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Help celebrate the Empire Builder's 75th anniversary Join us on the bus June 11 for the ceremonies in Milwaukee 5/30/2004

This 1947 postcard shows the Empire Builder along Puget Sound north of Seattle.

(This article will be updated as events warrant between now and June 11. A list of updates appears at the end. Check back periodically for the latest developments.)

Take part in the Empire Builder’s 75th anniversary ceremonies in Milwaukee June 11!

The Empire Builder is Amtrak’s only long-distance train serving Wisconsin. Operated by Amtrak since the railroad’s 1971 birth, it made its first run between Chicago and Seattle/Portland June 11, 1929, under the Great Northern flag.

This June 11, festivities are planned along the route -- including Milwaukee -- to help celebrate this anniversary, and ProRail is making it easy for you and your friends to take part.

We’ve chartered a Badger Bus to Milwaukee’s Amtrak station, for brief ceremonies timed to the arrival of that day’s westbound Empire Builder and featuring Amtrak President David Gunn, Wisconsin Governor James Doyle, Wisconsin's Secretary of Transportation Frank Busalacchi, and other speakers. Ride for free.

We’ll also have informative presentations and will show an Empire Builder video during the bus trip. (This also will be our June meeting.) Copies of Amtrak’s latest national timetables also will be available; the timetable features a painting of the Empire Builder on its cover.

At the Milwaukee station, we'll tour the area and talk about planned remodeling of the facility, while Amtrak is promising music, refreshments, speeches, baloons and buttons, and other activities there.

Here’s the Friday, June 11, schedule:

1 p.m. Bus departs the Madison East Shopping Center.
1:45 p.m. Johnson Creek Park ‘n Ride lot pickup
2:35 p.m. Arrival at Milwaukee’s Amtrak Station.
ProRail tour of the station.
Empire Builder arrival (scheduled for 3:40 p.m.)
Ceremonies inside the station.
4:25 p.m. Depart station (time approximate)
5:15 p.m. Johnson Creek Park ‘n Ride lot (time approximate)
6:00 p.m. Madison East Shopping Center (time approximate)

Madison East Shopping Center: Loading in the back lot. Enter the shopping center from E. Washington and drive through to the rear. Park in any unrestricted open space.

Johnson Creek Park ‘n Ride: The lot is located just south of I-94 and the Outlet Mall.

To reserve your seat on this trip, call Bob Lenz at 849-4569 or e-mail ProRail at prorail@hotmail.com with the names of everyone in your group. (If e-mailing, please include the word “bus” in the subject line.)

Seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. Others will be accommodated if space is available. The bus ride is open to anyone wishing to help celebrate; you need not be a ProRail member.

Prefer to drive yourself? Join us at 2:35 p.m. at Milwaukee's Union Station.

Take part in ProRail’s first meeting on a bus, and in this celebration. Stay in touch with further June 11 developments at this Web site.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE TRAIN'S HISTORY

We summarize the train's entire 75 years, and end with sources of more information you may wish to check out. Click here..

CHECK OUT TODAY'S EMPIRE BULIDER

For information from ProRail about today's Amtrak-operated Empire Builder, click here.

CHECK OUT THE ANNIVERSARY POSTER!

To help celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first Empire Builder between Chicago and Seattle/Portland, Amtrak has commissioned an 18" x 24" full-color poster (see above) featuring the Empire Builder on its eastbound journey as it crosses Two Medicine Trestle, just a few minutes from Glacier National Park, Montana, as the Rocky Mountains rise to the blue skies above.

To order your copy by railroad artist J. Craig Thorpe, click here.

UPDATES

May 26 and 30: Additional details added above about what's being planned at the Milwaukee station June 11.