN.
I was just down at the local Amtrak station on Wednesday and they were touting the newly re-equiped Empire Builder (it even made the cover of the national timetable) saying that it has just been allowcated an all-new/refubished consist so it sounds like a good time to jump on and go for a ride.
Cheers!
~METRO
I wasn’t really knocking the Empire Builder and the Superliner equipment, it was just fine. Now that it has been refurbished it’s probably as nice as it was 10 years ago, maybe better. But when it comes to class and style, Via still has the edge in my book.
Since you’re starting here (Twin Cities) you might consider trying to find a flight from MSP to somewhere in western North Dakota or eastern Montana, and taking the train from there to Seattle or Portland. Going west, the Builder stops at the Midway Station in St.Paul at about 10 PM so you’re basically just paying for a fairly expensive rolling hotel room for the night. Same thing coming back, eastbound it arrives here about 7:30 a.m., maybe try to get back off the train ‘out west’ and catch a flight back.
Personally, I think flying out to meet the train is a much bigger hassle than it’s worth, and probably more expensive too. The schedule isn’t the greatest, but in part, it’s done that way for the scenery. Just get on, and get settled in your room for 2 nights.
Now flying home from Seattle is a different story. That makes real sense. Or try Via and fly home from Winnipeg.
As close as I’ve ever heard you come to blasphemy. [swg] The word is “relaxing”, not “tedious”.
Regards
Ed
My wife and I took the Empire Builder one way from Chicago to Portland back in March
of 1999. Some ride!! Snow piled up higher than the cars when we got to the top of the pass in the Rockies. The train had to stop for about 45 minutes while the snow removal crew finished up a section ahead of us. We were half asleep, but looking out the windows on a snow covered station ( just a little hole in the wall place) with the full moon brightly lighting up the scene was really something.
The service was wonderful; food was great. Accomodations in the sleeper were not overly spacious but we enjoyed the trip immensely. Bring lots of books. We have wanted to ride the coastal route from Portland down to San Diego, but have not had a chance to do it yet. Maybe soon.
My wife and I took the train from Seward Alaska to Anchorage, then to Fairbanks. It was a great trip with breathtaking scenery. The food was the best I have eaten in a long time, I was quite surprised as I really didn’t think that it would be that good. After a bus trip to the Yukon and British Columbia, we took the White Pass RR from Carcross to Skagway, and that ride was beyond what I can ever describe in this thread. All I can say is, find a way to take this train ride before you leave this planet!!!
After May 24, the Empire Builder will be the only Amtrak train that still offers actual diner service–the rest are switching over to microwaved meals and prepackaged foods like on shorter-haul trains. I’m taking my trip to Chicago on the California Zephyr and booked my return trip to coincide with the final diner service–I’ll be in the diner for that trip!
Taking the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle makes a fine trip. You could try making stops in Glacier National Park. There may be tours to get you north to Banff & the Rocky Mountain trains to Vancouver. By al means, take some time for Victoria & Butchart Gardens. Another side trip would take you down to Portland before retuning to the EB to return home. THere’s plenty to see in the states & provinces of the West.
My wife and I are on our fourth trip on the Empire Builder to the Seattle/Tacoma area from Minnesota in the last four or five years. Have enjoyed every time. The food is good and the trip is relaxing. You can take those afternoon naps as you’re going through Montana !!! It’s a little tight in the sleeper room but we manage. You meet a lot of interesting people in the dining car to visit with. Some of the porters are helpful and others are putting in their time. Need to check your luggage and take only a small case for what you need for the two days you’re on the train with you in the sleeper room. The cars have been refurbished but the rooms aren’t any bigger. The Empire Builder has a wine & cheese tasting now at least they did last week. I even won a bottle of wine for answering a trivia question. Shared it with a couple at the evening meal!!! The train has been pretty much on schedule except for one time going into Chicago.from Seattle. We were seven hours late due to a breakdown with one of the engines outside of Seattle and they had to connect a freight diesel as Amtrack didn’t have any spare engines. Thus the slow down with the freight diesel. They are geared differenly we were told.
Sorry Ed, I just kind of get that “cooped up” feeling after a couple of days. Keep in mind I’m a large person and many spaces on board are small, bed and shower in particular.
I hear that you can request the handicapped compartment on the lower level which has more space. If there are no handicapped passengers in need, they will book them out.
The 8 hour ride to Chicago is more my speed.
If you mean northeastern USA there is the DownEastern From Portland Me to Boston Mass.