i read somewhere that the empire builder was amtraks most profitable or highest grossing train . looking along its route there appears to be few major cities , why is this train so popular , and where are most the customers coming from / going to . i wonder if there are any plans to add services along the route ?
No, that would be the "Coastals" along the California Coast. Besides the Northeast Corridor, the Coast Starlight is the #1 train for service and ridership on Amtrak. As far as on time performance, I think the last time the poll was taken, it was the Southwest Chief (the Former Santa Fe Railways Super Chief run) as #1. Favorite sceanery was the California Zephyr with the Coast Starlight, Southwest Chief and Empire Builder runnig close behind. The highest increase in ridership was the Texas Eagle. Of course, this may all have changed by now. I do know that the Empire Builder and Texas Eagle are notoriously LATE! I wanted to catch the Northbound 11:55AM (Lincoln, IL. stop.) Texas Eagle to Bloomington-Normal, IL. yesterday. I wanted to get up there by 12:30PM. Nope, the train was going to be at least THREE HOURS LATE. The other Amtrak trains on our section of the run (Chicago-St. Louis) are hardly ever late and if they are, it's by a few mimutes. but the Eagle loses time coming from Texas. I can't remember the Northbound Texas Eagle ever being on time, and for some reason, the Southbound is hardly ever on time from Chicago, a mere two hours from Lincoln, IL. But you can always rely on the Ann Rutlage(Sometimes called the Kanasas City Mule) and Abe Lincoln to be there real close to the "Advertised"! So, I guess to answer your original question, it's the sceanery and the tourist locations the Builder goes to, that gives it it's ridership. My brother lives on the Builders route in Lake City, MN. They have to go to Red Wing to catch it. He complains to me that it doesn't arrive on time alot and can't rely on it to get him or his wife to Minneapolis on time. I try to tell him it's not a Commuter Train, it's a long distance Passenger Train. He doesn't get it... ------------------ Brent Tidaback, Member #234 BNSF Railfan-to-the Max and a N-Scaler to boot! "Ship it on the Route of The Roadrunners!" The Aransas Odessa & Western, a division of the BNSF [This message has been edited by Maxwell Plant (edited 31 October 2000).]
According to the big artical on The Empire Builder in the december issue of Trains it has a 84% on time rate. Kevin
