I’ve noticed the sun setting along the railroad tracks at the corner of Fair Oaks and Thurber avenues before, and wished I had my camera. It happened to be in the car when I drove by today.

Some photographers say you should bring your camera with you everywhere you go. I guess this proves their point.

At the former site of the city’s Milwaukee Road station, a passenger train sits dormant.

Retail shops now inhabit the former passenger cars, and the station itself houses a bicycle shop.

The good news is this won’t be the last passenger train in the city. Madison will be getting passenger rail service to Milwaukee and Chicago in the next few years. The State of Wisconsin has already selected a building in downtown Madison for the new station, and the trains are scheduled to begin running in 2013.

I for one can’t wait. I’d love to be able to take a train to get to Milwaukee or Chicago. There are also proposals for train service from Madison to Minneapolis. In light of our addiction to fossil fuels, this would be a good thing. This country needs to rediscover the fact that trains are a much more efficient way to move people (both intercity and intra-city).

You could almost see into their minds, as they picture themselves piloting the engines.

Of course I couldn’t help but stare with a sense of wonder myself…

After seeing a minuscule blurb in yesterday’s paper, some online investigating, and a call to my father (who is also a train buff), we decided to head to the Dells and check it out.

Above is the locomotive over the Wisconsin River.

Dad and I had fun, even though we got a light shower of cinders.

Standing just a few feet away, you could really feel the locomotive’s power as it blew that loud whistle, and chugged off, back to Milwaukee.

An old Milwaukee Road Hiawatha observation car brought up the rear of the train.

Wouldn’t you just love to ride that to your next destination?