Empire Builder

Empire Builder

Empire Builder is a train route operated by Amtrak in the Midwestern and Northwesternern United States. The route runs from Chicago, Illinois toward the Pacific Ocean. The line splits in Spokane, Washington, terminating in Seattle, Washington to the north and Portland, Oregon to the south. It passes through the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and (trivially) Oregon.

The route ran under the same name when it was previously operated by the Great Northern Railroad. The route was publicized for allowing riders to view the passing Rocky Mountains landscapes through domed windows on top of the passenger cars.

Ultimately, the name comes from the railroad tycoons, known as Empire Builders, who built track passing through Minneapolis-St. Paul in the late 1800s. One notable Empire Builder was James J. Hill.