What route for a February trip?

[Mare]

My husband and I are looking for a quick winter trip. How is the Empire Builder in February? We would probably just go nonstop for the ride and fly home. Is 9t worth it or no?

Just looking for a few days adventure. We’ve already done the Lakeshore, Zephyr and Chief.

 

[TrackWalker]

Any trip on the Empire Builder is worth it.

Would you going eastbound or westbound?

 

[Maglev]

The Empire Builder has more dramatic scenery in daylight eastbound than westbound. Could you fly out and take the train back?

 

[zephyr17]

Westbound on the Empire Builder in February the Rockies will be entirely after dark. Either go east or take another train, like the CZ

 

[tgstubbs1]

Even eastbound my timetable shows the stop in Spokane around midnight, so wouldn't the Rockies be dark by then?
This is the reason I haven't taken the EB.
If they had the EB leave the West in the morning it would be an opportunity to see more.

A big problem with Amtrak. Only one train a day on most LD routes.

 

[Maglev]

Even eastbound my timetable shows the stop in Spokane around midnight, so wouldn't the Rockies be dark by then?
This is the reason I haven't taken the EB.

There are a lot of mountains visible in the morning, including the peaks of Glacier National Park after Whitefish at 7:41 AM. There are mountains until Cut Bank at 10:40 AM. But you're right that the train traverses some spectacular countryside in the dark.

 

[Qapla]

When a train runs without stopping for a layover (24 hours a day) for multiple days - no matter what time it leaves it will pass nearly half the scenery at night ... can't prevent that no matter how they adjust the schedule unless they park the train at night.

 

[zephyr17]

Even eastbound my timetable shows the stop in Spokane around midnight, so wouldn't the Rockies be dark by then?
This is the reason I haven't taken the EB.
If they had the EB leave the West in the morning it would be an opportunity to see more.

A big problem with Amtrak. Only one train a day on most LD routes.

The Kootenai River Canyon is always at night in both directions if the train is anywhere close to on time.

The spectacular views crossing of the Rockies are basically between Whitefish and Cut Bank. You are entirely out of the mountains by Browning, but they are pretty visible at Cut Bank.

Spokane is not in or near the Rockies on the Empire Builder. It is about 80 miles from Lookout Pass on I 90, though.