Here's is the most fun trip I have taken on Amtrak. It was back in May, and I will try to remember as many details as possible. Enjoy.....
My route would take me from Grand Forks, ND to Houston, TX, via Glacier National Park, Portland, LAX, and Houston. I'll break this into 3 parts for each leg of the trip.
Empire Builder, #27, Grand Forks to East Glacier Park
Coach seating
My grandparents flew up to Grand Forks from Texas the night before our departure. I picked them up and brought them to the hotel for our early morning departure. The EB was pretty much ontime however it always has trouble keeping up between Fargo and Grand Forks. It was to leave at 5:04 AM but did not arrive until about 5:20 AM. We arrived at the station around 4:15 AM and we checked our bags to Glacier Park. The timetable says East Glacier does not have checked bags but it indeed does. I also had two big suitcases and a box which I checked all the way to Houston, since I was going home for the summer. Funny how I would not see them for about a week. The train arrived and we boarded as the sun was coming up. We began the excursion across North Dakota. I was glad to see it during the day time for once. I always go toward CHI and its always at night normally. We past through alot of small towns including Larimore, which I fly into sometimes. It has a scary runway right by the tracks.
Where I am, its very flat in Grand Forks, but as you travel west, it actually gets into some rolling hills. It was also very wet along the route. The ditches were full of water as were the fields. However I'm glad to see there was not much trash along the way. Its nice to know, there are many parts of the country that are still left to its natural states, unlike the spreading Dallas/Fort Worth or Houston where I live.
Me and my granddad went to breakfast in the diner. We sat with a man who makes the Minneapolis-Williston ride about once a month in a sleeper. He says its alot more convenient then flying because of the price and time it takes also. (not many flight go to Williston, ND) It just proves why America need Amtrak. By the afternoon we crossed into Montana.
I thought North Dakota was desolate. I was just aw struck as we sped by Montana's grass lands, where I could look out the window of both sides of the train and not see a single tree, house, barn, or anything. It was just grass for miles and miles. Then out of nowhere a town would come up, like Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, etc. I now see how Amtrak service is vital to these towns economy. The only other roads were US 2, which is two lanes and maybe something going south. Some towns have a small airstrip, but thats it! No bus, no airlines, just the train. We had lunch and dinner aboard and soon we were to arrive in East Glacier Park. It was snowing too as we started the ascent. Its not a very long ascent because just about 10 mins into the mountains we were there. We were greeted by a big Red Bus which are famous in the park, built in the 30's. Right across was the historic Glacier Park Lodge where we would stay the next two nights.
The Glacier Park Lodge as well the depot were built buy the Great Northern Railway in 1912. There was alot of history in the Lodge about the railroad coming. It was cool that the 75th anniversery of the EB was coming soon. I think it is amazing that it still runs after all these years. Well we rented a car and drove around the park for the next two days. We drove to Whitefish and also went into Alberta. It was absolutely amazing scenery and wildlife in and around the park. I will definetly be back.
Soon it was time to catch the EB again at 6:45 and head to Portland. This time we had two deluxe sleepers, and we opened the wall in between to share between the 3 of us. It was quite a big room with four beds and two showers. Much more spacious than a standard. We sat down to dinner soon after we left as we climbed into Marias Pass. I was excited to see it, because we had drove all along the tracks on US 2 the previous day. Lots of sharp curves and cliffs as we climbed. Lots of BNSF freights too, but didnt' stop for a single one. Soon it was dark, and we headed to bed. I dont' remember waking up very much, because it was daylight and we were almost to Portland. Soon came the Columbia River gorge. I could see another set of tracks on the otherside of the river with many freights. I think thats where the old Pioneer traveled from Portland to Denver and on. Soon Portland came into view and we pulled in just 3 minutes down. We were about 30 to 45 mins down along the journey. We found the nice lounge in Portland and waited for the Coast Starlight.
I will continue with the CS to LAX in the next reply....I'm tired of typing
Chris
My route would take me from Grand Forks, ND to Houston, TX, via Glacier National Park, Portland, LAX, and Houston. I'll break this into 3 parts for each leg of the trip.
Empire Builder, #27, Grand Forks to East Glacier Park
Coach seating
My grandparents flew up to Grand Forks from Texas the night before our departure. I picked them up and brought them to the hotel for our early morning departure. The EB was pretty much ontime however it always has trouble keeping up between Fargo and Grand Forks. It was to leave at 5:04 AM but did not arrive until about 5:20 AM. We arrived at the station around 4:15 AM and we checked our bags to Glacier Park. The timetable says East Glacier does not have checked bags but it indeed does. I also had two big suitcases and a box which I checked all the way to Houston, since I was going home for the summer. Funny how I would not see them for about a week. The train arrived and we boarded as the sun was coming up. We began the excursion across North Dakota. I was glad to see it during the day time for once. I always go toward CHI and its always at night normally. We past through alot of small towns including Larimore, which I fly into sometimes. It has a scary runway right by the tracks.
Where I am, its very flat in Grand Forks, but as you travel west, it actually gets into some rolling hills. It was also very wet along the route. The ditches were full of water as were the fields. However I'm glad to see there was not much trash along the way. Its nice to know, there are many parts of the country that are still left to its natural states, unlike the spreading Dallas/Fort Worth or Houston where I live.
Me and my granddad went to breakfast in the diner. We sat with a man who makes the Minneapolis-Williston ride about once a month in a sleeper. He says its alot more convenient then flying because of the price and time it takes also. (not many flight go to Williston, ND) It just proves why America need Amtrak. By the afternoon we crossed into Montana.
I thought North Dakota was desolate. I was just aw struck as we sped by Montana's grass lands, where I could look out the window of both sides of the train and not see a single tree, house, barn, or anything. It was just grass for miles and miles. Then out of nowhere a town would come up, like Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, etc. I now see how Amtrak service is vital to these towns economy. The only other roads were US 2, which is two lanes and maybe something going south. Some towns have a small airstrip, but thats it! No bus, no airlines, just the train. We had lunch and dinner aboard and soon we were to arrive in East Glacier Park. It was snowing too as we started the ascent. Its not a very long ascent because just about 10 mins into the mountains we were there. We were greeted by a big Red Bus which are famous in the park, built in the 30's. Right across was the historic Glacier Park Lodge where we would stay the next two nights.
The Glacier Park Lodge as well the depot were built buy the Great Northern Railway in 1912. There was alot of history in the Lodge about the railroad coming. It was cool that the 75th anniversery of the EB was coming soon. I think it is amazing that it still runs after all these years. Well we rented a car and drove around the park for the next two days. We drove to Whitefish and also went into Alberta. It was absolutely amazing scenery and wildlife in and around the park. I will definetly be back.
Soon it was time to catch the EB again at 6:45 and head to Portland. This time we had two deluxe sleepers, and we opened the wall in between to share between the 3 of us. It was quite a big room with four beds and two showers. Much more spacious than a standard. We sat down to dinner soon after we left as we climbed into Marias Pass. I was excited to see it, because we had drove all along the tracks on US 2 the previous day. Lots of sharp curves and cliffs as we climbed. Lots of BNSF freights too, but didnt' stop for a single one. Soon it was dark, and we headed to bed. I dont' remember waking up very much, because it was daylight and we were almost to Portland. Soon came the Columbia River gorge. I could see another set of tracks on the otherside of the river with many freights. I think thats where the old Pioneer traveled from Portland to Denver and on. Soon Portland came into view and we pulled in just 3 minutes down. We were about 30 to 45 mins down along the journey. We found the nice lounge in Portland and waited for the Coast Starlight.
I will continue with the CS to LAX in the next reply....I'm tired of typing
Chris