# Empire Builder Trip



## trainfan (Mar 14, 2009)

Well I made it back from a round trip on the EB to Seattle!! Here is a day to day account.

Mar 4 Left from Jackson Mi on Wolverine train 353 at 1.30 PM . Consist was P-42 #203 , 1 AMFleet Club Dinnet

(IN bad need of a rebuild!) 4 Horizon coach and a "Cabbage" We went business class , the leather seats were

in good shape but the door seals leaked creating quite a draft where we sat !! We arrived in Chi on time but it was

rush hour and we were trying to get out of US as the "Thundering Herd"of commuters were headed in. Quite an

Experience for this country boy!!! We stayed at Club Quarters on Adams Street, Next morning we took bus tour

of Chicago , we sat on top of an open top double decker bus , even though it was cold it was a good tour!

Mar5 After Chi tour we went to the Metro Lounge and checked around Noon , we stowed our bags with the RED Cap

and headed upstairs to get a Chicago style hot dog!!! MM GOOD!! Got back to the lounge around 1.20 about 1.30

the conductor for the EB came in and collected tickets and about 1.45 we were lead out the door to the North where

the EB was waiting. But wait a minute I am a member of AU and know how the constist should be !!!  something

is amiss!  The train is backwards!!! After pointing this out to the conducter and getting one of thoughs " O boy

another of them looks" (Train Buff or AU member!!) He explained that they couldnt turn it around because of a

derailment in the Yard . So our 730 sleeper was second from the rear with the transition sleeper on the back.

We left right on time 2.15 , Our room was E on the rebuilt SL1 , our sleeper attendent came around to make sure

we were settled in or had any Questions ( As I shake the cobbwebs lose a little I will remember his name  )

About an hour out of Chi he came around with 2 small bottles of Champayne , they were quite good. WE made

the 7.30 dinner reservations as that Chi Hotdog was hanging with me!! I went for the Flat Iron Steak and my wife

had the chicken, They were ok but nothing great! We stayed up until the twin cities where I got off for some fresh air

I could make out P-42 150 on the lead but the all aboard was sounded before I got far enough to make out the other 2

maybe tomorrow!! We turned in for the night both sleeping in the bottom bed (after 27 years we still get along  )

Mar 6 The tracks were quite rough after the twin cities for awhile so we had a had time getting to sleep but

but after a while they settled down and we got a good nights sleep. WE got up early and headed for breakfast

I had the Cheese omlet and my wife had the french toast they were very good. The downside to the EB is you

have to go through several coach cars to get to the sightseer car, we hung out there for a while , I went down

to get a couple Pepsi,s and found the car to be a SL 2 with 7,11 stile snake bar with green seats , the top

floor was half tables with the other half with the chairs faceing out all in blue. We returned to our room about 11.30

and decided to skip lunch . I read the paper for a while , but after a while I dosed off for a nap. About 2 our attendant

came by and wondered if we would like to take part in the wine tasting? WE did. The dinning car Stewarddidnt know there was an Au member present and he made the mistake of asking an Amtrak question for the free bottle .(What 4 states

dose amtrak not serve?) YES I got the bottle and youall can figure it out :lol: ) I found the different cheeses really brought

the flavor of the wine! We are running about 1.5 hours late so the smoke stops are very brief . I was wanting to get

to the front of the train to get the numbers off the other 2 p-42s but being on the back of the train it was a long way.

I told my wife I would head to the front of trian and if the all aboard sounded I would jump on another car!! :angry:

"Dont you dare !! I want to know your on the train when it starts moving!!) Maybe tomorrow!! I cant remember

what I had for supper but it was quite good>(note to self, Next time bring paper and pen to wright things down!! :blink: )

We went through the Rocky Mountains at night and awoke in the Cascade mountains .

Mar 7 We awoke in Washington , I slept through the Train split at Spokane, I looked out side and it was snowing

very hard in STEVENS PASS . It was hard to see the Mountains , we headed for the dinning car where I was

told WE HAVE RUN OUT OF RR FRENCH TOAST  !!! I had the omlet again!! Around 8 we left Everett went through

a short tunnell and there was the water of the Puggett Sound . WE worked our way down the sound to Seattle and

arrived on time at King Street Station. The station is being restored after being sold to the city by BNSF RR

They are removing the drop ceiling in the main hall , I could see up above. I cant belive they covered it up all

these years with an ugly drop ceiling . It will trully be something to see when complete! Damm!! I just remembered

I hadnt got the # of thoughs other P-42s , we lost one at Spokane and they wouldnt let up the platform far enough

to get the # in a last ditch effort I shot a picture but alas it didnt work. OFF to our hotel. Best Western Pioneer Square

We had a great crew in the dinner and "Isac"  Our attendant was great ,I have to stop for now but will

cover our 3 days in Seattle and our return trip over the next few days as I have time!!!


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## saxman (Mar 15, 2009)

Glad you had a great time. Thats interesting about the reverse consist. Were you on the back the whole time? How did they do the Portland split. Us AUer's have to know these things!

Also I just saw Loco #150 today on the northbound Starlight. So I guess they sent it to LAX after it got to SEA and now its heading north again to SEA. I'm in San Luis Obispo and I saw it at the station.


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## printman2000 (Mar 15, 2009)

So where was the baggage car? Was it on the rear?


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## trainfan (Mar 15, 2009)

saxman66 said:


> Glad you had a great time. Thats interesting about the reverse consist. Were you on the back the whole time? How did they do the Portland split. Us AUer's have to know these things!
> Also I just saw Loco #150 today on the northbound Starlight. So I guess they sent it to LAX after it got to SEA and now its heading north again to SEA. I'm in San Luis Obispo and I saw it at the station.


I was on the back the entire trip and I am not sure what happened with the Porland split as I Slept through it, I assume

#150 and the second P-42 went to Sea with the third going to Portland. The Baggage car was in the normal spot ,but

I am not sure whether it was still on there in Sea or not but I think it was as I was looking at the front of the train trying

to get the numbers of the other p'42s and I think was. Just went through my pictures again and I can make out the

baggage car and what looks like #150 followed by # 46 or 48?? on the Pugget Sound so what they did at Spokane

is mistery :unsure: On my return the consist was also messed up and I will cover that later on my return report!


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## trainfan (Mar 15, 2009)

printman2000 said:


> So where was the baggage car? Was it on the rear?


Normal spot,behind the Loco s


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## Neil_M (Mar 15, 2009)

saxman66 said:


> Glad you had a great time. Thats interesting about the reverse consist. Were you on the back the whole time? How did they do the Portland split. Us AUer's have to know these things!
> Also I just saw Loco #150 today on the northbound Starlight. So I guess they sent it to LAX after it got to SEA and now its heading north again to SEA. I'm in San Luis Obispo and I saw it at the station.


150 was parked up at Portland on the 11th http://50031.fotopic.net/p56863392.html and must have got to Seattle via the n/b CS that afternoon, as it was the lead loco on the s/b CS on the 12th.... http://50031.fotopic.net/p56933624.html


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## trainfan (Mar 15, 2009)

trainfan said:


> Well I made it back from a round trip on the EB to Seattle!! Here is a day to day account.
> Mar 4 Left from Jackson Mi on Wolverine train 353 at 1.30 PM . Consist was P-42 #203 , 1 AMFleet Club Dinnet
> 
> (IN bad need of a rebuild!) 4 Horizon coach and a "Cabbage" We went business class , the leather seats were
> ...


Mar 7-10 We stayed at the Bestwestern in Pioneer square about 4 or 5 blocks from king street station, it is an old

building which has been completly redone on the inside. It is in what they call "Little Italy" . WE spent the next 3

days walking around the downtown area and waterfront with a car ferry trip over to Banbridge Island for lunch.

It was very cold for Seattle as it was snowing with a temp in the high 30 s , talked to my son in Mi and he said it

was close to 60 there. We also made a trip up the Space Neddle Wow what a view!!! Then we had to go to Pikes

Market to see them selling the fish, We ate at a restaraunt called the Crab Pot on the water front where they

dump your order of seafood in front of you and give you a bib a small mattet and a cutting board . Well that covers

the main points of our stay in Seattle, Time to get ready for our EB return!!!!


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## trainfan (Mar 24, 2009)

Sorry it took so long to post my return on the EB. We got to King Street Station about an hour before departure in the

hope of seeing some rail activity, first in was one of those SOUNDER trains from Takoma . I couldnt believe the amount

of people that got off that train! Next came an Amtrak Cascades Talgo train let by A F-40 Cabbage(I could have swore

I saw one of these green cabbages on a Michigan train this winter) . A little while later the EB was brought in ,lead by

P-42 93 followed by #96 a baggage car ,transdorm , superliner 1 rebuild (rebuilt in 1995) it was looking a little

worse for the ware! dinning car, ( they were useing all paper plates and table cloths ) and two coaches. We boarded

our sleeper 830 and were greeted by ROLANDO our attendant, We departed right on time , we went through a tunnell

which went completly under the city and proceeded up the Pugget Sound to Everett, Daylight savings time took effect

while we were in Sea so it was Light almost to the 7 mile Casscades Tunnel .. It was totally different this time because

there were no clouds and there was a full moon so you could see out really well from a darkend sleeper ! We had

taken the early dinner 5.30 (flat iron steak,very good even on paper) We had Rolando make up our bed about 8 and

we just layed and watched the mountains go by!! I must fell asleep around 10 or so, I was awaken around midnight

by sudden jolt, we were in Spokane and they were connecting the Portland section of the EB I dont know what was

going on but we went back and forth several times and several more jolts. then the power was lost for about ten

minutes . Finally after about 45 minutes we were off in the right direction , all is well so I am going to get some

sleep!! The next morning we woke about 8. got up and went to breakfast, ( I had the RR french toast) . Going

around some curves in Glasier National Park I could see P-42 #148 was in the lead and it was putting out black exaust

that would match any steam loco , and it was that way all the way to Chi!! I went back to check the rest of the consist

and found I had to go through 4 coaches to get to the sightseer which was followed by SS2 sleeper New Mexico..

I decided to get acouple beers to take back to my sleeper , but the attendant said I could only buy 1, I said you got

to be kidding  (company policy he said) I explainded that I was in the sleeper on the front of the train and he

was at the rear and it took considerable effort for me to get back here as I had got stuck between the doors on

two coach cars along with another man for about two minutes as the attendant and conducter tryed to get them open :unsure: I still only got One beer and I never did make it back for the second one!!! :lol: Well I have to stop for

tonight but I will finnish this report soon!!


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