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Amtrak’s ‘Rolling Museum’ Stops in Whitefish

Amtrak’s Exhibit Train is on display in downtown Whitefish this weekend

By Justin Franz
Jayme Miller takes a photo of John and Kerry Loewen in front of the Amtrak Exhibit Train that is on display this weekend in Whitefish. Justin Franz | Flathead Beacon

A “rolling museum” capturing the history of American rail travel pulled into Whitefish this weekend.

The Amtrak Exhibit Train is a five-car train featuring artifacts of the national passenger railroad and its history, according to spokesperson Rob Eaton. The train was created four years ago to help Amtrak celebrate its 40th anniversary and makes about two-dozen stops around the country every year.

“We want to expose people to Amtrak’s past and its future,” Eaton said.

Inside the train are displays covering the history of Amtrak going back to its creation in 1971, when it took over the operation of almost all intercity passenger trains in the United States. Among the trains Amtrak took over was the Empire Builder, which still runs through Whitefish every day, going from Chicago to Seattle and Portland.

The Empire Builder’s on-time performance has suffered in recent years due to a jump in freight traffic on BNSF Railway’s main line across the northern part of the country. However, Amtrak says the train’s performance has improved drastically this and the delays are no longer as bad as they once were.

Eaton said Amtrak decided to bring the exhibit train to Whitefish to thank the community for supporting them during those trying times.

“We want to reinforce our commitment to this community,” Eaton said. “The community stuck with us and so we want to say thank you.”

The Amtrak Exhibit Train is on display all day Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. The train is located just east of the depot in Whitefish. Admission is free.