Sometimes It’s About the Journey
Last April, I marked a big item off my wish list. I rode my first cross country multi day train trip on the
Amtrak Empire Builder train between Chicago and Edmonds, WA (just north of Seattle) to visit my
sister and her family. The train left Chicago on a Friday afternoon and arrived in Washington Sunday
morning. The route began in Illinois and traveled through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota,
Montana, Idaho and ending in Washington. While I could have taken a flight for a faster arrival, this
trip was about the journey.
Traveling by train is one of my favorite ways to travel. You aren’t restricted to a crowded seat. You can
move around on the train, rest, nap, work, read, meet people and get to see so many places that you
couldn’t see even if you were driving, all without the driving. We have taken trains often on the east
coast, but Midwest routes are very limited. We are fortunate that the California Zephyr travels
between Chicago and California and although I have taken the route between Omaha and Denver,
the longer route is next on my list. I have read many trip recommendations saying the trip from
Denver to California is one of the most beautiful journeys.
For this trip between Chicago and Edmonds, I treated myself to a larger bedroom versus riding in
coach or a roomette for the extra room and private restroom. Our car had the best attendant, Gerald,
who helped with getting us settled into our rooms, answering questions, scheduling dinner
reservations, brewing coffee for our car and keeping water bottles stocked for us. The sleeper cars on
the Empire Builder have two levels. Passengers enter on the lower level where there are roomettes, a
family room, restrooms, a shower room and luggage racks. The second level has more roomettes,
bedrooms and restrooms. The second level is the level passengers use to move throughout the train
to the dining or observation/café car.
After leaving the Chicago Union Station, we traveled into Wisconsin and passed through the
Wisconsin Dells during dinner. Our first fresh air stop was in Winona, Minnesota about two hours
later. The downside of train travel is the windows don’t open so these stops are great to get outside
for fresh air and some steps and stretches in. I tried to stay awake for the stop in Minneapolis but
seating in the sleeper car rooms convert into beds for sleeping in the evenings and I love to fall
asleep reading a book while listening to the train whistle.
Amtrak Empire Builder train between Chicago and Edmonds, WA (just north of Seattle) to visit my
sister and her family. The train left Chicago on a Friday afternoon and arrived in Washington Sunday
morning. The route began in Illinois and traveled through Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota,
Montana, Idaho and ending in Washington. While I could have taken a flight for a faster arrival, this
trip was about the journey.
Traveling by train is one of my favorite ways to travel. You aren’t restricted to a crowded seat. You can
move around on the train, rest, nap, work, read, meet people and get to see so many places that you
couldn’t see even if you were driving, all without the driving. We have taken trains often on the east
coast, but Midwest routes are very limited. We are fortunate that the California Zephyr travels
between Chicago and California and although I have taken the route between Omaha and Denver,
the longer route is next on my list. I have read many trip recommendations saying the trip from
Denver to California is one of the most beautiful journeys.
For this trip between Chicago and Edmonds, I treated myself to a larger bedroom versus riding in
coach or a roomette for the extra room and private restroom. Our car had the best attendant, Gerald,
who helped with getting us settled into our rooms, answering questions, scheduling dinner
reservations, brewing coffee for our car and keeping water bottles stocked for us. The sleeper cars on
the Empire Builder have two levels. Passengers enter on the lower level where there are roomettes, a
family room, restrooms, a shower room and luggage racks. The second level has more roomettes,
bedrooms and restrooms. The second level is the level passengers use to move throughout the train
to the dining or observation/café car.
After leaving the Chicago Union Station, we traveled into Wisconsin and passed through the
Wisconsin Dells during dinner. Our first fresh air stop was in Winona, Minnesota about two hours
later. The downside of train travel is the windows don’t open so these stops are great to get outside
for fresh air and some steps and stretches in. I tried to stay awake for the stop in Minneapolis but
seating in the sleeper car rooms convert into beds for sleeping in the evenings and I love to fall
asleep reading a book while listening to the train whistle.
