Romancing the Rails: A Trip on the Empire Builder

As soon as the train begins its halting progress through the city, we set off exploring, getting our train legs moving through narrow, swaying corridors and aisles between cushy coach seats. Padded chairs in the observation car seem to offer the best views as lush Wisconsin dairy country fills tall side and overhead windows. We take turns looking up from the stacks of magazines, paperbacks and electronic gear we had carefully amassed for the trip, each trying to get the other's attention in time to see whatever sight is disappearing at the end of the filmstrip of windows.

Pictured: A trestle bridge crosses the Mississippi.