Passenger Trains > Empire Builder

I see that the Empire Builder is down to 6 cars. Is this a winter thing?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/07/26 22:56 by poffcapt.

Just about all the long distance trains have been shortened.  It is the slowest travel season of the year.  Hopefully Amtrak will take advantage of the opportunity to get the idled cars into tip-top shape for when they will be needed later in the year.

Yeh, I know...!!!

poffcapt Wrote:
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> I see that the Empire Builder is down to 6 cars.
> Is this a winter thing?

You mean 9 it only lost a sleeper

Posted from Android

Amtrak PX 964 CHI to Beech Grove (DH) ,with nine Superliners and two Viewliners , was reported by SethAmtrak on January 7,2026.

AviationLAA Wrote:
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> poffcapt Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I see that the Empire Builder is down to 6
> cars.
> > Is this a winter thing?
>
> You mean 9 it only lost a sleeper
>
> Posted from Android

The Empire Builder arriving into Chicago #8/28 on Jan 6th still had two Seattle Sleepers. The return of that train set (departure from Chicago Jan 7th) was supposed to be down to just one regular Seattle Superliner and the Superliner Trans-Dorm Sleeper - which will still sell revenue space. 

One Seattle sleeper plus the transition dorm is the normal Empire Builder Seattle section consist from January through March, so all five trainsets should be down to that shortly. The Portland section keeps the same four-car consist yearround.

Thanks for the Heads Up. Appreciate it.

NPRocky Wrote:
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> One Seattle sleeper plus the transition dorm is
> the normal Empire Builder Seattle section consist
> from January through March, so all five trainsets
> should be down to that shortly. The Portland
> section keeps the same four-car consist yearround.

I was on #8 out of Seattle last February 27th.  We had two sleepers, plus the dorm, all of which seemed to be fully occupied.  So with the bag car, diner and coach, there were six Seattle cars, with four more on the Portland section.

Dave

DavidP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NPRocky Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > One Seattle sleeper plus the transition dorm is
> > the normal Empire Builder Seattle section
> consist
> > from January through March, so all five
> trainsets
> > should be down to that shortly. The Portland
> > section keeps the same four-car consist
> yearround.
>
> I was on #8 out of Seattle last February 27th.
>  We had two sleepers, plus the dorm, all of which
> seemed to be fully occupied.  So with the bag
> car, diner and coach, there were six Seattle cars,
> with four more on the Portland section.
>
> Dave

Overall, I will credit Amtrak for being pretty fair to the Empire Builder with RESTORING its pre-COVID capacity..... The Borealis helps with the loss of the second Seattle Sleeper and the set-out coach that was part of the ops at what time for Twin Cities.

I also seem to remember that the second Seattle sleeper was restored to the Empire Builder in late February.....That may have been the first week of the train getting its 2nd Seattle Sleeper back - not sure. The train still doesn't have the second coach RESTORED in peak season, and between May and September it really needs a second Portland sleeper - but who is keeping score!!!

I was on the train last week and it was more crowded than what I had thought, even post the few days after New Year's, and sleeper car attendants said patronage was still to be strong continuing after the dropping of the second Seattle sleeper. Thankfully, they still are selling space in the Superliner Trans Dorm/Sleeper. Amtrak should not under-estimate the power of Glacier National Park in the spring/summer/fall nor nearby Whitefish in winter months. Very BIG stops for the Empire Builder, all considering. The Hi-Line stations in central and eastern Montana also get a lot of patronage from people coming down from Canada (connecting at Grand Forks, Minot, Shelby) to get access to Seattle/Portland/Chicago and those in the southern part of Montana driving up to catch the train - especially Great Falls and Helena.  



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/26 09:12 by jp1822.