Empire Builder Gets Snowed In.
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Empire Builder Gets Snowed In.

Those of us working as advocates for passenger trains often argue—and with valid reason—that bad weather has less impact on train travel than on travel by highway or by plane. However, passenger trains do run into weather related problems—heavy rains in the northwest trigger mudslides that cover the tracks and “service interruptions” in the midwest…

The Saga of Amtrak’s Empire Builder: From Bad to Worse.
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The Saga of Amtrak’s Empire Builder: From Bad to Worse.

Amtrak’s Empire Builder has had a miserable winter. The polar vortex, heavy snow, and a huge increase in freight traffic has resulted in many delays of many hours. The worst area has proven to be in North Dakota, specifically the 120-mile stretch between Devils Lake and Minot. Things got so completely hopeless a couple of…