Empire Builder Station Photo Opportunities

[ehbowen]

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.

True since the present station (halt) was built, but not always true. The track chart in the basement of the inn and old photographs show that the depot used to be directly across the tracks from it. Passengers had to cross the active tracks at grade level on a walkway. More recently it was relocated to the present site which is more distant from the hotel but on the same side of the railway as it is, so no more crossing the active tracks. As you mention, the inn now sends its van to meet the trains.

 

[Acela150]

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

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.

10 years ago the platform there was a pile of dirt. We stayed there and it's a very nice place. No cell service there. So it's nice to be cut off from the world for a bit. The station stop isn't even long enough to step off. They detrain and entrain and go. The few nights I was there the westbound train made a double stop. One for sleeper pax and one for coach. YMMV. The shuttle is nice. But the staff there is super! The station is right around the bend going west. And just before going east.

 

[TinCan782]

Izaak Walton Inn. This is a view from the bridge which leads to several cabooses that are available for lodging. The blue locomotive (GN441) is also available for lodging. We are looking north (RR west). The platform is behind the camera out of frame to the right as previous posts have pointed out, "around the bend". This photo was taken on July 19, 2017.