Distinctly Montana Magazine

W W W. D I S T I N C T LY M O N TA NA . C O M 51 DISCOVERY TIME e girls are eager to see the Super- liner's famous bi-level Observation Car. A glass-bubble space with subdued light- ing and a long passageway flanked by comfy seats that face large windows with footrests, the car is a social hub. As a child, Melee Valett, 61, rode the train from Portland to Havre. e mining/farming community resides in the Hi-line, where train travel remains, even today, a crucial lifeline, par- ticularly for medical reasons. Melee's grandmother lived in Great Falls. Other people have their own sto- ries about why passenger rail service is important to them: some want to get from Montana to New York to see an oncologist, kids who travel to college or to see family, and the senior citizens who think it safer to ride Amtrak during the winter. "Outside the Havre Depot, built in 1904, there's a statue of the Great Northern Railway's founder: James J. Hill. Legend pegs him as the original "Empire Builder," so called for his visionary (some said insane) quest to build a northern transcontinental railroad, across sometimes yet unpurchased land, not to mention the indomitable Rocky Moun- tains and the Continental Divide, near Glacier National Park—one of the train's destinations. "It was always exciting," says Melee. "I remember the station, the excitement of catching the train, getting on, it starting. Dad always made sure we got to see the whole train. He took us to the front, to the Dining and Observa- tion cars, and the view from the back of the train." She describes the original Dome Car (still running for Amtrak back East) as "magical" with uninterrupted floor-to-ceiling win- dows and the feeling of being in an aquarium. "I saw my first herd of elk from the Observation Car," she says. MORE FLEX TIME A train rider today, Melee offers more on the Science of Flex- ibility on Trains. "Keep your knees loose. Don't lock them up or you'll lose your balance." Lisa agrees. She compares the train's sway to sailing. "You need your sea legs." Marc Magliari, Amtrak spokesman, negates such thinking. "Trains are designed," he says, to "better accommodate people with disabilities." He speaks of Wheelchair Space (room to park your chair), Accessible Seats (space for passengers in leg casts, using The Empire Builder makes 12 stops in Montana: Wolf Point, Glasgow, Malta, Havre, Shelby, Cut Bank, Browning, East Glacier Park, Essex, West Glacier, Whitefish, Libby. To learn specific costs, packages, and time schedules, contact Amtrak (1.800.USA-RAIL) or visit the Website www. amtrak.com. Of course, it's best to book your trip well in advance. You can reserve tickets online nearly a year ahead. Also learn about refunds and vouchers, should your plans change. You can book, cancel / get a refund online, or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL (1-800-872-7245). Glacier train station Maker

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