spring/summer 2009 eb magazine

[yarrow]

i am a fan of the empire builder magazine. it has always been pretty good but a while back a new publisher took over and the spring/summer 2009 issue is about the best i have seen. for new memebers who might be unfamiliar with it and desire a copy you may obtain one by riding the eb (or asking at some stations on the eb route that stock them) or by clicking on the news and media link at the bottom of the amtrak home page and amtrak will send you a complimentary copy. it is a fun, informative and kind of nostalgic publication

 

[metrorail]

I know what you are talking about. The Empire Builder Magizine is wonderful, although I haven't seen the issue you are refering to. I wish every long distance AMTRAK route (Including the Texas Eagle, for those who do not deem it as a long-distance route) would carry their own version of the magizine. The maps are colorful and the information about the train and its dining services are helpful.

 

[cpamtfan]

I know what you are talking about. The Empire Builder Magizine is wonderful, although I haven't seen the issue you are refering to. I wish every long distance AMTRAK route (Including the Texas Eagle, for those who do not deem it as a long-distance route) would carry their own version of the magizine. The maps are colorful and the information about the train and its dining services are helpful.

Well the Empire Builder is Amtraks premere train, so it is the only one that really deserves it. It is published by a Montana Magazine company sepecially for the EB. Also think of the money lost with all of the printing, ink, paper, etc. and not making any money back!

 

[yarrow]

the magazine is about 60% advertising so i don't think anyone is losing money on it

 

[EB_OBS]

I'm pretty sure I remember from a meeting earlier this year that I heard that the EB magazine is 100% paid for by the advertising so AMTRAK doesn't spend, lose or waste any money printing it. It is very popular on-board. I just wish we could manage to get the dining car menu updates into it before it's printed every year. It's funny, sometimes the magazine comes out with a dining car menu and then the menu changes a few weeks later.

 

[metrorail]

1. Empire Builder - Premire Train? Why doesn't anyone care about the Texas Eagle?!?

2. I like what you said. It seems that AMTRAK can never keep the menus the same for more than 2 weeks!

 

[cpamtfan]

1. Empire Builder - Premire Train? Why doesn't anyone care about the Texas Eagle?!?
2. I like what you said. It seems that AMTRAK can never keep the menus the same for more than 2 weeks!

1 The Empire Builder was the train that got the first refurbished sleepers (and at NTD this year, they refered to the referbished S1 sleeper as the "Empire" sleeper(not a classy name, though :lol: ). It is also one of two trains on the Amtrak system (the other being the Auto Train) that carrys a china-type plate and freshly cooked meals (well, more meals cooked better). The EBs coaches also get larger pillows. The Texas Eagle either gets a refurbed sleeper or a S2 car which are turning into old, worn ot cars very quickly <_< (although I have seen some S2 cars on the EB lately, still not to the extent as the TE). Also, the CCC really looks nice, but is not really the "perfect diner, let alone the fact that now the timetable doesn't even list the SSL which, last I checked, once again serves the snacks and drinks. I'm not saying the TE is bad, its just that the EB is superior .

2. It even states in the EB Mag that "new menu coming mid-summer" and it came out June 1st, before summer even started :lol: .

I forgot about the ads, I probably skipped over those. Maybe some busier routes will get them in the future, but currently its the EB, Arrive, and nothing else.

 

[wayman]

I'm not saying the TE is bad, its just that the EB is superior .
I forgot about the ads, I probably skipped over those. Maybe some busier routes will get them in the future, but currently its the EB, Arrive, and nothing else.

It's not just that the EB "happens to be superior", and gets casually called "premier": it's that it is considered officially by Amtrak, with the Auto Train, in a premier class, and given much more funding to maintain the train at higher levels of service and amenities. Many are services and amenities that other trains used to also enjoy before cutbacks over the past decade or so. Amtrak decided they should pick a few trains to do this for, rather than degrade all trains equally, and they chose the EB and the AT.

There's also some sort of Amtrak/New York travel magazine which I've picked up in ALB before. I don't know to what extent Amtrak is involved with its publication, but the magazine prominently features Amtrak and is available at Amtrak stations right next to the system timetable and national Amtrak travel guides.