Amtrak tweaks Empire Builder schedule over freight traffic

Amtrak
Passengers traveling west on Amtrak's Empire Builder board the train en route to St. Paul, Minn., Thursday, July 14, 2011, in Chicago.
Charles Rex Arbogast/AP, file

Amtrak is adjusting the schedule of its Empire Builder train to account for a large increase in freight traffic.

The passenger train travels daily between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest. Westbound trips starting in St. Paul will take 90 minutes longer beginning on April 15, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari said.

"These additional minutes in the schedule help accommodate the fact that we've been delayed often by all the freight traffic between St. Paul and the West Coast," he said.

Passengers traveling east from Seattle or Portland will leave three hours earlier.

Changes to the schedule do not affect trips between St. Paul and Chicago, Magliari added.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.