Empire Builder detoured thru Wyo in July?

[Buildy]

Hello All,

Well My first Amtrak experience is about a month and a half away,and things are already starting to go wrong. Some woman from Amtrak called today (Sun.) and told my wife the Empire Builder will be detouring thru Wyo and Utah?

The woman told my wife she didn`t want to talk to me,that she as a passenger was good enough.

I am the one who booked the trip,and wanted to go thru MT. etc to Seattle.

Can anyone tell me anything about the detour route to make me feel better about missing the things I wanted to see on the real Empire Builder Route. I`m not too thrilled at the moment,but the wife has her heart set on taking the train out to Seattle.

Thanks,

Buildy

 

[AlanB]

That would be one massive detour, going several hundred miles out of the way!

I've also not heard a whisper about detours to the EB.

Something doesn't seem quite right here. Either you've also got tickets for the California Zephyr (which is detouring through Wyoming and Utah), or someone at Amtrak made a huge mistake, is what I would think.

 

[Buildy]

That would be one massive detour, going several hundred miles out of the way!
I've also not heard a whisper about detours to the EB.

Something doesn't seem quite right here. Either you've also got tickets for the California Zephyr (which is detouring through Wyoming and Utah), or someone at Amtrak made a huge mistake, is what I would think.

Hello Alan,

I tried asking my wife that,as we are booked to go home on the CZ. Maybe she got it wrong about what`s going on.Hopefully she got confused,as she isn`t familiar with the routing of trains. It would have been nice if the woman from Amtrak would have asked for the person who booked the trip as I was right here at home,and would have known about what she was talking about.

Why would a woman from Amtrak call us today,when we booked over a month ago,about this?

Our trip is Capital Limited to Chi Jul 21-Empire Builder to Seattle July22-Coast Starlight to Emeryville Jul26-California Zephyr to Chicago July 31.

Thanks,

Buildy

 

[AlanB]

That would be one massive detour, going several hundred miles out of the way!

I've also not heard a whisper about detours to the EB.

Something doesn't seem quite right here. Either you've also got tickets for the California Zephyr (which is detouring through Wyoming and Utah), or someone at Amtrak made a huge mistake, is what I would think.

Hello Allen,

I tried asking my wife that,as we are booked to go home on the CZ. Maybe she got it wrong about what`s going on. Why would a woman from Amtrak call us today,when we booked over a month ago,about this?

Thanks,

Buildy

There's your answer, the return on the CZ. That will indeed be detouring through Wyoming and Utah between Salt Lake City and Denver, which means that you miss the Moffat tunnel and the Colorado Rockies west of Denver.

Amtrak is calling now, because it would appear that UP has finally actually committed to when the work is going to happen. Originally this work was scheduled for May and June, then it slipped to June and July, and now it has slipped again to July and August. This is Amtrak's way of trying to warn you that the ride might not be quite what you expected, if you were looking forward to the ride over the Rockies. I suspect, but I'm not positive, that they would refund your money no questions asked if you were unhappy with this detour.

Note: The detour is probably faster than the normal route, so you might have a slightly better chance of arriving closer to on time into Chicago.

 

[AlanB]

Our trip is Capital Limited to Chi Jul 21-Empire Builder to Seattle July22-Coast Starlight to Emeryville Jul26-California Zephyr to Chicago July 31.

July 31st out of EMY is one of the detour dates.

 

[Buildy]

Hi Alan,

Will we still go thru Donner pass on the Detour? Also how is there a route that doesn`t cross the Rockies at some point?

Thanks Again,

Buildy

Our trip is Capital Limited to Chi Jul 21-Empire Builder to Seattle July22-Coast Starlight to Emeryville Jul26-California Zephyr to Chicago July 31.

July 31st out of EMY is one of the detour dates.

 

[AlanB]

Hi Alan,

Will we still go thru Donner pass on the Detour? Also how is there a route that doesn`t cross the Rockies at some point?

Thanks Again,

Buildy

Yes, you'll still go through Donner.

As for the Rockies, yes you will still go through them, just not the most scenic and highest part of them.

 

[Buildy]

Hello Again Alan,

I can deal with that,as my mood went very bad when I thought I was going to miss out on the Empire Builder.

Now I`m wondering if this is going to affect our connection at Chicago going home as we leave on the Capital after the CZ on the same day.

The woman from Amtrak told the wife it would still connect,but who knows? Amtrak will have to find us a place to stay if we can`t make the Capital.

Thanks for your patience and clarifying things for me!

Buildy

 

[AlanB]

I can deal with that,as mood went very bad when I thought I was going to miss out on the Empire Builder.Now I`m wondering if this is going to affect our connection at Chicago going home as we leave on the Capital after the CZ on the same day.

Actually the detour may help slightly like I said, in that you'll run faster than if the train went over the normal route. So if could help to get you into Denver on time or closer to on time.

I too though am worried about that very same connection, only I'll be on the CZ out of EMY on the 21st.

 

[Buildy]

Hello Alan,

I wish you the best of luck with your trip on the 21st.

Best regards,

Buildy

 

[PRR 60]

Hi Alan,

Will we still go thru Donner pass on the Detour? Also how is there a route that doesn`t cross the Rockies at some point?

Thanks Again,

Buildy

Yes, you will go over Donner Pass (in California), but you will not go through the Colorado Rockies on the Moffat Tunnel route. The detour route goes from Salt Lake City through southern Wyoming and crosses the Continental Divide there. It then heads south to Denver just east of the front range. The route does not have the classic mountain scenery of Colorado but still has quite spectacular western scenery that, in my opinion, is underrated.