THE EMPIRE BUILDER: RAILS TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
THE EMPIRE BUILDER: RAILS TO THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST
By Jack M. Turner
Westbound train # 7, the Empire Builder, departed Chicago on-time
at 2:15pm on Thursday, June 16, 2016. As soon as the train ducked
out of Union Station, views of the north side of the Loop filled our
windows. Once more my wife and I had roomettes 3 and 4, this time
in sleeping car 32094 “Montana”. Our 11 car train consisted of
seven cars to Seattle and four destined for Portland.
After passing through Northbrook and Deerfield our eastbound
counterpart, train # 8, glided past nearing the end of its 48 hour
journey from Seattle. We anticipated a pleasant westward trip and
the combination of a comfortably cool sleeper, a great car attendant,
good dining, and beautiful scenery delivered the expected result.
The run to Milwaukee was uneventful and before long it was time to head
to the dining car per our 5:30 reservation as the train departed
Portage, WI. The dinner menu was a pleasant improvement from the
microwaved food served the prior night aboard the City of New
Orleans. I found my flat iron steak tasty and cooked to
perfection along with a baked potato, mixed vegetables, and garden
salad. Christine enjoyed the crab cakes and accompanying
vegetables. We enjoyed interesting conversation at our table with
a woman from Washington state with a background as a sea captain and
her delightful mother from Texas. Nice dining car tablemates make
rail travel enjoyable as there is nothing like watching interesting
scenery pass while having good conversation. The scenic highlight
during dinner came as the Empire Builder stopped at Wisconsin Dells
affording a look at a popular upper Midwest tourist destination.
For dessert we enjoyed the chocolate cream tart which was delicious but
resolved to order this “to go” during future dining car meals for an
evening treat in our roomettes.
Leaving LaCrosse, WI in early evening the Empire Builder crossed the
Mississippi River on a series of bridges then traced the river’s west
bank in Minnesota. Beyond Winona views of a colorful sunset over
the Mississippi kept us glued to the windows for over an hour and a
half as the twisting rail line presented different angles of the
setting sun, the mighty river, and the hilly east bank on the river’s
Wisconsin side. The 45 minute stop at St. Paul Union Station
allowed time for a look at the restored station which reopened in 2015
after previously seeing its last passenger train in 1971. The
beautiful waiting room, ticket area, and front portico’s grandeur
reminded of the importance of maintaining these architectural
treasures. This was the third location in the Twin Cities used by
Amtrak through the years and a vast improvement from the boxy, isolated
Midway station used for the past 35-plus years. Union Station is
located right downtown, adjacent to the St. Paul Saints minor league
baseball stadium with a light rail station directly in front of the
grand station.
Crossing the Mississippi River, leaving Wisconsin and entering Minnesota
Hills on the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River
The Empire Builder stops in Winona, MN
The Mississippi at sunset
The Empire Builder hugs the Mississippi for almost 2 hours
Restored St. Paul Union Station
The former ticket windows inside Union Station
The front portico of St. Paul Union Station
Our train’s steady westward progress on smooth rails induced a great
night’s sleep and we awoke as the train departed Devils Lake, ND.
An excellent French toast, sausage and grits breakfast started the day
off on a good note as we enjoyed the sights around Rugby, ND.
Afterward a stroll on the platform at Minot offered a perfect
opportunity to stretch and take a look at the engines leading our train
during the 25 minute stop. Lunchtime came near Wolf Point, MT and
the Angus cheeseburger was up to previous standards. A passing
eastbound BNSF freight reminded me that freight traffic had been
relatively heavy since St. Paul though few delays had been
encountered. The grasslands of North Dakota and prairies of
eastern Montana evoked thoughts of the pioneers who passed through this
isolated region allowing our country to expand westward so long
ago. As we rolled through the Fort Peck Indian Reservation the
Missouri River came into view conjuring images of Lewis and Clark’s
Corps of Discovery traveling down that river in the early 1800s.
Morning dawns east of Rugby, ND
Grain silos on the outskirts of Rugby
The dining car menu
Head end of train # 7 at Minot, ND
Inside the Minot station
The Empire Builder traversed the BNSF Milk River Subdivision in early
afternoon passing grasslands, agricultural and cattle farms, and
winding rivers including the namesake Milk River. An abundance of
small ducks and interesting bird species were present in the Bowdoin
National Wildlife Refuge east of Malta. Soon the Montana mantra
“Big Sky Country” was evident as wide open spaces enveloped the
railroad with the Bears Paws Mountains to the southwest as a
backdrop. The dispatcher soon could be heard talking to eastbound
Amtrak train # 8 which waited for us on the siding at Savoy. A
private vista dome car brought up the rear of that train, its occupants
surely were treated to a great view.
The Milk River near Culbertson, MT
Our engines were refueled prior to pulling into the station at Havre
and the station stop was limited to less than 10 minutes.
Nevertheless there was time to detrain briefly and take a look at the
preserved Great Northern steam locomotive adjacent to the
platform. Two hours later we were back in the diner for dinner as
train # 7 departed Shelby. Soon the Rocky Mountains came into
view ahead still an hour and a half away. Indeed, Big Sky Country
means great visibility over great distances. My steak dinner was
again excellent though the mixed vegetables were on the verge of
becoming repetitively tiresome. My wife gave the chicken dinner a
thumbs up but agreed that the mixed vegetables were tiring after two
straight nights.
A preserved Great Northern steam locomotive at the Havre, MT station
Approaching the Rocky Mountains
The scenery ramped up in a big way just before 7:00pm as the Empire
Builder stopped at East Glacier where the Glacier Park Lodge and golf
course stood a short distance beyond the log station. Jagged
mountains covered with snow and punctuated by glaciers dominated the
view as the train navigated along the southern border of Glacier
National Park. We topped the Continental Divide at Marias Pass,
elevation 5213 feet, about 20 minutes beyond East Glacier and soon
passed through a series of railroad snowsheds. The two hour
passage along Glacier Park could best be described as a potpourri of
beautiful vistas of snowy mountains, glacier fed rivers, deep valleys,
and rich forests. There was no shortage of daylight even around
8:00pm due to the far north latitude of northern Montana. The
day’s final opportunity to step off the train came at Whitefish and we
enjoyed viewing the statue of Great Northern’s Rocky the mountain goat
mascot, a restored Glacier Park touring bus, and a restored GN switch
engine, the latter two in traditional GN colors. A
spectacular sunset observed beyond Whitefish lingered well beyond
10:00pm.
Crossing Two Medicine River Trestle near East Glacier Park
East Glacier station and Glacier Park Lodge
Beautiful views appear during the route along Glacier National Park’s boundary
The Flathead River
Another stream seen from the train
Isaak Walton Inn, a popular railfan stopover
Glacier-fed waters in Glacier Park
The Empire Builder stops in Whitefish, MT
A restored GN switch engine displayed at Whitefish
The Whitefish train station has an alpine appearance
Statue of Rocky, GN’s mountain goat statue
Restored GN touring bus displayed beside the Whitefish station
A lake west of Whitefish at sunset
The smooth BNSF tracks afforded a great night’s sleep which was
interrupted only by the ringing of my alarm clock since the dining
car’s breakfast hours would end when the train reached Cascade Tunnel
around 7:00am. Overnight we had dropped our lead engine and four
rear cars which would run to Portland, however, this activity did not
wake us up. Our breakfast selections were identical to the prior
day and equally tasty. The dining car crew, composed of LSA David
and servers Camille, Aaron, and Gwen, was outstanding and had made
mealtimes a pleasure throughout the trip.
Ominous news was delivered via the public address system as we made an
unscheduled stop at Berne at 6:55am. A disabled freight train was
blocking the single track ahead. A wide range of possibilities
came to mind as that could mean engine failure, a broken coupler, a
minor derailment, or a variety of other possibilities. Much to my
surprise we were cleared to proceed through 7.79 mile long Cascade
Tunnel, the longest railroad tunnel in the United States after a very
short delay. Approximately 30 minutes after exiting the tunnel
the Empire Builder again came to a stop and word came over the scanner
that the freight train crew had gone on the law, i.e., run out of hours
of service on-duty time. A relief “dog catch” crew was en route,
something that often results in major delays. However, luck was
on our side as the problem had obviously been worked for awhile and we
were underway after a delay of less than 10 minutes. The troubled
freight was passed at Skyhomish clearing the way for a smooth run to
Seattle.
The BNSF line from Vancouver, BC was joined just before the station
stop in Everett and soon Puget Sound came into view for the final hour
of our journey. Ten minutes later ferry boats could be seen
plying Puget Sound’s waters as we approached Mukilteo. The
terminal for ferries to Whidbey Island was directly adjacent to the
rail line and we made note for the next day when we would ride that
ferry. Within 20 minutes another ferry terminal was right beside
the rails as the Empire Builder stopped in Edmonds. This ferry
crosses Puget Sound to Kingston and the Olympic Peninsula, a trip we
would enjoy in a few days.
The Edmonds ferry terminal seen from the train.
We caught the ferry from that location a few days later en route to the Olympic Peninsula.
As we approached Seattle a Princess cruise ship was visible on the
right as it prepared to welcome passengers for a journey to
Alaska. The Empire Builder breezed past Seattle’s King Street
Station at 10:30am and backed in on a stub track with a final arrival
time of 10:35. The conductor’s final announcement apologized for
our 10 minute late arrival which, from my point of view, represented
excellent timekeeping.
Pullman Railway Journeys sleeping car “Baton Rouge” parked in Seattle. This car originally was Seaboard’s “Tallahassee”.
Having visited Seattle several times through the years, this visit
focused on sights north of the city. We rented a van downtown
then set out to explore some of the Pacific Northwest’s leading sights
with an eye out for signs of rail activity or history in the areas we
visited. Our base of operations was the Embassy Suites hotel in
Lynnwood, WA, a short drive north of downtown Seattle. This hotel
was convenient to the sights described below and is within five minutes
of several excellent restaurants, a great shopping mall, and the I-5
freeway. The hotel is located in a small office park and we found
our suite comfortable, contemporary, and quiet. The daily cooked
to order and evening manager’s reception were included with the cost of
the suite. The hotel’s indoor swimming pool appeared quite
popular while the guest laundry facilities were welcomed late in our
visit after a week on the road.
Embassy Suites, Lynnwood, WA is an excellent and convenient hotel for visiting sights north of Seattle
Our first sightseeing excursion took us back to Mukilteo where we
boarded a Washington State ferry to Clinton, on the southern tip of
Whidbey Island. The 55 mile long island is Washington’s largest
island and is the 4th largest island in the contiguous United States
and 36th largest overall in the US. Our drive provided glimpses
of quaint towns, a few harbors, and scenic rural areas. The
highlight was the 180 foot tall arched cantilever bridge over Deception
Pass which was viewed from the minivan and by foot on walkways over and
beneath the bridge. The north end of the island is connected to
the mainland by a bridge leading to Burlington, WA, a stop for Amtrak
trains to Vancouver. Continuing eastward we headed to North
Cascades National Park, a relatively unpublicized park that features
outstanding views of snow capped mountains, glaciers, lakes, and
streams. The day’s activities consumed the majority of the day
though one could easily bypass Whidbey Island to allow time to more
fully explore North Cascades.
A lighthouse located beside the Mukilteo ferry terminal
The scenic Mukilteo to Clinton ferry crossing
Passing another ferry on our way to the Whidbey Island
The eastward view from the Deception Pass bridge on the north end of Whidbey Island
Walking under the Deception Pass bridge
Looking west from the bridge
Entering North Cascades National Park
A mountain lake in North Cascades National Park
A tall waterfall in North Cascades National Park
A dam holds back a lake in the highlands region of North Cascades National Park
One of several beautiful lakes in North Cascades
Snowy mountains are plentiful in northwestern Washington
The author enjoys a scenic day north of Seattle
The following day we drove about an hour north from the Embassy Suites
to Anacortes where we parked our rented minivan and boarded a ferryboat
headed to Friday Harbor located on San Juan Island. The 65 minute
trip aboard Washington State ferry “Samish” sailed past several of the
San Juan Islands affording views of snowy mountains on the mainland and
harbors, hillsides, and villages on the islands. A variety of
fishing and pleasure boats as well as other ferryboats shared the
waters with our ferry and the journey was a treat unto itself.
The “Samish” was built in 2015 and can carry 144 automobiles and 1,520
passengers. Inside it offers a well stocked snack bar and indoor
seating areas, while outside viewing decks are also available.
A passing ferry during the trip to Friday Harbor
The ferry trip to the San Juan Islands provides scenic views
Passengers aboard Washington State ferry “Samish” enjoy the vistas
A sailboat seen near Friday Harbor
We were met at Friday Harbor by Barbara Marrett of the San Juan Islands
Visitors Bureau for a tour of 55 square mile San Juan Island.
Friday Harbor, where the ferry docks, is an attractive town featuring
several nice restaurants and numerous interesting shops. One
could easily spend an afternoon walking its streets and visiting its
local establishments. At the southeast end of the island we
visited American Camp, a military outpost established in the mid-1850s
when both the United States and Great Britain staked claim to the San
Juan Islands. A nearby hillside provided a commanding view of
Griffin Bay and the Cattle Point lighthouse at the tip of the
island. Heading back north we stopped by False Bay, passed many
other interesting sights, and proceeded to English Camp established by
the British in 1860 to house that nation’s troops. The presence
of the two outposts led to some tensions but no violence as troops
marched over a dozen miles to one another’s camp to celebrate various
holidays. Today both camps are designated a National Historic
Park and are maintained by the National Park Service. Roche
Harbor, located at the north end of San Juan Island is a charming
village containing a restored historic inn, restaurants and boat marina
set near other fine lodging and homes. The island is indeed
popular with weekend and seasonal visitors from the mainland and is
perfect for a day visit or a longer stay. Ferries run year round
with multiple daily trips during the summer months. One can ride
the ferry from Anacortes with or without a car. Car and moped
rentals are available at Friday Harbor and the handy Jolly Trolley
shuttle travels around the island hitting most points of interest.
Approaching Friday Harbor
A black fox seen on San Juan Island
The southern tip of San Juan Island
False Bay on the west coast of San Juan Island
The lighthouse at Lime Kiln State Park on the way to English Camp
The British Union Jack flies at English Camp
An English Garden at English Camp
Preparing to board a ferry from Friday Harbor to Anacortes
The marina at Friday Harbor
Other interesting day trips easily accessible from Lynnwood include the
Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Factory Tour in nearby
Everett, a drive along US 2 to Stevens Pass parallel to the Empire
Builder route, and a variety of downtown Seattle attractions.
After three nights in Lynnwood we drove to Edmonds, less than ten
minutes west of the Embassy Suites, to catch another Washington State
ferry for 30 minute crossing to Kingston. Ferry “Walla Walla” has
a capacity of 188 autos and 2,019 passengers and business was good
despite it being a Tuesday morning. From Kingston we made the
short trek to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula with a brief stop at
quaint Port Gamble.
Sailing out of Edmonds
Quaint Port Gamble
Our home for the next three nights was the Holiday Inn Express hotel in
Sequim, WA (pronounced “Skwim”), a wonderful hotel whose friendly staff
and nice accommodations made us feel perfectly at home. Our room
was quiet, comfortable, and offered a nice view of a nearby valley
while facilities such as the indoor swimming pool, guest laundry, and
complimentary breakfast were much appreciated. A unique rooftop
garden was the perfect place to view the area scenery and magnificent
rainbows after a late afternoon rain shower.
Holiday Inn Express, Sequim, WA, the best lodging on the Olympic Peninsula
The rooftop garden at the Holiday Inn Express
A double rainbow seen from the roof of the Holiday Inn Express
A full rainbow seen from the hotel’s roof
A late afternoon drive to the top of Hurricane Ridge in Olympic
National Park started off our visit to the area on a great note as the
winding road passes several small waterfalls and took us above the
clouds. The view of snow topped mountains was breathtaking when
we got to the visitors center at the top of the mountain. An
advantage of our early evening visit was the dozens of deer we saw up
close along the road as well as roaming near the visitors center.
The road to Hurricane Ridge travels above the clouds
One of several deer seen at the Hurricane Ridge visitors center
This deer grazes above the clouds
The next day we drove west of Sequim past beautiful Crescent Lake;
through the town of Forks, setting of the Twilight novels and films;
LaPush an oceanfront Native American community on the Pacific; and the
Hoh Rain Forest which lies within the western part of Olympic National
Park. We finished the day with visits to a couple of lavender
farms in Sequim, one of which provided a chance to pick cherries from
trees on the grounds. The climate around Sequim is conducive to
growing lavender which has a variety of cosmetic, medicinal, and
fragrance uses. Late June and early July are the peak times for
lavender blooms. The cherries, meanwhile, were as sweet as candy.
Lake Crescent on the Olympic Peninsula
Lake Crescent
A deer grazes at a Crescent Lake rest area
Another deer a few feet from the one in the prior photo
LaPush is a scenic community on the Pacific coast
Driftwood is abundant at LaPush
The Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park
A lavender farm outside Sequim
Another lavender farm we visited
Cherries were ready for harvesting at one lavender farm
The author picks cherries for the first time
The third day of our visit was again busy as we visited more lavender
farms as well as the Olympic Game Farm and searched for remnants of an
abandoned Milwaukee Road rail line.
Another lavender farm visited on our last day in Sequim
A lavender farm close to our hotel
The Olympic Game Farm, located on the outskirts of Sequim, is an
amazing 84 acre property where visitors see a wide array of wild
animals up close from their automobiles. Most of the animals roam
free and can come right up to automobiles in hopes of a handout of
whole wheat bread provided at the entrance gate. Several llamas
were the first animals we encountered and they were not shy about
sticking their heads into our van’s open window to make their desires
for bread known. A herd of yaks nudged up to our vehicle a bit
less aggressively but no less desirous of bread. Several
varieties of deer likewise were anxious to be fed as were the elk and
other animals. The stars of the drive were several Kodiak bears,
which were close by but separated from the vehicle drive by a
fence. Many of the beautiful bears stood on their hind legs and a
couple of them waved as we pulled up and rewarded them with bread
tossed over the fence. Along the drive we also observed zebras, a
herd of buffalo, tigers, timber wolves, and a cougar. Some of
these were clearly not to be fed while others were more interested in
food left by farm staff. Animals at the Olympic Game Farm are
mostly rescued from zoos or attractions that had run out of space for
them and from movies and television shows. Much of the wildlife
are descendants of early Disney movies and television programs, some of
which were filmed at the farm. One such show, The Life and Times
of Grizzly Adams, was filmed on site and the log cabin used by the lead
character still stands on the property as do a couple of Disney movie
sets.
A llama gets up close and personal at Olympic Game Farm
Yaks block the road waiting for bread treats
A peacock at Olympic Game Farm
Another peacock struts its stuff
Another llama tries to get a slice of bread
A Kodiak bear waved in hope of a bread handout
This bear crouches to secure bread tossed over the fence
Another bear tries to entertain us
Spotted deer roam the Olympic Game Farm
A buffalo grazes at Olympic Game Farm
The cabin used on the TV show “The Life and Times of Grizzly Adams”, filmed at the farm
The railroad came to the Olympic Peninsula in the 1890s, with barges
eventually linking Port Townsend with the rest of the Milwaukee Road
system via Seattle. The rail line passed through Sequim and Port
Angeles on its way to Forks and LaPush and expedited logging in the
region. Passenger service operated from 1914 to 1931 between Port
Townsend and Twin Rivers with a second train linking Port Townsend and
Port Angeles. Both trains stopped at Sequim. Though the
rails were pulled up beginning in 1985, several reminders remain along
the Olympic Discovery Trail which is today used for hiking and
biking. The 101 year old Dungeness River Bridge has been
preserved as part of Railroad Bridge Park near a Sequim neighborhood
while magnificent Johnson Creek Trestle passes 85 feet above a ravine
carved by Johnson Creek a short drive from the Holiday Inn
Express. A Shay steam locomotive built in 1930 is preserved in
Forks and an old freight depot has been repurposed in Port
Angeles. A few old passenger cars and cabooses provide lodging at
a railroad themed inn in Sequim. The locations of many of these
sights are identified in a handy brochure titled “Bridges, Trestles,
Rails and Trails” available through the visitors bureau.
The Dungeness River Bridge in Sequim has been converted to a bicycle trail
A former Burlington car preserved at an inn at Sequim
Johnson Creek Trestle, saved as a bicycle trail
Side view of Johnson Creek Trestle
Part of a sign at Johnson Creek Trestle
A Shay logging engine is preserved at Forks, WA
A visit to the Olympic Peninsula should be a must during a visit to the
Pacific Northwest. A quick one day visit can be made during a
stay north of Seattle, however, to best enjoy the area a three day
visit is suggested. US Highway 101 links the area to the Oregon
coast and provides easy access to Tacoma in addition to the ferry boat
routing we took from Edmonds. Another ferry links Port Angeles to
Victoria, BC. Amtrak Thruway bus service connects Seattle with
Sequim and Port Angeles via the Edmonds ferry twice daily. Rental
cars are available in Port Angeles and Sequim, a convenient option for
those arriving in Seattle by train and connecting to the Olympic
Peninsula by Amtrak Thruway bus.
From Sequim we drove down the Oregon coast then toured sights in
central Oregon and northern California. Highlights of that part
of our journey as well as the Amtrak trip home will be covered in a
subsequent report.
