First Time on Empire Builder 7 and 8 Questions

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Alyson

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So this upcoming August I have a trip from Grand Forks, ND (boarding 8 to destination) to St. Paul, MN (boarding 7 back home). I have my ticket(s) for a reserved coach. I know what times my trains arrive/depart the stations and I know how long before my train arrives to get to the station, but I have some questions.

-What does it mean when a station (Grand Forks, ND Amtrak Station) is unstaffed with no checked baggage? Will there be at least one person on the platform/staff to help me?

-How many coach cars does the Empire Builder have? Is it a super long train?

-Is boarding from the platform pretty straight-forward and simple?

-How long does the Empire Builder wait at a station and how do they know they're picking up a passenger? Would they see me on the platform even though it'll be 1am when it arrives?

-My tickets are for the upper level reserved coach. Now, what does this mean, exactly? I know it's the seats to watch the scenery but since this is my first trip I don't know anything about these trains.

Thank you so much in advance for your time and patience! I look forward to having these questions answered so I can be more at ease with my trip.
 
As long as you have a reservation, they know they have a passenger to pick up. The train must stop at all stations, and must not depart until the scheduled departure time if the train is early.

There may or may not be someone at the station. (I don't know the procedures there.) The conductor on the train will direct you to the correct car. They attempt to keep all passengers to aa specific station in the same general location, since the Empire Builder is so long it may not all fit on the platform at some of the smaller station.

There is a luggage storage area just inside the entry door where you can store your luggage. BeIng that you are boarding in the middle of the night, you most likely will be directed and assisted to a specific seat. (I was when I boarded at 3:30 am.)

I'm sure others will answer more of your questions.

Enjoy your trip! :)
 
I don't know Grand Forks, but when I've boarded at other unstaffed stations, unstaffed means unstaffed. It is just you and the platform (and any other passengers who may be boarding with you), until the train arrives.

The train personnel will have a manifest that shows how many passengers are supposed to be boarding at each stop, and they're supposed to make an effort to find you on the platform and make sure you get on the train. But you should also make an effort to be easily findable. Stand in a well-lighted area, and be alert: If the car that stops right in front of you doesn't have anybody at the door to let you in, look up and down the train to see if a different door has opened. The train stops only for a minute or two, and if you've wandered off somewhere and the conductor doesn't see you, they may assume you're not getting on the train and leave you behind.

The Empire Builder is a pretty long train (it's actually two trains put together - one that originates in Seattle and one that originates in Portland). The coach cars are in the middle of the train. I don't know the exact number, but there are quite a few.

Most of the seats in a coach car are on the upper level, and it's the upper level where you can walk from car to car (for example, if you want to get breakfast in the diner or the cafe in the morning). "Reserved" just means you're guaranteed a seat - it doesn't say anything about which specific one (although you may be assigned a seat upon boarding).
 
The empire builder has four coaches west of Minneapolis, two each for the Seattle and Portland sections, separated by the lounge car. The train crew will tell you which car they want you in, though they usually don't tell you exactly which seat you will be in on this route. Be ready for delays, and enjoy your trip!
 
The ridership stats from the "Great American Stations" site seem to indicate that while not a beehive of activity, you are not likely to be alone. Looks like enough people get on and off that you should not have a problem finding people who have done the trip before, and will know where to stand.
 
While when I have ridden the Builder, the station was staffed, Grand Forks was a pretty busy stop with quite a few passengers getting on and off. You won't be alone out there. As long as you are on the platform, you will be okay. The conductors and maybe some car attendants (the Grand Forks stop is during the onboard service crews' off duty hours, so it might just be conductors) will get off and direct people on the platform where to go.

The platform at Grand Forks is well lit, and the train MUST stop (Grand Forks isn't a "flag stop"). It is also on a curve between a couple of hand-throw switches on the connecting track between the Hillsboro and Devil's Lake Subs, so it isn't exactly like the train speeds through there.

Upper reserved coach seat means you are on the top level of the Superliner, that is where most of the seats are and the level you can pass through the train on. There is small seating area downstairs that is most used for elderly and handicapped passengers, although it is not limited to them.

Don't know whether they'll assign you a seat as you board, that varies. They will almost certainly ask where you are going and direct you to a car (or someone will loudly and repeatedly announce which cars to board for which destinations). If you are not assigned a seat, you can take any "open" seat, which means any seat without a seat check (small piece of paper with the destination written on it) above it, not just that no one is actually sitting in it at the time.

It really is quite easy and simple.
 
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I'll just say that the majority of coach seating is going to be upper-level. That's just the way that the cars are set up. Lower level has the lavatories and certain storage areas. Also - lower level feels a bit cramped to me, as the ends are boxed in.

Here's a photo of the upper level:

IMG_3763.jpg


Here's lower level:

IMG_0680%252520Lower%252520Level%252520of%252520Amtrak%252520Superliner%252520II%252520Coach%252520%25252334103%252520at%252520Union%252520Station%252520in%252520Portland%25252C%252520Oregon%252520on%252520May%25252010%25252C%2525202008_thumb.jpg
 
Thank you so much for all of the informative responses; all of my questions have been answered and I think I'm officially ready for my trip ^_^
 
If there would be a Caretaker at the station (they unlock the door before the train and lock it after it leaves) they can not assist other than to answer questions. Unstaffed means no checked bags are accepted or dropped off.
 
After your trip post how everything worked out. Most of the people on this site enjoy helping people, and we like feedback on the accuracy of our suggestions to give the best possible advice.....
 
PVD said:
After your trip post how everything worked out. Most of the people on this site enjoy helping people, and we like feedback on the accuracy of our suggestions to give the best possible advice.....
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(I'm the guest that posted the thread)

I will definitely be coming back after my trip, I'll read and post around because I'll still be doing a lot of research about the EB before my trip. I will definitely update with news, my trip is on the 24th of August. All of this information has been wonderful and I will keep this thread in my bookmarks.
 
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I board at an unstaffed station in Oregon. It's in the middle of nowhere, and the southbound Coast Starlight comes around 8pm. There are usually between four and ten passengers boarding, and a few getting off. When the train pulls in, a car attendant or the conductor will have the window open on one of the cars (that they are going to be loading). The person in the window will call out, even before the train stops, to let boarding passengers know who they will take. They'll also let others know what to expect next. It's a short platform, so they will load coach and sleeper separately, with a "spot" (move the train a few car-lengths forward) in between. Never had any trouble because they do know who to expect, and they know in advance what car they will be loading them on. I've taken the Empire Builder #27/28 many times, all the way to Chicago, and I expect they will load at one or maybe two coach cars at Grand Forks (one for passengers getting on or off during the night, and one for long-haul passengers?). But I usually sleep through it, LOL. Have a great trip, and I look forward to your report afterwards.
 
If you have a smartphone with internet access (and a decent signal), you can follow your train's progress in real time at this address:

http://www.asm.transitdocs.com/

I recommend this, especially at unstaffed stations, to maximize use of your time while being ready for your train's arrival.
 
ehbowen said:
If you have a smartphone with internet access (and a decent signal), you can follow your train's progress in real time at this address:

http://www.asm.transitdocs.com/

I recommend this, especially at unstaffed stations, to maximize use of your time while being ready for your train's arrival.
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Oh, thank you! That's very helpful, I found with the Amtrak app it doesn't track the train, it only gives estimated arrival times and how long it's delayed. I'll definitely be putting that in my phone's bookmarks.
 
juniee17 said:
ehbowen said:
If you have a smartphone with internet access (and a decent signal), you can follow your train's progress in real time at this address:

http://www.asm.transitdocs.com/

I recommend this, especially at unstaffed stations, to maximize use of your time while being ready for your train's arrival.
Click to expand...
Oh, thank you! That's very helpful, I found with the Amtrak app it doesn't track the train, it only gives estimated arrival times and how long it's delayed. I'll definitely be putting that in my phone's bookmarks.
Click to expand...
While I have showed up late because an estimated departure time showed that a train was delayed, you can't count on it being 100% accurate. Some trains can easily make up time if there's a lot of padding built into the schedule. The estimated time doesn't have real tracking information, which is what it sounds like you'd like to know.
 
juniee17 said:
ehbowen said:
If you have a smartphone with internet access (and a decent signal), you can follow your train's progress in real time at this address:

http://www.asm.transitdocs.com/

I recommend this, especially at unstaffed stations, to maximize use of your time while being ready for your train's arrival.
Click to expand...
Oh, thank you! That's very helpful, I found with the Amtrak app it doesn't track the train, it only gives estimated arrival times and how long it's delayed. I'll definitely be putting that in my phone's bookmarks.
Click to expand...
I'd also keep tabs on the usual delays for train #7(westbound) and #8(eastbound), on this site before you take your trip. You can only see the most recent delays for like the last week or month, or even see it for the last several years! It's up to you how much data you want to see, at one time. I usually just look at the data, for the last month or last few months. Anyway:

https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/home.php

https://juckins.net/amtrak_status/archive/html/historychart.php(you can type your station code and train number specifically, from this page)

BTW when you type in the 3 digit lettering code for the station name, Grand Forks will be GFK, and Saint Paul(Minneapolis) will be MSP. I always get a lot more mixed up about the 3 letter station abbreviations, over forgetting train numbers!
 
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Lonestar648 said:
Though trains can make up time, they are limited as to how much is physically possible.
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I agree, they only can make up some of the delayed time when it gets to a station later on the route. Obviously much of the schedule padding will be with the longer stops that can be shortened, if the train is running late. I.e. Spokane, Whitefish, Havre, Minot, Saint Paul/Minneapolis, etc.
 
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