X-Nico

unusual facts about Empire Builder


Columbus, Wisconsin

Columbus is served by Amtrak's Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle, with a train stopping at the station in each direction every day.


Chicago Union Station

Some of these trains and their names have survived to present Amtrak services, such as the Empire Builder, the California Zephyr, and the Hiawatha.

Minneapolis Great Northern Depot

The named trains Great Northern Empire Builder, Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Twin Cities Zephyr, Chicago and North Western Twin Cities 400, and Northern Pacific North Coast Limited either passed through or terminated at the Depot.

Olympian Hiawatha

While the Milwaukee Road promoted the Olympian Hiawatha and its scenic route through Idaho and Montana's Bitterroot Mountains and the Cascade range in Washington, the railroad competed with the Great Northern Railway's Empire Builder, the Northern Pacific Railway's North Coast Limited and the growing airlines.

Spokane Intermodal Center

The facility serves as a station, re-fueling, and service stop for the Amtrak Empire Builder, as well as the Greyhound and Trailways station for Spokane.


see also

EMD NW3

The Clinchfield locomotive was scrapped; the Anaconda Aluminum unit is on display at the Whitefish, Montana depot in its GN "Empire Builder" colors, locomotive #179 is still in service in Morrisville,PA 19067.

SS Tobruk

Tobruk was a 7,090 GRT cargo ship which was built in 1941 as Empire Builder by William Gray & Sons Ltd for the Ministry of War Transport (MoWT).

The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit

Tom lands a public relations job, working for Ralph Hopkins, the top man at the network, an empire-builder surrounded by politicking yes-men.