Passengers share conversations and destinations on the Empire Builder

Traveling by train is nothing new to Serge and Pauline Duckett. They retired 15 years ago and moved to Paris, where railroads are still a vital part of public transportation.

It was train travel the Ducketts specifically had in mind, though, when they planned their vacation to America this year. They aimed to get to Glacier National Park by train, and after eight days in the park, they were on their way to Seattle aboard the Empire Builder on Monday.

The trip met their expectations, and then some.

"The main point of the trip was the train, and this is exceptional," Pauline Duckett said, gesturing toward the sunlit peaks as the train slowly reached the Continental Divide. "It's been wonderful. It's a beautiful train - and they gave us a bottle of champagne."

Red-headed Ben Ragan, 11, of Olympia, Wash., razzed Duckett about drinking too much when he overheard her

talking about champagne.

"You guys were loud last night," Ragan said.

As the two visited, Ragan learned a large group of travelers who'd traveled to Alaska were to blame for the late-night partying.

"I like to drink, but it wasn't me who was making noise," Duckett exclaimed as she joked with Ragan.

So it goes on the Empire Builder, complete strangers striking up conversations to pass the time, makeshift comrades during portions of the 47-hour train trip between Chicago and Seattle/Portland.

Every day, Amtrak starts one train in Chicago and another in Seattle and the 2,206-mile trek begins. It's 2,257 miles for passengers going on to Portland.

The reasons people ride the rails are as varied as the passengers themselves.

Garth Hagen of Fargo, N.D. vowed eight years ago he'd never take the train again, after waiting for an Empire Builder that was 12 hours late on that particular day.

When traveling by bus didn't live up to his expectations either, he gave Amtrak a second chance, and was so far impressed.

"This one's been pretty good," he said, still groggy from a night's sleep as the train passed West Glacier.

It was Dayni Miller's first train trip.

"I think it's fabulous," she said. "Compared to driving or flying, you can't get this kind of scenery in a car or plane. And I have the time now to do this."

Miller, who moved from Portland to Chicago three months ago, liked the ample leg room in the coach cars and the train's amenities in general.

Roominess played into Jonathan and Rachel Stratman's decision to take the train from Skykomish, Wash., to Shelby, where family members were scheduled to pick them up and take them to Great Falls.

"We didn't want to strap Addi into a car seat for that long," said Rachel Stratman referring to 7-month-old daughter, Addison. "This is a wonderful way to travel. On planes and in cars, you're cramped for space."

The Stratmans appreciated Amtrak accommodations that designate special areas for families. Their 5-year-old daughter, Mia, liked the train so much, "she never wants to get off."

One minor inconvenience wasn't Amtrak's fault.

"We forgot our blankets, but that was rider error," Rachel Stratman said.

John and Ruth Zajdel were among the high-spirited group of 26 that had traveled to Alaska for a cruise.

"I'm traveling with my 91-year-old father," Ruth Zajdel said. "He's had a really good time. He slept like a log last night."

The Zajdels had a sleeper car for the duration of their trip from Chicago to Seattle. It was John's first train trip in 60 years.

"It's the only way to travel," he said. "You get to see everything."

Amtrak hopes ridership on the upgraded Empire Builder will continue to increase. Passenger numbers were up 8.9 percent for fiscal year 2005 (October 2004 through July 2005). Ridership increased 5.1 percent from 2003 to 2004.

Fares were raised a little to help defray the cost of refurbishing the 60 cars that make up the Empire Builder, Amtrak President David Gunn said. Coach fares from Chicago to Seattle/Portland now range from $250 to $550 round-trip. First-class tickets for sleeper accommodations range from $362 to $2,466 round-trip, depending on size of the accommodation, advance purchase and date of travel.

Part of the Empire Builder "re-launch" is an expanded Trails and Rails program that offers lectures about the culture, geography and history of points along the way. The expanded program suits Trails and Rails volunteer Warren Broderick just fine. He's in his ninth year of volunteering.

"This is a labor of love," said Broderick, a computer systems analyst from Seattle. "When I talk, I like to talk as if I've been there. I love walking through the cars and going to the handicapped section and talking with them.

"It's the joy of seeing the passengers enjoying themselves," he said.

Starting this month, the Trails and Rails program will be extended near Williston, N.D. on the eastbound route, and Browning on the westbound route. Passengers will be offered hot chocolate during a campfire-like setting as volunteers share the lore of the area.

The Empire Builder travels through some of America's greatest scenery. The train traverses portions of the upper Mississippi River valley, crosses the northern plains and offers spectacular views as it winds its way through the Rocky Mountains, Washington's Cascades Range and miles of seascapes along Puget Sound and the Columbia River Gorge.

Gunn, who traveled on the train last week as part of the celebratory debut of the new and improved Empire Builder, said he likes the fact that the railroad tracks slice through scenic areas with much less environmental impact than the federal highway system.

"So much of the interstate system, especially in urban areas, is grim," he said.

The Empire Builder, named for Great Northern Railway founder James Hill, has been making the transcontinental trip since June 10, 1929. While today's upgraded train likely bears little resemblance to its predecessors, a few time-honored traditions remain along the route.

The staff and guests at the historic Izaak Walton Inn at Essex still wave to train passengers every morning. Conductors still shout out "all aboard" at various intervals, and at every stop, loved ones are there on the platform in front of the depot, anxiously awaiting or saying good-bye as adventures begin and end for Amtrak travelers.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com