WATCH: A Classic Train Ride in Southern Montana in 2024

Have you seen the BNSF passenger train around Montana?

A special BNSF train is making its way across Montana this week, and instead of carrying coal, oil, dry goods, steel, and other commodities, this special train is carrying people.

Every few years, BNSF hooks up about a dozen vintage passenger cars and visits cities across the country as part of its Employee Appreciation outreach. BN employees can take family and friends on these 3 to 4-hour trips.

Thursday through Saturday this week, the train was based in Laurel. My wife's best friend's husband has worked as an engineer for Montana Rail Link (now BNSF) for years. When my wife told me a few weeks ago that they invited us along for the train ride, I was THRILLED. Thank you JOSH for the invite!

A bucket list activity.

I've ridden plenty of urban commuter trams, but never a real train. I think I was probably more excited than my kids. We arrived at the rail yard in Laurel a few minutes early for the 1 PM scheduled departure. We didn't know for sure what our destination was until after we boarded; it was Reed Point.

Fun commemorative items for passengers.

The BNSF team members were so welcoming, inviting us to explore all of the passenger cars open to the public (a few were reserved for crew members and supplies). Guests received a deck of cards, a neat assemble-it-yourself cardboard cutout train engine, stickers, a "ticket" and other unique BNSF-branded items.

A quiet, comfortable way to travel.

Perhaps from watching too many movies, I thought riding the train would be much noisier. I expected to hear and feel the clickety-clack of the tracks. Instead, it was smooth and quieter than riding in a car at 60 miles per hour.

Exploring the various train cars.

We loved navigating the narrow corridors, with up-and-down steps traversing the length of the train. Some cars were double-deckers, there were lounge cars, panoramic roof cars, and others.

We sat in a car that was laid out like two rows of restaurant booths, with benches facing each other and a table in the middle. The vintage cars showcase various decades of rail travel design, from the 50s through the late 80s. They are lovingly maintained and stored at a special facility in Kansas when they're not rumbling across the country.

Seeing Montana from a slightly different perspective.

When my family travels, it's usually by car and I'm usually driving. Keeping my eyes on the road limits how much I can gawk at the scenery while traveling, and multitasking while zooming down the interstate isn't an option. Riding the train was refreshing and completely relaxing.

Will they ever bring back the "Southern Line" through Montana?

Discussion continues about reviving passenger rail service through the lower corridor of Montana. Fans long for the days of hopping on a train in Billings, Bozeman, or Helena and heading off toward Chicago or Seattle.

The Big Sky Passenger Rail Service Authority lead the drive to reestablish this "Southern Line." Headway has been made. In May 2024, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg pledged to support the project and most community leaders along the potentially revived passenger rail line are for the project.

The cost of the project will surely be in the billions. After my experience, I would LOVE to see passenger trains running through southern Montana again. Check out more pics in the gallery below.