Page 25 - Flathead Beacon // 8.13.14

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AMTRAK'S BROKEN BUILDER / AUGUST 13, 2014 / 25
to travel from station to station. The new schedule has the train leaving Seattle and Portland three hours earlier going east. That means it arrives in Whitefish at 4:26 a.m., rather than its normal 7:26 a.m. The westbound run also arrives later, pulling into White- fish just before 10:30 p.m. – when it’s on time.
Brzezinski, the route director, said the changes were made so the Empire Builder can meet other trains in Chicago and passen- gers can make their connecting trips.
But the changes don’t sit well with Dylan Boyle, director of the Whitefish Visitors and Convention Bureau. He said the visitor cen- ter has made a big push in recent years to encourage people to take the train to Whitefish, even offering a 20 percent discount during winter months to entice skiers and snowboarders to visit White- fish Mountain Resort. The earlier and later arrivals make taking the train less convenient for visitors.
“Where can people go at 4:30 a.m. because there is nothing open at that hour,” Boyle said, adding that the train station closes at 5 a.m. “It’s not very welcoming to get off the train and find a dark town. That’s not the experience we want for our visitors.”
Boyle, citing data from the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreational Research, said the consistent de- lays and inconvenient arrival and departure times have resulted in fewer people coming to Whitefish by train. According to the insti- tute, 65,000 people arrived or departed on the Empire Builder in Whitefish in 2013. From January to May of this year, there have only been 20,000 riders and it’s unclear if those numbers will catch up.
Christie Dunn, general manager of the Belton Chalet in West Glacier has seen a decline in guests coming from the train as well. She said in years past there would be a rush of guests at the front desk of the historic railroad hotel when the train arrived, some- times requiring two staff members, but that hasn’t happened this summer.
Brzezinski said Amtrak understands that the new arrival times are inconvenient for communities in Northwest Montana and that they hope to return to the old schedule soon. When that might hap- pen is unknown.
One thing that is clear is that the old schedule will probably
not return until after the construction season. This year, BNSF Railway is spending $5 billion on in- frastructure improvements across its 32,000-mile system, including $1 billion on its line across the northern part of the country throughout Montana and North Dakota. BNSF spokesperson Matt Jones said the investment would help expand capacity so BNSF’s rail lines through the region can handle the additional freight trains and, hopefully, keep Am- trak’s Empire Builder on time.
“There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” Brzez- inski said. “Things are improving, but we do have a long way to go.”
Brzezinski said the delays have resulted in a drop in customer satisfaction, but noted one area that hasn’t been impacted: customer service. Brzez- inski, who manages the crews who work onboard the train, said despite this year’s hardships rid- ers have given Amtrak’s employees on the Empire Builder high marks.
Each Empire Builder train has an onboard crew of about 12 people, including sleeping car and coach attendants, kitchen staff and lounge car employees. Each crew works six days straight, or one round trip, and then has six days off. The delays, however, have meant many shifts run longer than normal.
“These crews are tired but they are still deliver- ing good, friendly service,” Brzezinski said.
Brzezinski said solid customer service would be the base of the Empire Builder’s recovery – after that “we just need to get the train over the road.”
Boyle is also hopeful that the Empire Builder, a train with deep roots in Whitefish and Glacier National Park, can return to its for- mer glory.
“The railroad is iconic in Whitefish and being able to come here by train is a big part of our brand,” he said. “I’m just worried we could lose that.” ■
An Amtrak conductor directs passengers at West Glacier in 2011. JUSTIN FRANZ | FLATHEAD BEACON
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