Train party skips Spokane
The Inland Empire was built in large part with trains that no longer travel to Spokane.
This week the last passenger train to regularly visit Spokane, Amtrak’s Empire Builder, celebrates 75 years.
But because of the middle-of-the-night hours the train between Chicago, Seattle and Portland has in Spokane, there will be no festivities here.
You could catch them in Bingen, Wash., however … if you know where it is. Music and refreshments can also be had on June 11 in Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Seattle, Portland, Edmonds, Everett or Wenatchee. On June 12 the party moves to Minot, N.D., and Havre and Whitefish in Montana.
Of the 416,000 people who rode the Empire Builder last year, about 35,000 embarked or disembarked in Spokane.
The train leaves Spokane for Chicago daily at 1:15 a.m. and heads to Portland each day at 2:45 a.m. and Seattle at 2:15 a.m.
Spokane is where the train is split to head to its two West Coast final destinations and then rejoined on the trip back to Chicago.
The Empire Builder is one of the last of its kind, says Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.
“The only other train name that has been in use that long is the Sunset Limited,” Magliari said.
That train travels between Los Angeles and Orlando, Fla.
Magliari says the nature of long train trips means that some cities – such as Spokane – get inconvenient times. Plus, the train is timed to travel through scenic Glacier National Park during daylight hours.
Seventy-five years ago, the trip from Seattle to Chicago took 63 hours. Now it takes just 47.
If you want to stay up until the wee hours, a June 11 ticket on the Empire Builder will buy you some train souvenirs. No word if they include an eye mask.
School’s out for summer
Watch your speed near Spokane’s parks. Crews are starting to post 20 mph summer speed limit signs near playgrounds and parks.
Expect the emphasis patrols soon.
The ugly stepsister?
Eastern Washington gets overlooked in favor of Western Washington again.
A Federal Highway Administration announcement Friday about 104 National Scenic Byways projects didn’t include a single highway in Eastern Washington.
The release touts the economic benefits the scenic byways program has on rural towns and “mom and pop shops.” But the only businesses that could get a boost from the almost $1.9 million coming to Washington state are along the Chinook Scenic Byway (State Route 410 near Mt. Rainier) or the Mountains to Sound Greenway (I-90 from Thorpe to Seattle).
In fact, almost all of Washington’s scenic byways are in Western or Central Washington with the exception of part of the Lewis and Clark Trail Highway, the North Pend Oreille Scenic Byway and the Sherman Pass Scenic Byway.
Haven’t any of these people driven between Spokane and Pullman? Sure, it doesn’t feature the towering trees of Western Washington, but it’s one of the prettiest drives around.
Send me your suggestions of other local drives worth recommending.
Drive Wright
The Spokane Police Department’s traffic unit will be conducting its emphasis patrols this week near Ft. George Wright Drive and Elliot Drive.
They’ll be paying particular attention to motorists who speed or fail to yield the right of way when required.
Slow going
Drivers using State Route 291 between the Spokane County line and Wylie Drive need to plan for a longer trip today and Tuesday when crews will be placing gravel along the shoulders. Flaggers will be directing single-lane traffic. If you can use an alternate route, do it.
Road work at Francis and Maple has been rescheduled for Tuesday. It’s going to be slow going.
Indian Trail Neighborhood residents will be slowed down starting Wednesday by gas line work at Barnes Road just west of Indian Trail Road. And then next Monday, June 14, you’ll be experiencing slowdowns caused by reconstruction work on Indian Trail Road from Kathleen to Francis.