EMPIRE BUILDER

{|
The '''Empire Builder''' is a passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwestern United States. Before Amtrak, the ''Empire Builder'' was operated by the Great Northern Railway. The train was Great Northern's flagship train. The current route runs from Chicago, Illinois to the Pacific Northwest. The line splits in Spokane, Washington, terminating at either Seattle, Washington's King Street Station (2,206 miles, or 3,550 km from Chicago) in the north or Portland, Oregon's Union Station (2,257 miles, or 3,632 km from Chicago) in the south.
The train passes through the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. Layovers are made in Saint Paul, Minot, and Spokane. Other major stops on the route are Milwaukee, Fargo, Whitefish, Montana, and Vancouver, Washington. Host railways include BNSF Railway's northern route from Seattle to Minneapolis, Canadian Pacific from Minneapolis to Glenview, and Metra from Glenview to Chicago.
One train passes in each direction on a daily basis. The schedule is timed so that the train will pass through the scenic Rocky Mountains (especially Glacier National Park) during daylight hours, but this is more likely to happen in Summer and on eastbound trains. It normally takes 45 to 46 hours to travel the entire route, barring delays.

Contents

History

Historical equipment used

Additional information on cars used

Current equipment used

Gallery

References

External links

History

The original ''Empire Builder'' was inaugurated by the Great Northern on June 11, 1929. The service was altered to carry additional passengers during World War II. After the war, new streamlined, diesel-powered trains were placed into service. This postwar service began on February 23, 1947. The train was fully re-equipped again in 1951.
The schedule of the route was optimized to allow riders views of the passing Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountain landscapes of Glacier National Park, a park that was established through the decisive lobbying efforts of the Great Northern. After it was re-equipped in the 1950's passengers viewed the route through its three dome coaches and one full-length "Great Dome" car for first class passengers. The train was named in honor of railroad tycoon James J. Hill, who reorganized several failing railroads into the Great Northern Railway and extended the line to the Pacific Northwest in the late 19th century.
Since its inception service has run from Chicago to Spokane, and split into Seattle and Portland sections (except during the Amtrak era between 1971 and 1981, when there was no Portland section). Prior to 1971, the Chicago to St. Paul leg of the train's route was operated by the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad via its mainline along the Mississippi River through Wisconsin. The Spokane-Portland section of the train was historically operated by the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway.
After 1971 Amtrak assumed operation of the train and shifted the Chicago to St. Paul leg to the Milwaukee Road mainline route through Milwaukee.

Historical equipment used

In 1947, each train consisted of:

★ Baggage-Mail car

★ "Chair" car / Coach (60 seats)

★ "Chair" car / Coach (48 seats)

★ "Chair" car / Coach (48 seats)

★ "Chair" car / Coach (48 seats)

★ Dormitory-Lunch Counter-Lounge

★ Diner (36 seats)

★ Sleeper (4 sections, 8 duplex roomettes, 4 double bedrooms)

★ Sleeper (16 duplex roomettes, 4 double bedrooms)

★ Sleeper (16 duplex roomettes, 4 double bedrooms)

★ Sleeper (4 sections, 8 duplex roomettes, 4 double bedrooms)

★ Sleeper-Observation (2 double bedrooms, 1 drawing room)
Car ownership on this train was by-and-large split between the Great Northern and the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad (CB&Q), though a couple of cars in the original consists were owned by the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railway (SP&S). In this consist, one of the 48-seat "chair" cars and one of the 4-section sleepers were used for the connection to Portland, while the rest of the consist connected to Seattle.

Additional information on cars used

The Great Northern coaches eventually found their way into state-subsidized commuter service for the Central Railroad of New Jersey after the Burlington Northern merger and remained until 1987 when NJ Transit retired its last E8A locomotive. Some of these cars remain in New Jersey. Some coaches were acquired from the Union Pacific; these also went to New Jersey. One of the 28 seat coach-dinette cars also remains in New Jersey and is stored near Interstate 78 wearing tattered Amtrak colors.

Current equipment used

The present-day Empire Builder uses Amtrak's double-deck Superliner equipment. The ''Empire Builder'' was the first train to receive this equipment in 1979. In Summer, 2005 the train was "re-launched" with newly-refurbished equipment. A typical 2005 train consist would be (destination noted after the Spokane split):

★ Baggage car (Seattle)

★ Transitional Crew Sleeper (Seattle)

★ Sleeper (Seattle)

★ Sleeper (Seattle)

★ Diner (Seattle)

★ Coach (Seattle)

★ Coach (Seattle)

★ Sightseer Lounge/Café (Portland)

★ Coach/Baggage (Portland)

★ Coach (Portland)

★ Sleeper (Portland)
This is one of the last two Amtrak routes to feature dining car food that is actually prepared in the kitchen on the lower level of the dining car (The other being ''Auto Train''). Food on all other Amtrak routes is prepared prior to departure and is heated in convection ovens onboard.

Gallery

References

★ Wayner, Robert J., ed. (1972), ''Car Names, Numbers and Consists'', Wayner Publications, New York, NY

★ Great Northern Empire Builder (Great Passenger Trains), , Bill, Yenne, Motorbooks International (MBI), 2005, ISBN 0-7603-1847-6

External links

★ Amtrak — ''Empire Builder''

★ ''Empire Builder'' 75th Anniversary page

★ Brochures and History of GN's Empire Builder