Sabbatilog 2.0 | Part 11 | The Empire Builder | IL, WI, MN, ND

The Empire Builder was numbered both 7 and 27 (I will explain why later) and consisted of a dining car, an observation lounge/cafe car, several sleeper cars, and several coach class cars.  For this leg of the trip, I had a Superliner Roomette.  (Superliner sleeping cars on routes west of Chicago are two levels. Viewliner sleeping card most routes east of Chicago are one level.)  I was on the top floor in Roomette 2, conveniently located across from a bathroom.  Once I got to my Roomette, I felt I was finally able to relax.  

The last time I took a trip in a sleeper car, passengers were still required to wear masks in the hallways and common areas due to COVID, so meals were delivered to roomettes and rooms. For this trip, meals were served in the dining car to sleeper car passengers and to coach class riders when space was available.  Dinner was my first dining car meal.  I made the earliest reservation possible because I had eaten an early lunch.  Each table in the dining car seats four people and the staff fill them, so I ate with another single passenger from the U.S. and a couple from the U.K.  Conversation was easy during that meal.  I ordered the Pearl Tempura Shrimp (large premium shrimp, crispy pearl tempura coating, sweet chili sauce), the Amtrack Signature Flat Iron Steak (certified angus beef flat iron steak, rustic mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, port wine sauce), and the Chocolate Spoon Cake (chocolate cake, chocolate ganache pudding).  I am including detailed menu descriptions because Abbie and I reviewed them carefully before I left and she helped me choose what to order.  While we were eating dinner, we traveled through Wisconsin Dells.  After dinner I read some of the book Abbie let me borrow--Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie.  I won't share spoilers but I did pick up on some clues early in the book.  

By the time I went to bed, the train was approaching Minneapolis.  The sleeper car attendant put down the top bunk and I was disappointed to learn that the Superliner does not have windows for the top bunk unlike the Viewliner Roomette.  I set my alarm clock for our estimated arrival in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, and when the alarm went off I climbed out of bed and sat in my chair until we arrived.  When we lived in Minnesota, Detroit Lakes was the location of the closest Wal-Mart, which was 45 minutes from our parsonage.  I tried to take a photo (it was the middle of the night) but I did not get off the train because it was not a fresh air break stop.  

Not gonna lie... I slept through the stop at Fargo, N.D. where the triplets were born and woke up at some point after that.  At some point we reached Rugby, N.D., the geographical center of North America.  I took a photo of the train station and later my North Dakotan friend Kelly shared a photo of a monument they have in town which includes the flags of the United States, Canada, and Mexico.  Another notable stop in North Dakota was Minot, home of the college summer ball team the Minot Tot Tots.  Our 2024 Paints player Ethan Brown was set to play in that league and I was hoping he would go to the Hot Tots, but he ended up having a very short season with the Badlands Big Sticks instead.  

Reservations were not required for breakfast and tables were not all full.  I shared a table with a quiet young person and ordered the Scrambled Eggs (Scrambled Eggs, Cheddar Cheese, Tri-Color Potatoes) and a side of Hardwood Smoked Bacon.  For lunch, I ordered the Grilled Patty Melt (Certified Angus Beef, Swiss Cheese, Caramelized Onions, Sourdough Bread, and Kettle Chips).  I sat with an older couple and a young person.  It took awhile for conversation to start flowing, but once we got our food, it was good.