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 Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 "If You're Going..." The Montana Daylight 
runs along the
historic tracks
of the NorthernPacific Railroad
from Sandpoint,
Idaho, to Livingston,
Montana. It's a
cushy two-day ride,
with a one-night
stopover in Missoula.
For train buffs,
it's a chance to
run some historic
track, see great
Western rail
junctions,
maintenance
yards, and railroad
towns on the nation's
first northern
transcontinental
route. For others
it's a two-day glide
through some of
the prettiest
scenery in the
West.
Where is everybody?
Now I'm the only person
left in the dome.
The other passengers
have gone below,
maybe for a drink
or to nap or to
whine about the
air conditioning,
which
is malfunctioning
today so it has
only two modes:
ON (really cold) or
OFF (really
hot).
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By Lynn Ferrin
 he Montana Daylight runs along the historic
tracks of the NorthernPacific Railroad from Sandpoint, Idaho, to Livingston, Montana. It's a cushy two-day ride, with a one-night stopover in Missoula. For train buffs, it's a chance to run some historic track, see great Western rail junctions, maintenance yards, and railroad towns on the nation's first northern transcontinental route. For others it's a two-day glide through some of the prettiest scenery in the West. Where is everybody? Now I'm the only person left in the dome. The other passengers have gone below, maybe for a drink or to nap or towhine about the air conditioning,
which is malfunctioning
today so it has only two modes: ON (really cold) or OFF (really hot). In the coral light of late afternoon, I settle back to muse on the passing scene.[Image] On trains the passage is the point; I never care very much where I started or where I'm headed. Propelled across the landscape in ease, I become lazy and relaxed,
the book in my lap unread, the babble aroundme unheard.
The river
riffles beside the
rails; I spot a kayak
camp, and a tepee in
the cottonwoods. Beyond
are mountains,
and more mountains
behind mountains;
the summer sun
glints on high
lingering snow
fields. I love t
hese Montana ranges,
and on this
run we've seen
a lot of them:
the Bitterroots
and Cabinets,
Sapphires and
Garnets, the Big
Belts, Absarokas
and Crazies. Regular
passenger trains
no longer run on the
tracks of the
Northern Pacific
Railroad, completed
in 1883 across the
center of Montana.
It was the nation's
first northern
transcontinental route;
it opened Montana to
commerce and settlement.
Towns were established
along the tracks;
some of them prospered
into cities, and
others still sit
there unchanged,
huddled around tiny
depots.
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