Chicago (TAN): Amtrak’s Empire Builder train, which serves the northern part of the United States, turned 90 earlier this week.
The train, travelling daily between here and the Pacific Northwest, passes through eight states, while offering magnificent views of the Mississippi River Valley, Great Plains, Rockies and the Cascade Range. The Empire Builder, a popular option for intercity travel, carried around 429,000 passengers last year.
At the train’s 90th anniversary celebrations, all passengers embarking on their journey from Chicago were given commemorative certificates signed by Amtrak President and Chief Executive Officer Richard Anderson. Sleeping car passengers, on the other hand, received wooden train whistles from Amtrak Guest Rewards.
While the first westbound Empire Builder left Chicago on June 10, 1929, following its inauguration by the Great Northern Railway, it was named the next day in St. Paul in Minneapolis state after James J. Hill – the “Empire Builder” or the founder of the Great Northern Railway.
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Commemorative items including prints of a new Empire Builder train by artist J. Craig Thorpe are available for purchase at the Amtrak store.
