Has the Empire Builder been impacted by the fires?

[radsmom]

Hi,

I have been hearing about the bad wildfires burning at Glacier NP and that they were setting up to evacuate West Glacier area. Does anyone know if this has affected the EP?

Thanks!

 

[AMTRAK-P42]

Well, after checking the online status of the train, it does not appear to be running far behind schedule (36 minutes) so as of right now I dont think so. I had planned to call Amtrak later about a reservation, so I will try and ask them about it when I call.

 

[steve_relei]

This is a few months after the fact, but to answer your (or anyone else who still has questions): the Empire Builder passed through the area but did not stop at the West Glacier (Belton) station. People had to board (or deboard) at either Whitefish or Essex (the two closest station stops to West Glacier), or one could go all the way to Glacier Park Station (East Glacier). I don't know, though, if passing through fire-proned areas affected the time-keeping of the train, but when I called "Julie," the train arrived in Portland fairly close to schedule.

 

[radsmom]

Hmm. Thanks Steve!

We had planned to take a trip that exact time when the fires were bad but changed our plans and went to Orlando instead. I had even booked a room and West Glacier and cancelled it a day later when we changed our minds.

I was so sorry to watch CNN and see the fire spreading, and so I wondered what impact it had on the train. I guess we were lucky we went to Disneyworld instead of Glacier NP. I still want to do that trip someday. It really looks like an amazing area and the lodges there seem from a bye-gone era.

 

[steve_relei]

It is still a beautiful area and well worth seeing. Of course, now it's getting darker earlier and it will be dark--westbound--as the train passes through the West Glacier area. It's still a nice ride over the divide and west to Whitefish. Keep a look out on the Travel Channel about Glacier National Park. There are scenes of the Empire Builder passing through the park--both historic and Amtrak. And it is good to learn more about Glacier--about the landscapes through which the train travels.

Oh, and westbound: the ride through the Washington Cascades (including the 8-mile Cascade Tunnel) and then along the Puget Sound to Seattle--or the ride through the Columbia River Gorge to Portland--is still spectacular and can be had during the morning hours with plenty of light--as well as the gradual awakening of the light--over the landscapes.