Empire Builder tops Amtrak long-distance trains for ridership

Editor’s note: This version adds comments from an Amtrak spokesman about comparing ridership from now to 10 years ago and clarifies his not commenting on an appropriations bill at this stage of the process.

While a bill that would restore ticket agents to Amtrak stations awaits action in Congress, the national passenger rail service released data showing the Empire Building, which runs across Montana’s Hi-Line, has the highest ridership of any long-distance train.

According to recent data published from Amtrak, the Empire Builder was the single most-ridden Amtrak long-distance train la...