Amtrak Empire Builder #8 streaks by control point East Skykomish en route to Chicago.

Although this isn't the Heartland Flyer, Amtrak's Empire Builder is sporting #52, "The Heartland Flyer's Big Game Train" locomotive out front as it takes one of the Minnesota Commercial Yard track... (more)

Strong winds creating unpredictable cloud cover made me wonder whether or not I was going to be able to snap a sunny photo of the late Empire Builder. The sun poked out just long enough for me to... (more)

The Empire Builder picks up speed as it receives a clear signal from the East Oakland signal tower.

The Empire Builder is only a few minutes late coming out of MSP - Midway Station. Here it is continuing east cruising along Shepard Road under the bluffs in downtown St. Paul. The Science Museum... (more)

On a great start to a November day, the Empire Builder heads east from the Midway depot over the Snelling Ave. bridge on the Merriam Park Sub. seen here at the Ayd Mill Rd. & Selby Ave. intersecti... (more)

Arriving into St. Paul/Minneapolis (MSP) at 2:50pm, 7 hours and 26 minutes late, the eastbound Empire Builder performs the station stop at Midway Depot.

7 hours and 26 minutes late, the Empire Builder continues over the University Avenue overpass bridge in the Midway/Merriam Park areas of Saint Paul. Down below the central corridor light rail pro... (more)

The eastbound Empire Builder cruises just yards from Newport past the commanding Gerdau Steel Mill. After some city boundary analysis, I got clarity knowing this bridge is within Saint Paul. I w... (more)

The eastbound Empire Builder cruises under the bluffs in downtown St. Paul. The train will enjoy traveling along the Mississippi River until La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The Empire Builder exits over the south side of the Mississippi River Lift Bridge that still bears signs of its Milwaukee Road heritage. Next stop: Red Wing, MN.

The Empire Builder comes off of the BNSF St. Paul Subdivision via Park Junction in order to reach Midway Depot, seen here two hours late. In the top left corner is some Union Pacific power hangin... (more)

Amtrak's Empire Builder enters East Glacier, Mont. on the morning of Sunday, Sept. 19, 2011. Cold winds cut across the plains and through the mountains on this day forcing me to break out a winter... (more)

Another shot that's been done before, but something I just had to see for myself: an on time Empire Builder crosses the Java Creek Trestle east of Essex, MT under clear skies.