DINNER TRAIN

For my birthday a few years ago, Myrna signed us up for a ride on a dinner train.  The train is named after the western artist Charlie Russell who lived this this area when he was a cowboy.  The train runs from Lewistown,MT to Denton,MT.  They serve a good prime rib dinner during the ride.  The train runs to Denton and then the engine is switched to the other end of the train and then pulls it back to Lewistown.  The train runs about 35 mph so you get a good look at the countryside.  The train crosses three high trestles and goes through one tunnel.  It was late enough in the season to get some fall colors.  On the way back to Lewistown the train was “robbed”.  Everyone was supplied with $7 bills to give the robbers.  Some dance hall girls came onto the train with the robbers.  After the “robbery” the bad guys got into a shoot out and then the dance hall girls shot the guys and took the money.  After the robbery the train moved very slowly for a mile and then stopped at a gravel road crossing.  The engineer had her grand children with her in the engine for the ride.  She stopped the train and the kids folks picked them up.  A lady and her husband played guitar,  fiddle, and sang for the dinners during the trip.  I requested “The Wreck of the Old 97”  they said they did not sing train wreck songs but she did sing it after we passed the last trestle.  Every one in our car loved the song.  The company that runs this train also has a mystery train, Christmas train,  New Years,  and a Halloween train.          mda