I don’t sleep as well this night, waking up more than on the last night. There is a moment near Devils Lake (but I don’t get photos of its depot, one of the few on the route I still haven’t seen). I also wake up again I think in Grand Forks although I’m on the wrong side of the train to see the depot.
- 3:57 – Fargo, the sleeper stops over a grade crossing with all the bells dinging. I wonder how many people are woken up by the noise.
- 4:01 – Move up, we’re making a double spot for Fargo. I fall asleep again.
- 5:08 – Awake for Detroit Lakes, time to reset that alarm, were not going to be on time into Minneapolis, excellent. I fall back asleep.
- 6:10 – I briefly fall back asleep and am awake again as we stop at Staples, I decide to go and get rear window photos for this station as we leave.
- 6:40 – The not a passenger stop Little Falls depot, I immediately remember this depot from my last trip.
Unlike my Sleeper trip on the Texas Eagle when the slow dining car does nothing to accommodate breakfast for those getting off in St. Louis, the Empire Builder’s diner opens at 6:00am to accommodate those wanting to dine that are getting off at St. Paul. Since were running a little we finally through pajamas on and head to the diner. Were seated next to a blind couple who are quite fascinating to watch eat. The crew also handles them extremely well and are clearly their not their first blind diners. I order the omelet again saying no to the vegetable that is the same corn as last night. That’s too strange a combination. We stop in St. Cloud between 7:07 and 7:12. We do end up chatting with this couple briefly about iPhones when I check the trains lateness on mine. The man proudly tells me he’s just gotten an iPhone 5 and that the accessibility features on it are great. He does mention he’s still getting used to swishing and flicking.
We return to our room after breakfast and I wait for someone to come out and then enjoy a nice refreshing shower. This is definitely one of my favorite features of sleeping car travel.
At 8:16 we stop in front of the Gophers Stadium to enter the terminal railway and get an announcement that were 15 minutes away. Distance wise were very close but the tracks between Minneapolis and St. Paul are extremely slow on the Minnesota Commercial Railway.
We finally arrive at Midway Station at 8:32 and I step off from ‘Delaware’ one last time. The attendant is a bit confused (I think because he’s surprised I don’t give him a tip) but I remind him that Robbie is continuing straight through back to New York and will stay in the Sleeper until Columbus, Wisconsin (as far as I could book the Sleeper without getting rerouted on a more direct route to Chicago).
I get some photos of the Minnesota Commercial locomotive switching on Train #808, the additional coach that runs from MSP to CHI. Then I’m off to explore some website related stuff in the Twin Cities since it’s too early in the morning to impose on any friends I’m staying with. I go into the AmStation that seems more disgusting than ever like Amtrak isn’t maintaining it since there about to move back into St. Paul’s Union Depot.
The first goal of the day is to visit this recently reopened depot (housing local bus routes and Jefferson Lines so far). To get there I walk up to University Avenue and find that the Central Corridor Light Rail line looks quite complete with the tracks in place and even some catenary wire strung. I notice that there isn’t a Light Rail Station anywhere near the Amtrak Station. At least Amtrak should be gone from here before the Light Rail opens.
I get off in downtown St. Paul and start by getting some of the Light Rail Stations that are under construction. Then I head into Union Depot and am totally blown away. The restoration job is excellent and they’ve returned the formerly abandoned station into its transportation routes. There is a beautifully restored depot and overpass that leads to the station’s bus loop (where tracks once were) and continues to a single island platform for Amtrak that is waiting on the installation of switches to actually be installed. The interiors feel like an old fashioned railroad station that returns the glory to boarding the Empire Builder in the twin cities. For Sleeping Car Passengers and Select+/Executive Card Holders, don’t worry there is also a small first class lounge along a small portion of the restored overpass. The station also has tons of displays (some interactive) that list all of the transportation options in the depot. Amtrak is in the menus with a coming in 2013 message.
My second goal of the day before imposing on my friends is to ride Northstar up to Big Lake and back. To do this I need to get to Minneapolis and the 94 Express Bus runs the route every half hour on a Saturday morning. I Google Transit it and it gives me an 8 minute connection. My plan is to take the interval before and have time to photograph the platform at Target Field but the huge Union Depot has distracted me.
I end up on the 94 Express Bus with a scheduled 8 minute connection and with detours around downtown and a wheelchair taking far too long to board and debus means I miss the Northstar by a good ten minutes. Again riding Northstar will remain elusive.
I get off in downtown and get some photos of the new Target Field stations before relaxing at Starbucks and then getting on the bus to head out and stay with friends.