Empire Builder discussion

Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum

Help Support Amtrak Unlimited Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Well I can't seem seem to make any sense of what is going on with #8 now... from Amtrak Status Maps site . I would appreciate updates from anyone who does understand it, I've got to get on it Wed. Thanks very much!
D.
If you're questioning 1008, that number is used when trains depart the day before the spring time change. You'll notice there are 1005, 1006, 1003 and 1004 on the map too.

Not sure why 7 or 1007 are not on the map. I do know that one of the recent 7's took a detour through ND due to the storm, which may be why it's not showing.
 
According to ASMAD, 8 missed connection with 48 13 out of 72 times, or 18% in the last 3 months.

8 missed the connection with 30 29 out of 68 times, or 43%.

The connection with 48 is reasonably reliable, making it about 4 out of 5 times in the recent past. 30 is a crapshoot, missing nearly half the time. If you were to book a same day connection, do it to 48.

I have made the 8 to 48 connection and I had plenty of time to walk down Adams to the Berghoff for dinner.
With a 9:30PM departure 48 is much more reliable than 30. I usually go to Harrisburg Pa when coming in on one of the Western trains and even though it will arrive in Harrisburg with a connection in NY late at night it’s more reliable than relying on 30 and 42 which gets in nine hours earlier, plus I avoid that transfer at 6AM in Pittsburgh’s dungeon
 
With a 9:30PM departure 48 is much more reliable than 30. I usually go to Harrisburg Pa when coming in on one of the Western trains and even though it will arrive in Harrisburg with a connection in NY late at night it’s more reliable than relying on 30 and 42 which gets in nine hours earlier, plus I avoid that transfer at 6AM in Pittsburgh’s dungeon
When did 48 start serving Harrisburg, PA?
 
When did 48 start serving Harrisburg, PA?
"... arrive in Harrisburg with a connection in NY late at night..." I think Sidney is recommending taking the LSL to NYP and connecting to a train to Harrisburg there. 48 arrives in NYP at 6:42 PM (an hour later today due to DST change!) and there is an 8:30 PM Keystone train which arrives in Harrisburg about midnight. And you get to wait in the new lounge rather than in the Pittsburgh dungeon!
 
Need to reserve hotel in September arriving Portland for connection to the EB from CS. Is there one in walking distance (a block or two} for a 93 year old in fairly good health. Is a taxi recommended? If so, which hotel? Last leg of IND to CHI to SAS to LAX to PDX to CHI to IND
 
Been too too long. When we had a layover in PDX was at a motel just west of Lloyd center appears long gone. Map shows many hotels and motels there now . It is about a 10 minute walk. Just go out station keeping all the way to the left keeping RR tracks on left . You will cross the steel Bridge and couple blocks will be in the hotel rows.

Note" light rail is on the walking level of the bridge. Amtrak crosses bridge below with an internal lift system of the RR tracks underneath. The auto, pedestrian, light rail section does not raise very often except fleet week in MAY usually.
 
Need to reserve hotel in September arriving Portland for connection to the EB from CS. Is there one in walking distance (a block or two} for a 93 year old in fairly good health. Is a taxi recommended? If so, which hotel? Last leg of IND to CHI to SAS to LAX to PDX to CHI to IND
A taxi is recommended, as that opens up many possible hotel/motel options. There is a Residence Inn a third of a mile northwest of the station in the Pearl District that is a level walk.

Many others are available south of the station in the downtown area, but that requires a walk through the Skid Road area. Another alternative is to take the MAX Tri-Met light rail service to the south end of the downtown area, where there are economical motels that are in the national reservation networks. However, that part of the downtown area has some slopes.

P1040052.JPG
 
8(12) cancelled.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20230312-222042_Firefox.jpg
    Screenshot_20230312-222042_Firefox.jpg
    823.4 KB · Views: 2
Does anyone know what the current menu is for Sleeper passengers on 27/28 (between PDX & SPK)?
 
Understand both locos HEP failed. They were still good for traction.
Do not know why Amtrak did not dispatch 3 locos into 10 degree weather. Even though the calendar time had passed for BNSF's 3 loco rule.
 
Is the Builder more impressive as one direction of the entire route or as a highlight run similar to SEA-GPK-PDX?
Well, as a regular rider of the Builder as it is my rail transportation to the east, you get most of the scenic highlights between the western terminals and East Glacier. Some enjoy eastern Montana. But I think of it as West Dakota. The only thing you miss is the Mississippi River running between La Crosse and St. Paul, which is quite scenic.

Personally, I think the Portland section through the Columbia Gorge is more scenic than Stevens Pass, much of which is a "tree tunnel". I think SEA-GPK-PDX is the right way to do it. You are pretty much guaranteed the Gorge in daylight.
 
If the former Airline CEO did his job right in regards to the contract, every time these breakdowns happen should be costing Siemens dearly. Is VIA having the same problems in the cold?
 
Daughter sent photo of #7 at Minot this morning. Those are icicles along the roof and windows and air intake of the Superliner. #7 left MSP just ahead of the overnight thundersnow here in Saint Paul. [edit to add] Always adventurous daughter is taking the younguns in coach from MSP to SEA to visit rellies for a week. Kids are 7,4,and 4months. They report trip is going good so far. Other pic is here in St Pawl this AMAMTK7-Minot-2023-04-01-1030AM.jpgStPaul-2023-04-01.jpg
 
One small additional thing. Flooding chances on upper Mississippi here increase every little spring snowstorm like in the photo above. There's another storm in the forecast for next week, rain or snow, nobody knows yet, but . . .
Anybody planning to ride the Builder in the next month or so, please check the flood forecasts for the upper Mississippi on NOAA
I'm old enough that I've seen the tracks from LSE to MSP (Both sides of the river, BNSF and SooLine-CP) shut down several times, (and in NoDak between Fargo and Grand Forks, and on the Souris near Minot). The seasons here are a feature, not a bug, and one part of that feature is a big spring flood every decade or so.
 
What happened to train 8/28 of the 30th? It didn't show up on train tracker and train status shows service disruption for MSP on the 1st. Was it cancelled? Delays and cancellations are so common on the Empire Builder route, that I seldom ride it anymore compared to past years.
 
What happened to train 8/28 of the 30th? It didn't show up on train tracker and train status shows service disruption for MSP on the 1st. Was it cancelled? Delays and cancellations are so common on the Empire Builder route, that I seldom ride it anymore compared to past years.

Don't know if this is the same situation ?

Square profile picture

Amtrak Alerts

@AmtrakAlerts
·
Mar 30

UPDATE: As of 4:02 am CT, Empire Builder Train 8/28 which departed Seattle (SEA) on 3/28, is currently operating approx. 4hr late into Devils Lake (DVL) due to assisting disabled train 7 in Rugby (RUG).



Train 7 of recent has been having HEP power problem with BOTH locomotives - traction power but no electrical - just great for those new LED
locomotives - all lit up front but nothing for the coaches.
 
Don't know if this is the same situation ?
Square profile picture
Amtrak Alerts
@AmtrakAlerts
·
Mar 30

UPDATE: As of 4:02 am CT, Empire Builder Train 8/28 which departed Seattle (SEA) on 3/28, is currently operating approx. 4hr late into Devils Lake (DVL) due to assisting disabled train 7 in Rugby (RUG).



Train 7 of recent has been having HEP power problem with BOTH locomotives - traction power but no electrical - just great for those new LED
locomotives - all lit up front but nothing for the coaches.
I was wondering if train 8/28 which would have departed Seattle/Portland on 3/30 was cancelled. The status for this train at MSP for 4/1 shows cancelled. Did it leave Seattle/Portland on 3/30 or was it cancelled enroute? It don't recall seeing any alerts about it.
 
I was wondering if train 8/28 which would have departed Seattle/Portland on 3/30 was cancelled. The status for this train at MSP for 4/1 shows cancelled. Did it leave Seattle/Portland on 3/30 or was it cancelled enroute? It don't recall seeing any alerts about it.
This could have been due to disabled train 7 from a couple days prior as you noted, thus causing a lack of equipment. It's hard to keep track of the multiple cancellations that have happened in the past couple of weeks.
 
Need to reserve hotel in September arriving Portland for connection to the EB from CS. Is there one in walking distance (a block or two} for a 93 year old in fairly good health. Is a taxi recommended? If so, which hotel? Last leg of IND to CHI to SAS to LAX to PDX to CHI to IND
If you book it as one continuous trip, Amtrak will buy you a hotel room if you miss the connection. No idea which hotel they would use for that. I might walk through that neighborhood, but I live here and I'm only in my '60s.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top