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NPS - Trails and Rails

Background:
The National Park Service is proud to team up with Amtrak to present interpretive narration to riders of Amtrak's Empire Builder and Coast Starlight. The Empire Builder meanders through fabulous vistas of the Cascade Mountains, the arid, fruit-bearing desert region of eastern Washington, the southern border of breath-taking Glacier National Park, and the expansive prairie country of western and central Montana. The Riders of the Coast Starlight travel from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon, through many historic cities, unusual geologic phenomena and the beautiful and unforgettable Columbia River Gorge. Riders on the trains are informed of the local history, flora, fauna, and geology of the regions they are passing through, thanks to National Park Service volunteers.

The National Park Service volunteers from the Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, based out of Seattle, provide interpretive programs for Empire Builder train passengers from Edmonds, Washington to Shelby, Montana and for Coast Starlight passengers from Seattle, Washington to Portland, Oregon. Beginning in 2002, the National Park Service and Amtrak joined together to offer live interpretive programs for train passengers on both train routes.

Trails and Rails Volunteers in Montana

A group of long-time volunteers and trainees at the train
depot in Whitefish, Montana.

Interested in Becoming a Volunteer?:
Those interested in becoming a volunteer interpretive guide on Amtrak's Empire Builder or Coast Starlight may contact:

Sean O'Meara
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Seattle Unit
319 Second Avenue South
Seattle, Washington 98104
Phone: (206)220-4234
e-mail: Sean_O'Meara@nps.gov

The Trails and Rails logo

What You Can Expect as a Passenger:

The volunteers travelling on the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight are pleased and honored to present the programs to the train passengers. The program is always in a state of change and renewal and additional information is always being added. The volunteers work hard to tell the passengers about the histories of Native Americans, local towns and cities, farming techniques, and railroading. The resident flora and fauna, geology, and natural history of the areas the trains pass through are also hot topics. The volunteers will to their best to answer your questions and provide you with the most beautiful and memorable trip possible!