A Day trip on the Builder

[saxman]

I am feeling some Amtrak withdrawal and just feel like taking a day trip just to get out and ride. I live in Grand Forks, ND and wanna take it somewhere where I can wait not too long and catch the returning train. Has anyone done anything like this before? I just don't wanna have the outbound be late and miss my return train. I'll just have to keep up with the status on my cell phone with Julie.

Anyways, where would you go? West or East. I could always go to Fargo and back which would take 4 hours in the middle of the night. But thats boring.

Chris

 

[Amfleet]

You could do something like this.

Westbound #7

Dp. Grand Forks, ND @ 5:04am

Ar. Malta, MT @ 1:25pm

Eastbound #8

Dp. Malta, MT 2:52pm

Ar. Grand Forks @ 12:54am

The Empire Builder usually has the most reliable ontime performance out of all the long distance trains, but if either train is running late you can get off one stop before or after Malta in order to leave enough time to meet the returning train, but not be stuck in a small town in the middle of nowhere for 3 hours.