Amtrak EMPIRE BUILDER Sleeper Train (Seattle to Chicago)
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Watch this video in order to experience the Amtrak Empire Builder train as it crosses some of the most dramatic land in the United States, passing through Washington State, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois
Thanks to a delay, we saw more than most passengers would expect, including some of the most stunning scenery we’ve ever encountered in Northern Idaho.
The entire Amtrak Empire Builder route is scheduled to take 46 hours, but our trip ended up taking a lot longer. We were supposed to leave Seattle at 4:55 in the afternoon, but didn’t get going until nearly 8:00 at night.
The Amtrak Empire Builder is certainly one of Amtrak’s most iconic routes, passing through the very heart of Glacier National Park. My first experience onboard an Amtrak overnight sleeper train was this route, but Westbound back in 2020. It felt incredible to be back onboard!
In this video, you’ll see the unmatched scenery and spectacular sights along the route, get a tour of Amtrak’s Bedroom, learn the history of this route, and we’ll even answer some of the most frequently asked questions we get asked about Amtrak Train Travel.
We’ll also showcase Amtrak’s Traditional Dining, which has (finally) returned to their long-haul western routes like the Empire Builder!
The Amtrak Empire Builder route traces its heritage back to 1929 when it was the flagship route of the vaunted “Great Northern Railway.” In the early part of the 20th century, railroad companies were the airlines of their time. Perhaps none were as storied as the Great Northern Railway.
The Amtrak Empire Builder is the latest incarnation of a route The Great Northern Railway operated. This is the northernmost transcontinental railway in the country and was also the only privately funded transcontinental railroad in the nation’s history. Unlike every other one, it was built without any federal funding.
Today, Amtrak is the only passenger operator the Empire Builder route and, as with nearly all of Amtrak’s operations, we competed with freight traffic, which always takes priority because the freight lines own the track on this route. Amtrak is just borrowing it for the Empire Builder, which means delays are very possible. But, it turns out, our delay was the best thing that could have happened on this journey…
Watch this video to see one of the most luxurious experiences available on the rails in the United States: Amtrak’s Empire Builder in an Amtrak Bedroom!
0:00 Introduction
2:04 Boarding the Amtrak Empire Builder
3:28 Wake Up Day Two
7:14 Getting Ready on Amtrak
11:44 Amtrak Bedroom Tour
16:28 Amtrak Dinner
19:37 Amtrak FAQ's
28:44 Bloopers
Check out Miles in Transit here:
/ @milesintransit
And here’s a link to Simply Railway:
/ @simplyrailway
For more trip reports, please subscribe to my channel!
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Here are my other Train Videos:
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MUSIC:
I Will Be Gone (Instrumental Version) - Vicki Vox
First Glimpse of You - Victor Lundberg
A Sweet Dream - Victor Lundberg
A Dance in the Sun - Erik Fernholm
The Sun Will Shine (Instrumental Version) - The Eastern Plain
Free Mind - Wildflowers
Summer Love (Instrumental Version) - Kylie Dailey
Calming Rain - Candelion
Swaying - Candelion
I Wish (Instrumental Version) - Mindme
If I Wrote You a Song (Instrumental Version) - Melanie Bell
Songs for a Mockingbird (Instrumental Version) - Gabriel Kelley
This Poor Love Song (Instrumental Version) - Sture Zetterberg
On and On (Instrumental Version) - Lars Eriksson
Whoa, thank you so much for the shoutout, I really appreciate it!!!! It's fitting that I'm typing this from on board the Amtrak Palmetto 😂
You bet! Loving your channel! Have a great trip!!
Please do a trip together. Chaos meets control. One way go the Miles path, come back the Jeb way.
@@djohn118 I would literally pay to watch this
My favorite guys to watch ride the trains!
When I went on a road trip with my dad to glacier National park we were a little surprised to see the Amtrak right above the entrance to the park.
Jeb's humble and positive attitude is why I keep coming back, and Suzanne is also a top notch travel buddy. All the best, cheers guys.
As a huge fan and also an Amtrak Employee aboard Amtrak’s Empire Builder. Thank you for this awesome video of the train I work on!!!! Hope you had a wonderful experience!!!!!
I've taken the Amtrak from NY to FL and back again many times, and love it. I always have a sleeper unit. It helps to think of it as a "glamping" experience. Bring food, a small blanket, a book,, maybe a tablet or some device, and be flexible-minded about your schedule.
Also water, boots, jacket, tent, cooking stove, food, disinfectant, water filtration, and anything else required for a heavy duty exploratory assignment. :-)
My grandpa is buried just north of Sand Point, so it was nice you guys mentioned it and showed just a tiny clip of it. I miss him
💟
@@Cheesemo Yikes that was insensitive, unnecessary, and unfunny.
@Interesting_Banana ur lame as heck it's true. Bird breath
@@Cheesemowym he didnt say how he passes
@@Cheesemo have you ever been with an older guy?
I am a mobility impaired senior citizen and traveled the City of New Orleans by myself in an accessible room. No problems. Staff was attentive and very helpful.....if you want to take a trip, do it.....very well worth it.....
Yes I agree, my ex took a trip to I think ark. to see her ex. a month later she came back to cleveland. (Shes gone now - in Iowa since 2011) She was on wheelchair.
Did you leave the traditional KFC bucket of Chicken Bones in the aisle? I sure did. :)
Sorry for your loss!!
My father worked for Amtrak. I used to travel from Spokane to Chicago on the Empire Builder every summer. Great memories!
Can I bring my foldable electric scooter onto the train from Seattle ? Its 67 lbs but I also have one that is 44 lbs.
I can't BELIEVE Amtrak schedules trains to pass through that incredible Idaho scenery at night!
Absolutely agree. Some really stupid people failing the tourists on train.
They only have 12-16 hours of daylight to work with and 40+ hours of riding to do. There has to be almost half of the ride at night lol.
The Great Northern ran a secondary train called The Western Star through their during the day all the way to Chicago. Most routes had 2-7 runs per day at one point. Amtrak axed a bunch of them when they were created, including the Western Star.
@@David-dx5wz This happens when you only have one train per day.
the train to Cincinnati arrives at 3:30 am, it's the only train that comes there. no trains leave during the day. Expand Amtrak!
I love how you can take multiple inconveniences that would piss anyone else off and make the best of it.
Yup, they turn the not so positive, into positive. They really just enjoy the trip as a whole. Great content and great people.
Frankly when you consider how old the Superliner cars are, nearly 50 years, Amtrak has done a good job just keeping them running. It isn't easy keeping equipment 50 years old running. Not a refrigerator, HVAC, or the hot water tank... Railroads are linear, not point to point like airlines, so every mechanical issue of any train on that route will cause delays on the entire route. Those freight train cars may be even older than Amtrak Superlliner or Viewliner cars. European trains outside of Russia have considerably shorter routes of a 300 hundred miles, 450 kilometers at most, whereas Amtrak and Via have transcontinental routes from coast to coast of around 4 thousand miles, 6 thousand kilometers... When your route is ten times longer, well, there are more chances of things going wrong, ten times more...
You don't take Amtrak to get there, you take Amtrak for the experience of getting there. I remember one trip I took years ago, Denver to Iowa on the California Zephyr. They'd had a fire in the dining car kitchen somewhere in Nevada that had contaminated all their pre-loaded ingredients and destroyed their freezers. So, they called ahead to every place the train stopped and, at every station, there was a truck from the local supermarket to load whatever they had been able to throw on the truck at short notice. Sure, the chefs had to improvise, but they adapted and kept everyone fed.
Good call ... taking some wine on board! I love to sit in my roomette, and sip wine. They do the driving, and I relax and enjoy seeing the country go by.
I take the Northeaster all the time. You can bring your own booze on board even in coach.
My wife and I took the same trip many years ago. We had a blast. One lesson I learned was pack light, less is more.
Cosiest channel in the WHOLE OF CZcams. I hope you guys make videos forever!!!
I grew up on trains...any situation is acceptable. It is really a mindset. As an adult, I gave up flying, except for emergencies, and settled back to always give myself time and enjoy the journey, meeting new people from all over the world, and getting work done as our great country rolls by in all it differences and greatness. No other way to achieve this !
BTW, I live in Greensboro,NC, too. Thank you for the videos! 😊
Hey man, love the videos and you are very lucky that you have a wife who can support you when u do the videos, it's just amazing to see that. Love from Canada
I am sure the life lesson you mentioned is that you should always look for silver linings in every situation.
Wow! That was some incredible landscape. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Peace to all
"She didn't say 'Uno'" LOL(!!) 🙂 ... As always, Thank You Both for the informative and entertaining videos. Traveling always presents unexpected setbacks, and your thoughtful videos with thorough evaluations prevent countless unsavory surprises for vacationers. Very Well Done(!!) 🙂 ...
I really enjoy how you both travel together and show what it means to find joy in the smallest moments. I am looking forward to making this trip with my wife one day!
Yikes. He already has LOADS of money. Ask for a refund!
I know right....I love this channel, and I too look forward to doing this with my husband one day.
Wow! Thank you so much Kevin!!
I live in Greensboro 🎉
@@GreenerGrass What if Amtrak had a 100% perfect schedule?
As a former Minnesotan, I enjoyed those views!
Hi Cat, I'm North St. Paul....living in Washington State now. Moving home next year!
Montana in the winter is not matched in it’s beauty. Did Yellowstone tour two February ago, and it was a life changing event. The beauty is only magnified by the amazing snow cover.
One day, I would love to travel across the United States on an Amtrak... You make me fall in love with trains every time I watch.
I loved this route. I did it from Portland in 2021. I didn’t want to fly during the pandemic and I was going to meet my new granddaughter and a bedroom was the perfect way to minimize contact. I ate in my room and only left my room to stretch my legs during longer stops.
My grandfather was a conductor on the Burlington Northern based in LaCrosse WI. Your LaCrosse & Wisconsin Dells shots brought back good memories. 💚
Seeing this video inspired me to take the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle in September!!!
Please God look down upon this Empire Builder track and bless all of their adventures. This Amtrak line has been the key to my survival more than once. Each and every time they were always loving and supportive. I do miss them, and hopefully one day I will be able to ride again. Thank you Jeb, you and your wife are dictating/conveying far more dreams than you know. One day very soon I hope to cross paths with you all and tell you how much you truly have helped me during this down time. To Infinity and Beyond!!! I also must add that the lack of services at the King Street Station adds to the calmness and peacefulness that we all used to have whilst travelling. Suzanne, you are riding for me, and I thank you so much. I pray that all of your adventures are fondly looked down upon from above. We all love you, and we are are grateful for your work.
I’ve been on The Empire Builder about ten times. It’s why I love trains.
I used to ride the Empire Builder from Wisconsin Dells to St. Paul monthly when I went to school in Minneapolis. The views of SW Wisconsin and the Mississippi River throughout Minnesota are pretty remarkable.
From the comfort of my room here in Nigeria, I sincerely enjoy your voyages I often daydream of being tagged along with you fantastic couple, America is such a great country with lovely scenery
You guys are so informative, and also so upbeat no matter what the situation. Thoroughly enjoy your videos!!
That delayed departure actually turned out to be a "Blessing in Diguise" for you guys as you got to witness some awesome scenery (to say the least.) in Idaho and elsewhere ...
Great video. You two need to more of the back and forth commentary. Suzanne is a wonderful addition to the videos and has real charisma and charm.
My first train trip included the Great Northern Empire Builder from Williston, ND, to St. Paul. This was in 1966 and the train was completely full. I was traveling in "steerage" and had to sit on a stool in the restroom for part of the trip. Still, it was an exciting adventure!
I've taken the Empire Builder many times...and will again take it next month. As you point out, UNFORTUNATELY, the timing of the train's schedule places it in some of the most beautiful parts of the country...AT NIGHT. I PRAY for a schedule slip for my coming trip!
If you love the Empire builder and it’s amazing views, I highly encourage you to ride “The Canadian”. A very similar trip but a little more elegant with vintage equipment. I’ve taken both trains and love the majestic Rockies and serene prairie views.
Bonjour Jennifer: My husband and I are planning that next year!
Hi Jeb,
Thank you for your reply to me recently. I really appreciate your humble attitude and your ability to connect with the camera. Suzanne is a pure delight with her indescribably and wonderful attitude about travel!
Thank you again for the pleasure that you two have given me and many others.
Have a great evening, and Merry Christmas to you and Suzanne,
Peter
Saint Paul Union Depot is beautiful, 10/10 do recommend visiting it.
Built by the guy after whom this train was named, James J Hill, the empire builder himself!
9:13 - 11:44 Gives me memories of driving trains in Microsoft Train Simulator through these mountains.
Open rails can return you to that 👍it's great and it's basically just upgraded msts
Doppler is better and updated models, but you can still get the og trains
Born and raised in Idaho. Sandpoint is a very nice town/area. Couer D' Alene is spectacular - northern Idaho has some fantastic scenery. Thanks for taking us along.
Sandpoint and CDA are beautiful. Great places to explore
I was born and raised in Boise/Nampa :)
We go every summer from Calgary. 5 hour drive
Shush!!!
@@DaveChamberlain-DTSinIdaho Yeah - good point 😁.
Suzanne is a great travel partner...and a good sport for taking the top bunk! Plus she's as cute as a bunny (beautiful smile)!
Miss, the look he gives you at 8:02, is from a man in love, don't let him go nice video!!
I took this same trip over 20 years ago during the winter months, and it was magical outside. Going through Glacier National Park was like being in a snow globe. Enjoy.
The Empire Builder is the Amtrak route I'd love to travel. A trip in the winter would be spectacular, but I imagine any season would be an adventure. I'd also love to do some of the Canadian trans-Canada routes as well.
I like when you guys mention the fare, it's always a better way for us to plan.
I am a railfan and quadriplegic and therefore use a wheelchair. It has been several years, but I have ridden on the Empire Builder, Coast Starlight, and California Zephyr using the accessible sleeper. It is spacious enough for my wheelchair and had great views even with smaller windows. The car attendant brings meals to your room after choosing what to eat. Getting in and out of the car is a little tight, but it does work well.
Another nice trip with the Brooks couple.
Thanks for sharing your trip!
Living in Minne-snow-ta during this time was no treat for me to see all that snow, we're into our 4 month of winter now. And we just got another 4.5" of snow over the last two days. I'm so ready for spring weather, temps in the 40's would be wonderful at this point!
Taking my Grandson on a trip for graduation this summer, not sure of the direction yet....
Hoping to see sunshine, green grass or an warm ocean view!
"See you on the rails!"
I was amused when Jeb said a 39°F temperature in St. Paul was chilly ... for us locals, that's a warm day!
Nice to see my office building through the train window.
I thought I was the only one from St. Paul watching this 🤔
@@aldelvex233 You might be ... I'm in Minneapolis 😀
I'm down by Iowa border, getting more snow right now!
Thanks for show. Too bad that your train didn't have Sightseeing car. I had it on every time I rode on long distance train. About 10 years ago I took 3 days and 4 nights train trip on The Canadian from Toronto to Vancouver. Then I took train from there to Seattle. Then I took Builder Empire to Chicago. It was nice. I love Amtrak King Station. They were beautiful and much better than about 40 years ago. They had ugly drop down ceiling. One year later I took Builder Empire from Chicago to Seattle. Then I took The Canadian train from Vancouver to Toronto. Then one year later I took a round trip on The Canadian Train from Toronto in Winter. It was beautiful viewing of snow from train there. It was my last trip. They replaced regular Park Car with new Prestige car on my last trip from Vancouver to Toronto. I miss their regular Park Car. Also they changed schedules from 3 days and 4 nights train trip to 4 days and 4 nights. Then they dropped from three trains per week to two trains per week. I will still take Amtrak to Seattle.
Interesting video. My grandfather on my dad's side was an engineer for Great Northern. I grew up in St. Paul where my dad's family lives and worked downtown St. Paul for years. Used to walk a couple of blocks down to the river during lunch when the weather was nice and watch the trains and barges on the river. Funny you mentioned Cutbank. I met a guy in school and he was from outside of Cutbank where his family had a 17,000 acre farm. Blew my mind. He only came to the university during the winter as he was busy on the farm the rest of the time.
I live in Spokane, thanks for saying our name right, by the way. The Empire Builder is one of the most scenic trips in the country. I really hope Amtrak will offer a day trip through the Cascades, now that would be a trip to enjoy.
I miss my solo trip to Chicago last summer from St. Cloud, MN. It was the most peaceful and life just slowed down. Only thing I wish I would’ve done is explore the train more like dining car and bedrooms. Brings back amazing memories
Love your channel. Who’d have thought Amtrak would have a great steak. It looked amazing
So very great to see the Empire Builder again! What a treat, our son regularly traveled from our home in Minneapolis to Chicago on it and also on the Zephyr. He loved it them both. Bummer about the Observation Deck car on the Empire Builder being absent for repairs on your trip. He used to take a deck of Tarot Cards and do "Readings " for a fun pastime for anyone who wanted one, free of course. As a college student he meet many other travelers doing that and laughed saying it was a "babe magnet " to meet beautiful college girls from different schools traveling to and from. 😄😁😅😍😂.
I’m currently on Amtrak’s westbound Pennsylvanian right now. This video is seriously a life saver since our engine broke down in Harrisburg and we’ve been stuck here for 2 hours and counting. Not gonna lie I wish this was longer because I still have an hour to kill before they can send another engine up here from Philly.
What good timing…hope you made it and thanks for watching!
@@GreenerGrass still on the train over 4 hours late on a scheduled 9-hour train. fell a sleep for about 2 hours though
Amtrak is kind of in a state of purgatory right now with their engines. The P42s are way past their expiration date and are breaking down. Not to mention all the freight engines that are increasingly breaking down today. There have been significant teething issues with the ALC-42s. They are making software improvements and handling these as they come up. Hopefully, in a year or so these issues will be resolved and we will see far better reliability with the ALC-42s.
@@stevendelavaux1426 funny enough, I was chatting about this very issue with the head conductor during this whole layover. she said that all the protect power in Harrisburg also broke down, so that's why they had to send a diesel all the way up from Philly. the ALC-42s have also had many issues so she was wondering why Amtrak spends so much money with stupid things like battery-electric cars for the Empire Corridor rather than putting focus on the boring but important issues of everyday operations
@@nathanjiang100 Public Relations. Adding "Shiny & New!" to a system looks better than fixing "old & familiar", especially if they can add a few buzzwords. Battery electric? That's "Environmentally friendly" (supposedly), and "forward looking". Diesel? Not so much...
In the FAQs section you mentioned “it’s not the most efficient”. Well, in one way it is. I read an article a couple of years ago that compared the amount of fuel per passenger per mile. Trains were the most fuel efficient way to travel.
As a child I took the amtrak train from spokane to Seattle, Seattle to Portland and Portland back to spokane.
It was unforgettable for sure and has left me with a want to travel by train again.
The trip from spokane to Chicago would be awesome for sure.
Maybe someday I will get the chance to travel by train again. ❤
We live in the UK and use trains regularly across Europe. The biggest thing for us is to see the counrty not from 35000 feet and no airports. I have always wanted to cross the USA by train and you have got us seriously thinking about it. Your trip to NC may be a clincher as my wife's brother lives in Hickory NC. I will start planning a visit, thanks guys.
I did the same trip last summer. Summer was beautiful too. The mountains still snow on the mountain peaks. One thing I found that was very interesting was, many of the small towns in the plains all had gambling houses.
Grew up right next to Elk River MN so seeing the water tower made my day!! Was happy to hear about the delay at the beginning of the video, because otherwise the train normally goes by pretty early in the morning.
Coon Rapids here. "Hey, I know that apartment complex! That's Fridley!"
I live in Saint Cloud AND I work for Amtrak as a conductor on the Builder! I see that water tower often driving through Elk River or passing through on the train!
@AndrewOsborne okay question for you!! You probably have no idea but I gotta ask. A handful of years ago I saw Amtrak westbound pull out of St. Cloud around midnight, pulling like 50 intermodel cars. Any idea what that might have been about? I managed to film it with my potato iPod at the time, its the first video on my CZcams channel if you want to see it.
I took a sleeper from Seattle to Minnesota during the fracking boom. It was pretty wild. One of the best experiences of my life
More great information and photography especially the "Get ready with me". Amtrak addition. LOL. My wife liked that one. She wasn't sure how her "mornings" would proceed. Thank you guys. Great video as usually. 👍
🤣glad she enjoyed that segment!
I’ve used the Empire Builder to get from one side of Wisconsin to the other (Milwaukee to La Crosse) to see family. Even in a Coach car it was comfortable for that 2-2.5 hour trip, no delays either which was lucky. Besides just being a great way to see the country, trains also provide reasonably priced travel to smaller towns that may otherwise not be serviced by planes or other systems of transportation. I saw a lot of college students like myself along with some Amish getting off at my stop, reminded me of that.
Delays usually stink but sometimes they also remind us it’s time to slow down and enjoy are surroundings and this video seemed to be perfect example of that notion. Thank you so much for sharing Jeb the views were absolutely majestic! I also have to add that those new Siemens locomotives are gorgeous!
Yes...whether you're on your bicycle, in a taxi, a bus, an aircraft, a train, a car, delays happen - and most of the delays aren't related to something disastrous. A true blessing to have so many modes of transportation - if one or all doesn't work, most people and service providers are resourceful.
What if you really wanted to use the bathroom in a certain city and the train was late? You'd have to hold it maybe a long time, and that is not very romantic.
I've NEVER complained about a schedule slip...especially when I'm on board. Rail trips are like land cruises. The longer the better!
My wife and I did the Empire Builder in 2021 from Portland to Chicago. It was the best vacation we ever did! Next time, take it from Portland so you can see the Columbia River Gorge. That was up there with Glacier for views. And Portland Union Station has a Metro Lounge. Cheers!
Hello from Hendo NC- Love your content!!! Will be taking 1st Amtrak trip in over 20 years again. Your an inspiration to venture throughout America with Amtrak at the wheel...
I have taken my first ride with my children on Amtrak today and even though we only went to 1 town over it was an amazing experience seeing things with a different perspective than my normal commute to work
Suzanne And Jeb Brooks, I absolutely always look forward to your truly exciting and humorous travel videos. .. You both always make me smile and I do enjoy the wonderful descriptions of the lovely scenery as the train rolls on!! . ... I shall always enjoy travelling on Amtrak no matter how late it always is (fact)!! .. Thank you again for this lovely journey across our amazing country!! .. God Bless You, CC 🥰
What a wholesome comment
You reflect the character of a true train traveler!
Hi there, I’m from Sydney, NSW, Australia 🇦🇺
My wife and I really enjoyed your rail adventure. Thank you for your efforts and sharing your trip. The scenery was beautiful….
I took this route once many years ago and we were delayed by about 7 hours and let me tell you, it was worth it. Montana looks like something out of a story book in the winter. Such a beautiful state and not having cell phone reception makes it so you get up and talk to others. Would happily do it again. Thanks for sharing
If you loved what you saw in Minnesota, you should definitely adventure along the Mississippi and St. Croix rivers and head up to the North Shore. Absolutely incredible scenery! We have a beautiful state if you don't mind the weather. 🙂
The Amtrak trip was both beautiful, and very interesting. Thank you Jeb and Suzanne.
I've taken the Empire Builder 4 times. 2 times from Milwaukee to Seattle. And last 2 times, Hiawatha to Chicago to ride it the entire route. Just such a peaceful, relaxing way to travel. Yes old cars, but the pace and scenery make it so worth it. I always travel alone hoping someday to travel bring someone with me to share the trip. Thank you for all your Amtrak videos. Makes a long day at the office so much better
Great Video!!!! Interesting seeing the Mississippi up north, unlike my hometown of Memphis and my second home town of New Orleans. Try the City of New Orleans, very festive crowd on that train. To Chicago to Minot. Wisconsin was just beautiful on the Empire Builder. Again just a great video. Greg Adams, Springfield, Louisiana and 31 year retired Federal Express (Fedex Express) employee.
That is a trip I would love to take someday! I used to live in Williston, ND and would see the train coming into town often. I also picked up lots of friends from the train station.
Incredible travel journal. I did the Empire Builder last year (Sept 2022) in roomette and will be doing it again in April on a 6000 mile Amtrak journey! I really appreciate your enthusiasm for Amtrak and train travel. Thanks!
I enjoy watching your videos. Over the last several years, I have gained a renewed enthusiasm for train travel. In June 2021 I went on a cross country vacation to coastal Washington and Oregon state. I started off on the Michigan Blue Water from Flint, Michigan to Chicago, and after a 2 hour layover, went on Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle. 5 days later I went back on Coast Starlight from Tacoma, Washington to Sacramento and then a 5 hour layover and went on California Zephyr from Sacramento to Chicago. And then returned home on the Michigan Blue Water. It was a vacation of a lifetime.
Jeb I grew up in North Idaho in Clark Fork, 20 miles east of Sandpoint on the Montana boarder. It was so wonderful to see we’re I grew up for 18 years. Made me cry, such a beautiful area!
Jeff, my oldest brother and me are taking the C.Z. the 2nd week of May. Thank You for sharing all these Amtrax videos. I love my several trip to Seattle areas. Beautiful country there. America is so Great! God Bless.
This is so beautiful! Hopefully Trains become more commonplace and efficient sometime soon.
Jen has a very soothing voice. Great for relaxing before a long trip.
The best thing about ALL my vacations, and that includes a 9 hour ride on a beat up old train that leaked exhaust into the carriage which replaced a 4 hour high speed train (in the U.K.) on a bank holiday, is having someone to share it with (28+ years). Great video, as always!! 👍🏼👍🏼
Always an adventure though, no matter what!
Loved the longer video on this trip...the scenery and your comments justified it very well. Thank you for all your videos!
Amtrak is awesome
Never thought I'd see Rural Havre, Montana as a major stop in one of these videos. I love the hiline
Another great rail journey!! Thanks Jeb and Suzanne for sharing the trip! As someone who grew up in Canada - I love Winter landscapes (from the mountains to the plains)!! Don't get me wrong - Summer is great and all - but there is really something special about fresh/deep snow covering both the ground and the trees under a brilliant blue sky....and even though the late start was probably inconvenient for everyone - you really can't beat those views that would normally have been hidden in the dark (also loved the scenes you captured of wildlife near the tracks!).
Ugh, I love all your Amtrak videos, but I especially loved this one so much!! Y’all’s excitement and enthusiasm had me smiling the whole way through. The terrain was gorgeous and I loved Suzanne’s impromptu professional beauty CZcamsr get ready with me! So excited to see the rest of your Amtrak journey!! 🥲🥰
Empire Builder July 2023, CHI-SEA roundtrip. We just returned from a roundtrip on the EB and the Summer Scenery is amazing. Westbound Roomette. Eastbound Bedroom! I highly recommend the Superliner Bedroom. What was very interesting was the difference between West and East..We really appreciated the Westbound Car Attendant and Dinning staff and food but Eastbound was far and above the outbound trip. In particular our Eastbound Car Attendant Gul was amazing and could be working at the finest hotel or cruise ship but he choose to work for Amtrak. (“Jeb Score-Service” West=3, East 5!). Additionally the EB was 100% full West and East. So book early! Safe travels!
I rode the Empire Builder last year from Fargo to Seattle and back except in Coach, our train was pulled by 2 p42 locomotives both going and coming back, the coach seats were comfortable, it had good recline, and power outlet, and leg rest, I booked an upper deck ticket on the superliner, however going to Seattle it was 7.5 hrs delayed, 2 hours delay at Minot waiting for a new crew, the old crew timed out, at MT, in the afternoon tracks were too hot the train can only go 40mph, that night, past Havre MT, there is a 60mph wind storm, the train came to a crawl at 20mph, everyone sitting in coach was compensated with snacks and a free meal in the dining car, we had beef stew and wild rice, our lounge car attendant that worked the café is a history buff, we had a informative lecture on all the history and sites of things along the way, including the missile silos, cold war, badlands, Williston oil fields, trading posts, etc, despite all the hiccups it was an awesome and scenic time especially going through Glacier National Park, and the Idaho Panhandle National Forest, and Columbia River and the forest in Washington before arriving in Seattle, it was an awesome journey!
I absolutely love train travel. I love Amtrak. One day I WILL try one of the longer routes and maybe get a roomette / bedroom.
Jeb and Suzanne, your videos are beautiful. Your original Amtrak stuff was a huge part of the inspiration for my own cross country Amtrak trip last summer! What an amazing experience it was! Thank you so much for your work! (The videos also convinced my skeptical mother to go as well!)
Suzanne is delightful.
Just love seeing the wildlife
Amazing! I would love to see more longer videos like this, it's always nice to see you upload. Amtrak really looks nice.
Best travel channel on CZcams! You guys do a great job!
Wow, thanks!
The dinty Moore stew brings back memories. We were on the Sunset Limited over 24 hours late. That was our lunch. At dinner time there was a knock on our door. Amtrak had stopped and gotten everyone on the train Churches chicken. A very nice touch.
that loco is pretty the paint scheme is wonderful.
48 hours on the train is a really crazy amount of time! it's something that I would want to experience though if ever I'll visit the US. Thanks for sharing the experience Jeb!
Such beautiful scenery. Your videos make me smile. Thanks for doing this guys!❤️✈️
Awesome Bedroom View of Snow Capped Mountains and Rivers
Just took Amtrak from Richmond VA to Miami, FL. Took about 24 hours or so each way. Coach on the way down was brutal. Comfy seats but not being able to truly lay out to sleep wasn't great. Roomette on the way back was so luxurious! Would definitely do it again. (We had the older train)
Another historical fact about the Great Northern is that the Empire Builder has a companion train before the creation of Amtrak. The Western Star ran the Great Northern, departing Seattle and Chicago in the evening about 2 hours after you departed.
Fun news is that Amtrak and the FRA are looking into restoring the North Coast Hiawatha through Southern Montana. They have also issued a request for information to replace and expand the long distance fleet.
Personally, I think that the Western Star could be brought back as a summertime, Seattle-Minneapolis train running through most of the Cascades and Rockies in daylight and serving as a twice-or-thrice weekly luxury tourist complement to the Builder.
The North Coast Hiawatha would be a great train to add back, and likely to add 400,000 riders to the national network. Not to mention the opportunity to serve Yellowstone from te Midwest.
Additional trains-just a dream with current Amtrak management.
Additional trains are just a dream with current Freight railraoad management.
They are Finally under investigation for violations to their contract with Amtrak and causing a vast majority of the delays on the western long distance trains.
@@JuanSanchezGuerra from your fingertips(lol) yp God's ears! I grew up in Livingston, Montana! I remember taking the North Star Hiawatha in 1979 out to Seattle
@@renafox4481 The restoration study will come out soon as well as results from the new equipment RFI. I think that is is certainly a realistic prospect!
Possibly the most amazing scenery from one of your travels yet! Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!