S
Steve Relei
Guest
In your section about discontinued trains, you forgot to mention the North Coast Hiawatha, which was discontinued in October 1979. The train traveled between Chicago and Seattle along the former Northern Pacific line through southern North Dakota and Montana--passing through Fargo, Bismark, Miles City, Billings, Livingston, Bozeman, Butte, Missoula, Sandpoint, Spokane, and continued westward on the old Great Northern line through Wenatchee and the Cascade Tunnel (Stevens Pass) into Seattle. At the time, the Empire Builder went southward through Pasco, Yakima, Ellensburg, over Stampede Pass into Seattle. In the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens eruption, it was the Empire Builder that helped by picking up stranded people along its route.
In 1981 (I think) the Empire Builder was switched to the former GN line. In Spokane, the train split apart (or joined together depending on direction), one part of the train going the Portland over the old Spokane, Portland and Seattle line, which traveled on the Washington side of the Columbia River (to Vancouver and then to Portland). This is a process that continues to the present day.
The North Coast Hiawatha (the name is a combination of two trains: NP's North Coast Limited and Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha trains) holds fond memories. I lived in Billings from 1973 to 1979. I arrived in Billings on the train. I frequently went down to the station to watch the trains come and go. At the time, the train crews (engineers, conductors, brakemen) were employees of the host railroads (BN, in this case), and many had worked on the North Coast Limited. One of the ticket agents was also a veteran ofrom NP days and always wore a NP (Monad--Ying-Yang symbol) tie pin.
I had the chance to ride the train many times, and it was one of the most scenic in the country--along the Yellowstone River for many miles, over Bozeman Pass, through the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson River Canyon, Homestake Pass, descending slowly into the city of Butte, past numerous other rivers, canyons, mountain passes, etc. Riding in the dome cars was great; I still prefer them to the Superliner lounges. Often it was dark upon leaving Missoula and one could see the stars through the roof.
Until the end, the train provided the best service it could and it was widely missed and mourned when it was taken away. To me, southern Montana has not been the same since.
In 1981 (I think) the Empire Builder was switched to the former GN line. In Spokane, the train split apart (or joined together depending on direction), one part of the train going the Portland over the old Spokane, Portland and Seattle line, which traveled on the Washington side of the Columbia River (to Vancouver and then to Portland). This is a process that continues to the present day.
The North Coast Hiawatha (the name is a combination of two trains: NP's North Coast Limited and Milwaukee Road's Hiawatha trains) holds fond memories. I lived in Billings from 1973 to 1979. I arrived in Billings on the train. I frequently went down to the station to watch the trains come and go. At the time, the train crews (engineers, conductors, brakemen) were employees of the host railroads (BN, in this case), and many had worked on the North Coast Limited. One of the ticket agents was also a veteran ofrom NP days and always wore a NP (Monad--Ying-Yang symbol) tie pin.
I had the chance to ride the train many times, and it was one of the most scenic in the country--along the Yellowstone River for many miles, over Bozeman Pass, through the Rocky Mountains, Jefferson River Canyon, Homestake Pass, descending slowly into the city of Butte, past numerous other rivers, canyons, mountain passes, etc. Riding in the dome cars was great; I still prefer them to the Superliner lounges. Often it was dark upon leaving Missoula and one could see the stars through the roof.
Until the end, the train provided the best service it could and it was widely missed and mourned when it was taken away. To me, southern Montana has not been the same since.