Help with decsion on Empire Builder

[spinnaker]

As mentioned in my other thread, I am planning on a visit to Glacier in June 2019. I am not sure if I want to fly into Kalispell then grab a shuttle to Glacier or fly to Seattle and take the EB into Glacier. (I have given up the idea of riding my bike from Kalispell/Whitefish, either the main road is too busy or the back road too bear infested

)

I have been on the EB out of Seattle once before. I really enjoyed the ride through the Cascades. I am sort of opting for repeating the trip and just flying out to Seattle.

I know I can leave from Portland too but the Cascades seem to be a lot more interesting than the Columbia River Gorge. Plus there is much of the Cascades I just don't remember. It would be nice to have a refresher.

At first I thought it was going to be significantly more expensive to take the train into Glacier. But thanks to the Amsnag suggestion in the other post, it really is not all that bad. Just seems a round about way to get to Glacier.

So thoughts? Is the ride through the Cascades worth it as I at least seem to remember?

 

[Bob Dylan]

If you want to go through the Cascades mostly in Daylight, consider riding the Builder from Glacier to SEA. It gets dark earlier Eastbound, and often it gets Dark around the 7 mile Long Cascade Tunnel when the Builder runs Late, which is Often!

Nice Trip,I agree the Cascades are better than the Nice Columbia Gorge Route.

 

[greatcats]

I have been on both legs of the EB, westbound to Portland and east from Seattle. IMHO, I would vote for the Cascades.

I visited Glacier in July by car ( camping trip, plus the Belton Chalet and Prince of Wales Hotel in Alberta) and it was wonderful, but remember the station at West Glacier does not handle checked baggage. I observed the westbound train on 2 evenings and the building was not open for passengers , of which there were pretty fair numbers. That station is a visitor center- maybe it is open in the morning.

 

[greatcats]

Good point Mr Dylan! Great minds at work!

 

[crescent-zephyr]

Columbia River Gorge is really lovely and I've always gotten to see it. Last two times I've ridden the Builder it was dark for the Cascades.

 

[TinCan782]

We traveled the eastbound Empire Builder out of Seattle a year ago this past July. Really enjoyed the scenery and (being mid-July) still had a good amount of daylight. Passing through the Cascade Tunnel was an interesting experience. Daylight again before we got to Whitefish.

We rode the train to East Glacier Park (GPK) and spent a great week at the beautiful Glacier Park Lodge. Rented an SUV for the week and did lots of sightseeing including driving the Going-to-the-Sun Road. We continued eastward to Chicago then back to Calif on the California Zephyr. The Coast Starlight got us up to Seattle and back down to LA.

Traveling westbound out of Glacier (evening) is initially an in-darkness journey. I'd definitely do the eastbound again but, would like to try the reverse direction as well. The only time eastbound out of PDX was later in the year so, with earlier darkness, missed most of the Gorge.

Enjoy!

 

[the_traveler]

With the “normal” train timing, you choices are either of the following for views. Going eastbound, you have darkness for the Cascades or the Gorge but daylight for the Glacier area. Going westbound, you have darkness for the Glacier area but daylight for the Cascades or Gorge.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

With the “normal” train timing, you choices are either of the following for views. Going eastbound, you have darkness for the Cascades or the Gorge but daylight for the Glacier area. Going westbound, you have darkness for the Glacier area but daylight for the Cascades or Gorge.

Normal travel is totally overrated. He should considered an unscheduled ride in a Q400 instead. I hear the view is incredible but the arrivals are a pain in the ass.

 

[cpotisch]

Question: Between SEA and SPK do they let passengers hang out in the dining car during non-meal times, since there's no SSL?

 

[spinnaker]

If you want to go through the Cascades mostly in Daylight, consider riding the Builder from Glacier to SEA. It gets dark earlier Eastbound, and often it gets Dark around the 7 mile Long Cascade Tunnel when the Builder runs Late, which is Often!

Nice Trip,I agree the Cascades are better than the Nice Columbia Gorge Route.

Not going to work unless maybe I can the train to Glacier from Pittsburgh then head west on the EB after my visit and fly home from Seattle.

But then I risk going through Glacier when it is dark.

I did the east bound EB in September. We left late maybe an hour and still had enough daylight for most of the Cascades.

 

[spinnaker]

With the “normal” train timing, you choices are either of the following for views. Going eastbound, you have darkness for the Cascades or the Gorge but daylight for the Glacier area. Going westbound, you have darkness for the Glacier area but daylight for the Cascades or Gorge.

Normal travel is totally overrated. He should considered an unscheduled ride in a Q400 instead. I hear the view is incredible but the arrivals are a pain in the ass.

What is a "Q400"?

 

[spinnaker]

but remember the station at West Glacier does not handle checked baggage. I observed the westbound train on 2 evenings and the building was not open for passengers , of which there were pretty fair numbers. That station is a visitor center- maybe it is open in the morning.

You concerned me a bit because I am thinking of bringing a bike Curious they do handle bikes. I really don't can about luggage but usually if they don't handle luggage they don't handle bikes.

 

[railiner]

With the “normal” train timing, you choices are either of the following for views. Going eastbound, you have darkness for the Cascades or the Gorge but daylight for the Glacier area. Going westbound, you have darkness for the Glacier area but daylight for the Cascades or Gorge.

Normal travel is totally overrated. He should considered an unscheduled ride in a Q400 instead. I hear the view is incredible but the arrivals are a pain in the ass.

What is a "Q400"?

He's making a sarcastic reference to the recent stolen airliner crash....

 

[montana mike]

If you are a good cyclist there is a dedicated bike trail that was built just off of US 2 from Columbia Falls almost all of the way into West Glacier. We see many cyclists use this trail.

BTW: Given the lack of any coherent timekeeping by both East and Westbound EBs this year there is no guarantee you would see the highlights you have hoped to enjoy. You might see things that the train had in the past only gone thru in darkness! I have taken both the Columbia River Gorge and Cascades branches and they both have their merits.

 

[PRR 60]

Some posts concerning the Alaska Airlines incident at SEA have been removed. The original humorous reply and the responses remain. There is an active topic in the non-rail forum on that incident.

Stolen and crashed Horizon airliner

 

[zephyr17]

Question: Between SEA and SPK do they let passengers hang out in the dining car during non-meal times, since there's no SSL?

They used to, they used to set up 1/2 the diner as a lounge, but that stopped a long time ago. Now they use both ends of the diner and when meal service is finished they treat it like any other diner.

They have one table set up at the coach end to sell snacks and beverages, but you have to take them back to your seat.