A Brief History of the Amtrak Empire Builder

Great Northern connected the Midwest with the Pacific Northwest.  Great Northern was known as the "Route of the Empire Builder."

Great Northern's flagship passenger train was the Empire Builder.  The Empire Builder took its name from Great Northern founder, James J. Hill, who, with private funds, built the Great Northern and played a key role in the development of the Upper Midwest and the Northwest.

The Great Northern was known for its contribution to Glacier National Park.  Hill saw the park as a key destination for Great Northern passengers.

Amtrak's contemporary Chicago to Seattle route is known as the Empire Builder.  Amtrak's train operates over today's BNSF Railroad.  BNSF is the successor to Burlington Northern, which was created by the merger of Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Chicago Burlington and Quincy and Spokane Portland and Seattle Railroads.