By Richard Elgenson, RailNews Network

Here are a couple of views of one coach and one upgraded sleeper.  Pictured is Tim Noel with his book "The Twentieth Century Limited" which he found in a bookstore for $7.  He had found me at the rear of the train earlier Saturday to show me the book and this is after I found him to return it.  Notice the light appearance in the corridor as Mr. Gunn had pointed out several times.

   

Saturday afternoon, after wandering through the train, I decided to do something completely different.  Since I was a first class passenger and this included all meals, I stopped in the dining car and actually had lunch.  On my wanderings earlier in the day, I stopped and chatted with dining car manager Paul Albers.  He told me that he had 28 years experience with Amtrak and has seen all kinds of changes.  We went over the menu and he suggested some potential eating possibilities, all of which sounded good.  This crew will even make special selections within reason.  He mentioned a salmon sandwich.  Say no more.  I can hear you talking about halibut or salmon from 2,300 miles away.  I was seated at a table by myself until they seated a nice young couple opposite me.

   

My server was Meg Collins and wouldn't you know it, she claims she's a foamer.  I had mostly finished my salmon sandwich when Shelly and Peter sat down.  Amtrak has a limited number of seats and so it works out nicely to meet new people while dining.  I had my one beer of the whole trip with this lunch.  I had already traveled 3,000 miles to Chicago and maybe another 1,000 on the train and was quite sleep deprived.  Maybe I ought not have had that beer and besides, I had stashed my wallet in my room thinking there was nothing to spend money on while on the train.  My sandwich was great and Meg suggested dessert.  I ordered chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream which took about half an hour to finish.  Very unusual for me.  While in the dining car, we passed Wolf Point, Montana, known for its rodeo.

   

   

As usual, more plains towns with trains and grain elevetors.  We have gotten to Glasgow, Montana.  At the end of the meal, I asked Shelly and Peter if they had ever been in a dome car.  They replied that they had not, so I suggested that they walk back there with me.  Once in the dome car, I showed them some of my work on the laptop.