Empire Builder discussion 2025

[Siegmund]

What is going on with the ticket pricing? I am looking to go from St. Paul to Everett in next couple months. I was checking days of the week and weeks in advance. On some days I could get to Everett cheaper going to Portland and then catch the Cascades to head north. I would be tempted to do it except there is only a 3 hour layover in Portland.

In the wintertime, the Seattle section runs with only one coach, and sells out between Seattle and Wenatchee. The Portland section, lacking a baggage car, always has two coaches (one for handicapped access, one for checked baggage), even though there usually aren't enough passengers to fill one.

 

[BlackDiamond]

The Portland section, lacking a baggage car, always has two coaches (one for handicapped access, one for checked baggage), even though there usually aren't enough passengers to fill one.

Seems that a coach-baggage "combine" would be ideal for this, and for other similar trains such as 448/449 (Boston section of the LSL) where there wouldn't be enough baggage to justify a full baggage car.

 

[zephyr17]

Seems that a coach-baggage "combine" would be ideal for this, and for other similar trains such as 448/449 (Boston section of the LSL) where there wouldn't be enough baggage to justify a full baggage car.

That is exactly what is on 27/28. A coach/baggage, the Superliner equivalent of a combine. The upstairs is normal Superliner seating but what would be the downstairs seating area is replaced by a secure baggage compartment.

A standard Superliner coach is required in addition to the coach/bag because the coach/bag has no downstairs seating to accommodate mobility impaired passengers.

 

[Rasputin]

Link to BNSF Grizzly Bear Conservation plan on Empire Builder route. Reduction in train speed not proposed:

https://flatheadbeacon.com/2025/02/...on-plan-to-offset-train-killed-grizzly-bears/

 

[Rasputin]

It appears that 7/27(17) have been cancelled. Corrections or additional information would be welcome.

 

[Bonser]

It appears that 7/27(17) have been cancelled. Corrections or additional information would be welcome.

While test booking NYP-Portland, I am not offered the LSL-EB for a late March trip. They are only offering the LSL-CZ-CS. If I switch the search to CHI-Portland I then get the EB. I'm already booked in late March with LSL-EB and am curious as to why they are not offering it now. I'm not referring to this week either as I've test booked for March on and off through September. I'm wondering if this is just a temporary IT glitch. This morning the EB was offered for a late March trip and this afternoon it disappeared.

 

[trimetbusfan]

7(5) is currently 16+ hours late. No bus transportation is available to short turn the train at Spokane, and as of now (6pm) they are planning to run the train though with massive delay.

8/28 (7) has still not been canceled yet either…

http://dixielandsoftware.net/cgi-bin/gettrain.pl?seltrain=7&selyear=2025&selmonth=02&selday=05

Edit: adding the status page for 8(7), which currently estimates a 10-hour delayed departure out of SEA.
http://dixielandsoftware.net/cgi-bin/gettrain.pl?seltrain=8&selyear=2025&selmonth=02&selday=07

Someone who was on this train posted a YouTube video

 

[Bonser]

While test booking NYP-Portland, I am not offered the LSL-EB for a late March trip. They are pnly offering the LSL-CZ-CS. If I switch the search to CHI-Portland I then get the EB. I'm already booked in late March with LSL-EB and am curious as to why they are not offering it now. I'm not referring to this week either as I've test booked for March on and off through September. I'm wondering if this is just a temporary IT glitch. This morning the EB was offered for a late March trip and this afternoon it disappeared.

Disregard previous. Amtrak is again offering the EB on the NYP-Portland trip.

 

[Tom C]

It appears that 7/27(17) have been cancelled. Corrections or additional information would be welcome.

They canceled for a few days due to extreme cold. As it turns out likely would have ended up with canceled trains anyway as there was a BNSF derailment in Montana and a west bound Builder that ended up over 12 hours late.

 

[west point]

Read that the Siemens engines are using a plastic conduit for many of its electrical circuits. The extreme cold might cause the conduits to crack allowing moisture to get in and short out the electrical wires. If so, then a major overhaul may be called for to be implemented?

Even though around here winters not too cold have had various plastic items left outdoors to crack after subject to several cold - warm cycles.

That may explain why Brightline is not having these problems due to the mild Florida weather.?

 

[Rasputin]

Someone who was on this train posted a YouTube video

Thanks for posting that video link. It was interesting to see that the dining car ran out of food at Whitefish at a time when the train was stopped for hours at Whitefish. There are large supermarkets in Whitefish and I assume with all of the restaurants in the area, it is also served by some major food supply companies. Was there any effort made to re-supply the train at Whitefish? Probably not.

 

[Cal]

Thanks for posting that video link. It was interesting to see that the dining car ran out of food at Whitefish at a time when the train was stopped for hours at Whitefish. There are large supermarkets in Whitefish and I assume with all of the restaurants in the area, it is also served by some major food supply companies. Was there any effort made to re-supply the train at Whitefish? Probably not.

It's possible Amtrak or federal regulations make it so they can't just restock however they like using local stores. Also, in many cases when the train is stopped for hours, the crew (especially not OBS -- who run the diner) doesn't know when they will be able to go. So if they went out to get food, and then got the all clear, that would further delay the train and the entire line.

 

[MARC Rider]

It's possible Amtrak or federal regulations make it so they can't just restock however they like using local stores. Also, in many cases when the train is stopped for hours, the crew (especially not OBS -- who run the diner) doesn't know when they will be able to go. So if they went out to get food, and then got the all clear, that would further delay the train and the entire line.

Also, I believe even Traditional Dining is basically reheated, preplated meals, and there might not be enough staff in the dining car to actually cook food from scratch with groceries. I guess they could have cleaned out the frozen TV dinners at the supermarket and served them. That may be essentially Flex Meals, but I guess that's better than no food at all.

 

[Rasputin]

My observation has always been that whenever one of these events occurs on Amtrak, it is like the first time it has ever happened. Maybe Amtrak has a plan of what to do when a dining car runs out of food en route but if so, I have yet to see a demonstration of it, except to call KFC or Pizza Hut.

 

[trimetbusfan]

Thanks for posting that video link. It was interesting to see that the dining car ran out of food at Whitefish at a time when the train was stopped for hours at Whitefish. There are large supermarkets in Whitefish and I assume with all of the restaurants in the area, it is also served by some major food supply companies. Was there any effort made to re-supply the train at Whitefish? Probably not.

It's possible Amtrak or federal regulations make it so they can't just restock however they like using local stores. Also, in many cases when the train is stopped for hours, the crew (especially not OBS -- who run the diner) doesn't know when they will be able to go. So if they went out to get food, and then got the all clear, that would further delay the train and the entire line.

My observation has always been that whenever one of these events occurs on Amtrak, it is like the first time it has ever happened. Maybe Amtrak has a plan of what to do when a dining car runs out of food en route but if so, I have yet to see a demonstration of it, except to call KFC or Pizza Hut.

From what I've gleaned, it seems that station personnel down line are the ones responsible for ordering and securing food in cases where the dining car runs out of food.

In the case of the video, the person making that noted how there was more food picked up in Spokane. The train would have been in Spokane much earlier (by dinner time) had they not had to have done the recew at Whitefish. However, they sat in Whitefish for 5 hours, and then another 3 hours in Libby.

I'm guessing this was an example of the left hand not talking to the right hand (i.e. OBS not talking to the T&E to fully understand their crew rest delays) in regards to ordering food down line.

 

[railiner]

From what I've gleaned, it seems that station personnel down line are the ones responsible for ordering and securing food in cases where the dining car runs out of food.

When I worked at Denver in the ‘80’s, the dining car steward or on board chief would send us a message or call us from an upline station with his order, and the agent would go to a local market to fulfill it. For a time, we also maintained a “mini-commissary” to replenish supplies that received from a local restaurant supply vendor.