Suggestions for train traveling

Thanks for the great article (May 3) about the Empire Builder. Incremental improvements will work, as the West Side is demonstrating with double tracking and adding more Cascade trains.

Spokane is fortunate to have Amtrak, even if the schedule is a little difficult. I have talked to people who don’t know we have service here because they never see it. Our middle-of the-night timing does have a good side. It means the train travels through the spectacular Columbia Gorge or Cascades in the daylight.

I do have a couple of suggestions, one for Amtrak: If a sleeping car could be parked at the Spokane station, it could be boarded early, say around 10 p.m., and folks could settle into their compartments and get coupled to the train on its arrival.

The other is for prospective westbound passengers: Consider boarding in Sandpoint at the more civilized hour of 11:30 p.m., and the station parking is free.

Remember the train is very well set up for the handicapped, with extra space on the lower level for wheelchairs, etc. Perhaps in time we can get a second daily train to make travel to the coast even more practical.

David Johnson

Elk