3 Days Onboard the Iconic Empire Builder SLEEPER TRAIN

[@EphremArcement]

Lake Pontchatrain was the body of water just outside of New Orleans. Love your videos!

[@JhonandAri]

Thank you! I really loved that part of the trip ❤️

[@EphremArcement]

@@JhonandAri I’ll be taking the Crescent (in a Roomette) down from New York to New Orleans to catch Mardi Gras in February! This will be my first trip in a Roomette and first trip on the Crescent. Your videos are getting me really excited!

[@JhonandAri]

I bet you’ll love the experience! Thank you for watching 😀 -Ari

[@stacydelgado3285]

Great content as usual. I’m booked in a bedroom from Emeryville to Chicago on the California Zephyr coming up. Can’t wait.

[@JhonandAri]

Would LOVE to ride it! 😍

[@BruceM8]

Guys, I've taken the Empire Builder, so it was a treat to relive the experience with you. I'm new to your channel and loving it. You guys are so upbeat and interesting, and the videography has been great. I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next, and glad I will be on board with you. All the best to you.

[@JhonandAri]

Awesome! Thank you so much for your uplifting message 😀 I hope you had a great time onboard the Empire Builder. What was your favorite part? Mine was the night before and the early morning of arriving into Seattle.

[@LauDynasty69]

I just watched all 3 of your USA Amtrak videos. So lucky that you got new, upgraded roomettes each trip! Excellent videos.

[@JhonandAri]

Glad you like them! It’s great to hear you joined us through all those miles traveled 😊

[@garywilliams7454]

@ChrizzLau69 Roomettes are very nice. But they are way, way overpriced. Also, they are quite small for the money.

[@LauDynasty69]

@ Very tight space. Like a tall casket 😂

[@stephenspilker9334]

i've been on the empire builder many times over the years and i must say it is the best route amtrak has to offer. when you get to the rockies the scenery is stupendous. every trip i have taken the crews have been really good. i've taken this route since it was the great northern railroad and my grandpa was a conductor on this route. good video i enjoyed it.

[@JhonandAri]

Wow! you have a cool history with the train and route, thanks for sharing! 😀 We loved that part of the route as well

[@Schnauzerhaus2]

Looks like someone even got dressed up a bit for dinner. Love the jacket!!

[@joemeyers3127]

Wonderful video!

[@ShawnBaker-xx3gz]

Hahaha I love everyone's take on all the amtrack routes they take and post their version to influence others , my friend and I took the empire builder from Seattle to Whitefish for a ski trip in 1991 and things haven't changed much as I see on everyone's posts..still stinks like Diesel especially out of the tunnel over Steven's pass and the roometts can stink like a motorhome blackwater chemical holding tank here and there some times, but the food is ok and choices still the same in the dining car, the stewards treat you on the top shelf are very kind and friendly. Its worth checking out once.

[@Mike-p8f]

My Mom and I enjoyed your company at dinner. I didn't know her Grandkids could put her on any higher of a pedestal. You guys did it with a KZbin shoutout. Hope to see a Polar Bear Express video in the future.

[@JhonandAri]

Hey, Mike 😀 we’re so glad you watched the video! It was our pleasure to share dinner and stories with you guys; it truly made our trip memorable. 😇

[@Southernfolk8644]

Great video.

[@JhonandAri]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Bivolari]

Always great seeing you guys. The arms make the video. Always great tripping with you.

[@JhonandAri]

Always a pleasure to have you along! ☺️

[@thecurtisfamily3810]

Great job with the video. Keep it up and this channel will explode 👍

[@JhonandAri]

Thank you so much for your encouragement! It's much appreciated 😀

[@fomfom9779]

Some of the crops ND produces are wheat, potatoes, soybeans, canola, sunflower, and pulses. I lived in Fargo, ND many years ago. PS You guys are great together.

[@JhonandAri]

Thanks for the info! 😊

[@talden2391]

I LOVE your channel. You guys are so likable and very entertaining. I hope you are actively creating new content. I’m eager to see more travel videos from you. I especially like your train travels, perhaps you could explore other cabin options available on Amtrak. Or, you could ride trains in other countries, i.e. Canada, Peru, Brazil, etc. Keep up the good work! I really enjoy your content. ❤

[@JhonandAri]

Thank you for your lovely comment! Yes, we are actively looking for new trip ideas 😀 Coming next is our sleeper train from Paris to Berlin 🚄🛤️

[@timfranklin937]

I'm really enjoying your trip videos. I also love your accent and am wondering where you are from. If you don't mind saying.

[@JhonandAri]

Well thank you for saying so! 🤗 it can feel a little self conscious at times not being a native speaker. I’m from the Dominican Republic and Jhon is from Venezuela. -Ari

[@shenusandeepani9527]

Wow wonderful location

[@suddenlysolo2170]

Nice video. I'm taking Via Rail's 'The Canadian' across Canada in November. 4 days, 3 nights in a '1 person roomette' . Can't wait!

[@JhonandAri]

We bet you had an amazing experience!

[@phidias523]

Great video, just like all your others.

[@JhonandAri]

Glad you like them! 😁

[@brendalogan6281]

Do you mind? I may have missed it, but what month did you travel on the Empire builder?

[@JhonandAri]

Hola, Brenda =) Not at all! Our trip was in May 2024 =)

[@jimmyjames6973]

Thanks for this vlogs guys. I’m planning to try it out in January next year. You should try the California Zephyr soon as well. I tried it last April and the view was absolutely amazing.

[@JhonandAri]

The Zephyr is definitely in our bucket list! Some of our fellow passengers on the Empire Builder were doing the Zephyr next 🙂

[@bobhepburn2307]

In North Dakota, they were probably growing either corn or soybeans. I took the Empire Builder from Chicago to Portland in June. Until the train split in Spokane, I had to go through 5 cars to get to the Dining Car. The Portland part goes along the Colombia River. I was able to catch the southbound Coast Starlight in Portland the same day. Amtrak went to Flexible Dining during the pandemic. Fortunately, the western routes have returned to Traditional Dining. Nice video.

[@JhonandAri]

The Coast Starlight is on our bucket list!

[@thriftynick27]

Hey I'm from Minot. The main crops in ND are various types of grain such as wheat, oats, barley, canola, corn, etc. Great video and thanks for the info. I'm thinking about trying Amtrak to and from Fargo soon.

[@JhonandAri]

Thanks for the info! Do let us know how it went if you decide to go ☺️ We just went on three new sleepers in Europe and can't wait to go on Amtrak again

[@brucemiller5356]

you guys are terrific. very enjoyable to watch this video. to answer you ? about the body of water at new orleans, it is lake ponchetrain. as far as n. dakota crops, lots of different ones, best known for winter and summer wheat--and don't ask me how they do this; i am a city boy. (well a 76 y.o. boy) you lucked out on the foot on the empire builder; amtrak just restored traditional dining on trains west of chicago. i think the explanation for the non-traditional dining has to do with COVID and amtrak funding. since amtrak began in 1970, the government has never provided enough funds to run a truly great rail road. so for years amtrak lost money; then in 2021 it was on the verge of making money, when the plague started. now, under this administration, funding is improving so i hope they go back to traditional dining on all long distance trains. keep up the good work.

[@JhonandAri]

Thanks for the encouragement Bruce and your insights regarding Amtrak 😊

[@JeffTaylor-tr7my]

Nice job with the video. I found myself my looking for it. I wish I could have met you in Seattle. I would be happy to have bought you two coffee or a ridiculously overpriced craft cocktail at one Seattle's hipster bars.

[@JhonandAri]

Next time! 😃 We loved Seattle btw so we definitely have to go back and spend more time there

[@victormcdonald6856]

ND grows sunflowers. I lived there for 4 years.

[@dennisputz8883]

Have been waiting for this vlog to be posed. Have watched all your videos to learn something about both of you. ❤❤ If yo don't mind asking . How long have you both been together? ❤❤

[@JhonandAri]

Thanks for watching! We've been together for 14 years now 🙂

[@dennisputz8883]

@@JhonandAri very happy for both of you. 14 years ❤️ 😍 💖 ❣️

[@earlenedorethy7233]

That’s the kind of upper bunks they need on the Lakeshore limited roomette as I had banged my head on the ones they have when it’s down not much room between the upper bunk and the door opening! Ouch!!!!!!!!!

[@JhonandAri]

We feel you! 😅

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

Sorry about that, I did something similar on the Carnval cruise 2 of them which was I rolled out of bed on to the floor OUCH!!!

[@esumiwa5583]

New Orleans leg: you passed between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Mourepass...

[@JhonandAri]

Thanks! :)

[@cyberzenASMR]

I done this trip, but unfortunately every single window was extremely dirty and unclean. None of the riders could enjoy the views, for the exception of observation and dinning.

[@JhonandAri]

We can relate! Our window was not that clean either... we had the urge to clean it on one of the longer stops 😛

[@bobvaladez]

You guys make a cute couple 😉

[@JhonandAri]

😊😊

[@BruceM8]

Oh, one more thing...on your KZbin web page picture at top, the quote should read WANDER.

[@JhonandAri]

!!!!!!! Good catch! Oh my... it was like that for months 🤦‍♂️ but it is fixed now. Thanks! 😀

[@chrisdobrowolski2783]

What was your favorite meal on this train? How many hours of uninterrupted sleep did you get on this train?

[@JhonandAri]

We got a normal night's sleep (8 to 9 hours). For dinner my favorite (and only real option as a vegetarian) was the Rigatoni Bolognese and Jhon's was the Coconut crusted Shrimp. For lunch, my favorite was the vegetarian Chili bowl and Jhon had the Natural Angus burger which was ok. Breakfast was similar to the other trains :)

[@jenredman6300]

Do you find it difficult to do these videos in English? Your English is beautiful but is it difficult

[@JhonandAri]

It’s harder than to do it in our native language, Spanish, of course but it’s fun! It’s a way to reach more people as English is universal 🙂