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Can I take the Empire Builder from Chicago to Milwaukee?
The schedule says the train only stops at Milwaukee to recieve going West and discharge going East.
I don't remember seeing this on the schedule about 2 weeks ago. Does Amtrak want more passengers taking the Hiawatha from CHI to MIL instead of the EB?
After finding this out, I'm probably not going to be making the extra trip to Milwaukee. I'm trying to go on all the LD trains(Chicago and to the West, not the East coast LD trains) and I need to go on the Sunset Limited(probably won't happen), California Zephyr and the Empire Builder.
chrisg Member # 2488
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You can't board the Empire Builder Chicago to Milwaukee as these arwe receive stations only. If you wanted to ride the Builder go to either Wisconsin Dell or Minneapolis for a night. There is a Days Inn two blocks from Midway.
Chris
UncleBuck44 Member # 2049
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Whats there to do in Minneapolis? Besides a Twins game.
North American Railroader Member # 3398
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Never stayed there, but Minneapolis has the Mall of America. Besides that, I have no clue.
HeartlandExpress Member # 3386
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If you were to visit the Twin Cities, what kinds of things would you like to do?
UncleBuck44 Member # 2049
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May just scrap the EB idea.
Of these cities, which do you recommend visiting: Milwaukee Dallas Cincinnati Minneapolis Memphis
Grandma Judy Member # 3278
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It really depends on the time of year you are traveling. I'd vote for Milwaukee in the summer or fall for the ethnic & music festivals, but I wouldn't suggest spending a lot of time here in the winter! Minneapolis isn't exactly a great winter destination either, except for Mall of America shopping.
Tanner929 Member # 3720
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Take a train to Cincinnati and catch the Reds at The Great American Ball Park. The teams not so good but its an inexpensive ticket and a you get a great view of the river. Don't write of a city without checking out things to do. Cinncinnati saved there old Union Station its a great structure and has been renovated into a art museum. I hope the station is still used for trains. The Cardinal goes from Chicago to I also think they have a direct Greyhound/Amtak, but I'd take the train. Let us know.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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Just a note on Cincinnati Union Terminal - yes it is still used by AMTRAK. The building is divided into 2 parts - a natural history museum on one side, and a historical society museum on the other, if I recall (it's been a few years since I lived there!). AMTRAK has a tiny ticket office/waiting room in the back, but the trains still stop there, and the building and ticket office (not the museums)are open in the middle of the night when the Cardinal passes through.
UncleBuck44 Member # 2049
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I think it's getting too late into this summer to make a bigger trip than STL to CHI. Although it's still possible. Next year, though, my parents keep telling me that we'll will go to LA or San Fran on Amtrak. Yeah right. They've said that each of the past 3 years.
notelvis Member # 3071
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quote:Originally posted by UncleBuck44: Whats there to do in Minneapolis? Besides a Twins game.
Ride the new Hiawatha Light Rail, catch the Twins, shop at Mall of America, and go up to that park on the bluff to trainwatch.
I can't remember the name of the park but it overlooks the Mississippi River, downtown St. Paul, and the site of the old St. Paul Union Station. I found this park by accident last July looking for a place to photograph the Milwaukee 261 doubleheading an excursion with the CP locomotive out of St. Paul. Once I got my shot I had to race off to the airport, turn in the rental car, and catch a plane.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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The park in St. Paul is called Indian Mounds Park or Mounds Park. It is indeed on a bluff above the Mississippi where several rail lines converge into a narrow bottleneck. It would be unusual to not be able to see at least 2 transcontinental trains at any one time. Some trains move through at a pretty good clip.
BNSF (former Burlington, NP, GN) and Canadian National (former Milwaukee and Soo Line/Amtrak) mainlines run side by side. UP (former Rock Island) connects to both via a lift bridge across the river from Des Moines and KC. There are also branches toward Omaha and Duluth within sight.
The gigantic and beautiful St. Paul Union Station just got $50 million from the Feds to be developed into a light Rail and commuter rail hub. Amtrak just passes by it now on its way to the large Amshack it built in the '70s.
On the light rail line in Minneapolis, you can also get off at Minnehaha Park, see the picturesque falls and hike the gorge to the Mississippi. Light rail is a short bus ride from Amtrak.
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