The Amtrak Empire Builder is a great way to travel the country by train, so last year I decided to check off this bucket list train ride when I took the Empire Builder from Chicago, IL to Seattle, WA. But what made this trip even more special was the fact that I was able to share the journey with my father who, since he was a young boy, had always been somewhat fanatical about railroads, engines, and the history around the entire industry. To this day our family can’t figure out how he didn’t become a railroad engineer.
Amtrak was established in 1971 during a pivotal period in American transportation and holds historical significance as a vital lifeline preserving passenger rail service. Born out of the decline of privately operated railroads and the shifting preferences toward automobiles and airplanes, Amtrak emerged to connect communities and ensure the continued existence of passenger trains across the nation. Its name, a fusion of “America” and “track,” encapsulates its mission to provide a unified and reliable passenger rail network. Beyond its role in transportation, Amtrak has become a cultural symbol, with iconic routes like the California Zephyr and Northeast Regional representing cross-country journeys and scenic exploration. Its historical significance lies not only in its transportation impact but also in its role as a guardian of the nation’s rail heritage and a symbol of enduring train travel appeal.
On the east coast Amtrak routes serve many communities and operate almost as metro lines and commuter rail primarily. The longer cross-country routes have pivoted in recent years, as air travel has become vastly more affordable, to be more about the adventure, nostalgia, history, and experience of riding a train across such a varied and magnificent country. This is evident on westbound trains, as we moved further along our route, the occupancy of the train cars seemed to dwindle. Speaking with other passengers in the observation and dining cars we found that most were simply “along for the ride”, several YouTubers shot video throughout the journey, other travelers wrote in their journals, and still most simply sat back and enjoyed the luxury of being moved across the country with no responsibility to the work it takes to get from one station to the next.
In this video I take you from check in at Union Station in Chicago, to the lounge we waited in before boarding, and then onto the Empire Builder itself. I give you a tour of the train, the upgraded room we won in Amtrak’s new bidding system, the dining car and meal services, and more.