Passenger Trains > 10 car Empire Builder #8 on BNSF HiLine Subdivision

A healthy ten-car consist led by Amtrak 301 in the so-called "Day One" paint scheme is shown accelerating across the north end of Montana's Flathead Valley about 45 minutes behind schedule June 6. Next stop: Belton, Montana (West Glacier).

I hesitate to call this the "Day One" paint scheme since there was no such thing. The Amtrak locomotive originally painted in these colors made its debut late in 1971. "Year One" might be a more accurate name for the colors on Amtrak 301.

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I would not consider this consist containing just one coach on the Seattle segment to be "healthy".  Or are there really few passengers wanting to travel to/from Seattle or nearby stations via The High Line route?

Hakk

all revenue cars? 

flooding annulled the prev train, more cars for late people

This is the typical consist of the Empire Builder right now for the summer. It's a partially RESTORED Empire Builder consist. Let's call this how it is. I was last on this train just a few weeks ago in May 2023 and they were gearing up to RESTORE the second Seattle sleeper. And now its in place. For how long - who knows. 

Consist is STILL missing the second Seattle coach, which it DOES need, and it DID have even when operating tri-weekly during COVID. I ride this train frequently and have notes on the consists.

Again, this train during the height of COVID, running tri-weekly, had the consist you see here PLUS a second Seattle coach!!!! When it went to the interim 5x per week schedule that's when it lost the second Seattle sleeper permanently till just now. And YES, this train needs even MORE sleepers and coaches! It runs very heavy with passengers, and passengers who look for last minute trips that often can't get space. Seen it, heard it. Growth measures for the Empire Builder call for a second Portland sleeper, but that puts a LOT of pressure on the single Superliner Diner and Sightseer Lounge. 

There's a also a HUGE Amish community that uses this train - now badly stymied though due to the contracted Capitol Limited consist though!!! And the Amish do book the high end sleeper space!!! Moreover, Amish riders can easily fill one Superliner Coach - BIG strain for the Capitol Limited consist right now!!!

Empire Builder has always been the top passenger count in the long distance sector (more than Auto Train and CA Zephyr), yet has been the second largest consist behind the Auto Train (with its 7 to to 9 sleepers!!!!). Empire Builder's peak consist rivaled the Coast Starlight when it had the Pacific Parlor Car and three regular Superliner Sleepers in its consist (now all long gone). Yet the Empire Builder still moved more people and typically matched in coaches. It does NOT run empty between Grand Forks and Whitefish, as most would like people to think. 

EDIT - 1 Portland Sleeper, 2 Seattle Sleepers, AND they are selling space in the Superliner Trans/Dorm Sleeper (Seattle Section). 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/23 03:32 by jp1822.

Alco251 Wrote:
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> A healthy ten-car consist led by Amtrak 301 in the
> so-called "Day One" paint scheme is shown
> accelerating across the north end of Montana's
> Flathead Valley about 45 minutes behind schedule
> June 6. Next stop: Belton, Montana (West
> Glacier).
>
> I hesitate to call this the "Day One" paint scheme
> since there was no such thing. The Amtrak
> locomotive originally painted in these colors made
> its debut late in 1971. "Year One" might be a more
> accurate name for the colors on Amtrak 301.

Very nice picture!  The scheme commemorated on Amtrak 301 was indeed worn by PC E8 4316 on May 1, 1971 as part of an inaugural ceremony.  So the Day One label is historically accurate.

Dave

This long train would pick up two Private Cars in St Paul. Amtrak added extra cars to 7 to pick up the flood delayed/cancelled passengers as a one off. I would assume they are deadhead back to Chicago. 

sethamtrak Wrote:
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> This long train would pick up two Private Cars in
> St Paul. Amtrak added extra cars to 7 to pick up
> the flood delayed/cancelled passengers as a one
> off. I would assume they are deadhead back to
> Chicago. 

Do you know when the "extra cars" deadheaded back East? Or if Amtrak did indeed send them back? Would be nice if they left the extra cars in Seattle as a backup, as "occasionally would be done. Amtrak would try to keep a Superliner Diner, Coach, and Sleeper in Seattle back in the mid-2000's. It was nice on paper, but didn't always pan out too well. 

DavidP Wrote:

> Very nice picture!  The scheme commemorated on
> Amtrak 301 was indeed worn by PC E8 4316 on May 1,
> 1971 as part of an inaugural ceremony.  So the
> Day One label is historically accurate.
>
> Dave

No pictures exist of PC 4316 in Amtrak paint on May 1 because it didn't happen until August, 1971. Check your back issues of X2200S or Trains. This has been discussed ad nauseum elsewhere.
 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/23 16:26 by Alco251.