The Great Northern Railroad's flagship passenger train was named the Empire Builder in honor of the railroad's founder, James J. Hill. Hill became known as the Empire Builder after reorganizing several failing railroads into the Great Northern Railway and extending the line to the Pacific Northwest in the late 19th century. After World War II, the Empire Builder was equipped with a full length "Great Dome" passenger car to optimize the views of the passing Cascade Mountains and the Rocky Mountain landscapes of Montana's Glacier National Park.

This ready-to-run train set includes:•powered F7-A locomotive with operating headlight •powered F7-B locomotive •smooth-side coach •full-dome passenger car •body-mounted E-Z Mate® couplers •63" x 45" oval of snap-fit E-Z Track® including 16 pieces of 22" radius curved track, 3 pieces of straight track, and 1 plug-in terminal rerailer •illustrated instruction manual