Empire Builder Station Photo Opportunities

My wife and I will be taking the Empire Builder round trip from Chicago to Seattle next month. We're using Amtrak as transportation for our Alaskan Cruise.

Are there any stations along the route that would give good opportunities to take some photos? I wouldn't mind even if they're short stops and would need to take the photos through a window. Just would like a heads up with my camera ready as we pull into the station. We'll be arriving at Chicago's Union Station in plenty of time to take photos there.

Thanks ahead of time for any advice received.

Don

There are a handful of fueling stops along the route you can alight for a little while at, they are indicated by having both an arrival & departure time on the schedule. In addition to those stops, there are a number of unmarked "smoking" stops where the train will linger longer at the station to allow for passengers to get some fresh air and smoke; these stops will be announced by the train crew as they happen.

peter

dcoy said:

My wife and I will be taking the Empire Builder round trip from Chicago to Seattle next month. We're using Amtrak as transportation for our Alaskan Cruise.

Are there any stations along the route that would give good opportunities to take some photos? I wouldn't mind even if they're short stops and would need to take the photos through a window. Just would like a heads up with my camera ready as we pull into the station.

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Minot, ND (which is a service stop and so should be at least 15-20 minutes) has a delightful little depot:

In Havre, MT (which is an extended stop), there is a steam locomotive on display right next to the platform!

the_traveler said:

In Havre, MT (which is an extended stop), there is a steam locomotive on display right next to the platform!

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if you're really lucky you might see some garbage bags while you're there.

If there are garbage bags just go around to the other side.

StanJazz said:

If there are garbage bags just go around to the other side.

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I had no idea!

Next year!

I'd probably take a look at the Whitefish, MT depot too, from reading that the EB has a 20 minute dwell time in both directions there. Of course, you never know if Amtrak will shorten the amount of time the train stops there for, say if it's running late. Hopefully that doesn't happen for your trip, though!

Whitefish is pretty, too. Of course, I came through there at 4:26 in the morning (during a temp schedule in 2014), so... <_<

Concur on Whitefish. IMHO it's a beautiful station.

Because I'm always afraid of getting left behind, I've never seen the inside of most stations. Some of the ones listed on this thread are a few. Minot, Whitefish, Klamath Falls, .... I was Lucky enough to see DENVER!!! Stayed overnight in Denver & spent the day on the 16th st mall buses & playing shuffle board in Union Station!!! Looking forward to seeing SEA & SAC renovations!!!

Don't overlook Seattle's King Street Station! They re-do of the station's interior is magnificent. There was little that I remembered from my previous trips using that Station.

Whitefish and Seattle are good station. Also, be ready for some beautiful views just feet from Puget Sound as well as hours of beauty going through Glacier. There are some scenic spots just west of Whitefish, too. Along the Mississippi you may spot some Bald Eagles.

East Glacier, nice environment.

I've always liked the station in Shelby, Montana. The train usually doesn't stop long; I ran in, shot this photo and got back on the train. If the train were delayed at Shelby , I'd take a lot more photos.

Shelby Amtrak Station by Leigh Hanlon, on Flickr

Before taking pictures, I would read thru, and familiarize yourself, with on what's Amtrak's website, https://www.amtrak.com/photography-video-recording-policy

Not sure the dwell time allows it but St Paul's Union Station, while pretty barren inside, is really cool!

St Paul shows 17 minutes dwell. The platform arrangement puts most of the train east of the stairway/elevator to the concourse. Given the good sized crowd you would be hardpressed to get up there and all the way to the headhouse. In the concourse there is some interesting molding at the ceiling. We were in the Portland sleeper,10-12 car lengths from the stairway and our attendant insisted we stay close at hand. The molding shows steam and electric(bipolar) locomotives. Eastbound, probably would be cut short making up time. Check out the station web site instead( too bad the webcams are not very reliable for viewing train arrivals). We visited by using light rail from Minneapolis-good restaurants in the area too.

Paul CHI said:

GNPk1609.JPGEast Glacier, nice environment.

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Nice shot.

I was there a month ago and we stayed at the Glacier Park Lodge. Short stop so no time to get off and take a look. If it is your destination/start as it was with us, you'll be able to look around.

Bob Dylan said:

Not sure the dwell time allows it but St Paul's Union Station, while pretty barren inside, is really cool!

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It's Union Depot, but it ain't barren, there's a ping pong table, tell me what other Amtrak station has a ping pong table.
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I think "barren" is a fairly apt description of St. Paul Union Depot. It's a very large facility that typically has only a handful of people in it, given that it is only served by 2 intercity trains and maybe a dozen(ish) intercity buses a day.

It's been very nicely refurbished and hopefully will be served by more intercity trains and buses, as well as local/regional services, in the future.

And meanwhile, Henry will challenge Bob D. to a ping pong tournament there.

Its only a flag stop but the EB occasionally stops in front of the Izzak Walton Inn in Essex. Its a historic property. I believe that its on the Western side of Glacier National Park. If the trains stops, step down out of your car, take a photo and immediately get back in. The stop is usually done in a couple of minutes

dlagrua said:

Its only a flag stop but the EB occasionally stops in front of the Izzak Walton Inn in Essex. Its a historic property. I believe that its on the Western side of Glacier National Park. If the trains stops, step down out of your car, take a photo and immediately get back in. The stop is usually done in a couple of minutes

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The 4/29/17 EB schedule does not indicate ESM being a flag stop. Perhaps that has been upgraded. Also, my recollection when stopping there last month (7/17), and as shown on Google maps, the platform is somewhat south of the lodge rather than at the lodge itself (and where the bridge is).

https://www.google.com/maps/place/290+Izaak+Walton+Inn+Rd,+Essex,+MT+59916/@48.276909,-113.612912,824m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x53662bf00dee5319:0xdd04c0f6c1c9e8ab!8m2!3d48.2785985!4d-113.6115217

dlagrua said:

Its only a flag stop but the EB occasionally stops in front of the Izzak Walton Inn in Essex. Its a historic property. I believe that its on the Western side of Glacier National Park. If the trains stops, step down out of your car, take a photo and immediately get back in. The stop is usually done in a couple of minutes

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Essex used to be a flagstop, so they have upgraded it.

You can't see the Inn from the passenger stop at all and never have been able to. The stop is around a curve from the Inn. The Inn has a shuttle that meets the train.