It sounded appealing. Eight days and nights aboard a luxury train with vintage rail-cars from the streamliner era (1948-1958) the Chesapeake & Ohio, Southern Pacific, Union Pacific, N. Y. Central and Nickel Plate railroads. Sleeping cars had romantic, faraway sounding names like Berlin, Paris, Vienna, Washington, San Francisco, Monte Carlo and Istanbul. Our minds conjured images of an Agatha Christie novel and we anticipated, if not a murder, at least one electrifying example of mistaken identity, lost passport or stowaway.

Dining cars were christened the Chicago and Zurich, and club cars were anointed Rocky Mountain, Seattle and New York . It was said that each car was totally reconstructed and restored at a cost of over one million dollars per car. There was to be a baby grand and live piano music in both club cars, the Seattle and Rocky Mountain, with its ceiling murals by Joel Dryer and midnight blue ceiling with the Milky Way depicted in pure gold leaf. Passengers were to receive an in-house, user-friendly geologist, Wayne Ranney, from a major university, who would lecture daily before stops which were to include theme lunches and guided tours to Jasper National Park and ski resort, Scascatoon, Winnipeg, Thunder Bay and Ottawa. Moreover, the cross-continental journey (which started in Vancouver B.C. and ended in Montreal Quebec) would spare no effort to attain the grandeur of bygone days. At each stop, a blue carpet with the company's logo was to be rolled out for the detraining passengers, sometimes accompanied by local music and citizens snapping photographs of the rich Americans on perhaps the first passenger train they had seen in years. Patterned after a cruise ship, there is no other train in North America offering such itineraries (in Thunder Bay, there is no passenger service).

The name The American Orient Express, seemed somewhat an oxymoron (we were neither in America nor the Orient and the Amtrak engine was a far cry from our memories of Europe's or Japan's crack express trains). The price was not for the faint-hearted: superior sleepers (upper and lower births) started at around $4,990. Each had a private toilet and there was one shower per cabin, which had to be reserved from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m.; on-your-own the rest of the day. Suites (parlor and presidential), had two lower beds, private toilet and shower. Prices ranges from $6,990 to $7,890 per person. Quick calculating brought that to about $100 per shower.

During the day, lower births converted to a sofa seat. Cabins had picture windows, individual controls for heating, mahogany paneling with wood inlays and faux-marble walls.

So who takes such a trip? We found out soon enough as we embarked at Vancouver's Pacific Central Station (we took the West to East routing) and gathered in the Seattle Lounge Car for a preliminary briefing.

As we looked around, the fear that we had entered a local retirement community or hospital overtook us.

An ocean of gray and white hair and vessels of transportation: folded wheel chairs, canes, walkers and arm-braces flooded the car. Eight days we thought—what had we gotten ourselves into?

There were consolations: indeed, this was the first time in many moons we were the youngest folks in a room. And it was ego-bursting to be referred to as "young lady," and "sonny." In a country where sameness is becoming the norm, this may also be our last chance to see true Americans, we thought: people you could recognize as coming from different states by their accents, dress, manners and attitudes.

As we got to know many of the senior passengers, we were inordinately impressed with their stamina and vitality. "If I were in the condition of some of these folks, I'd be on the phone to Dr. Kevorkian, rather than on this train," one of the tour guides commented.

Our accommodations were the in the superior sleeper (Berlin C). The smallish-cabins, I must admit, were not The A.O.E’s strongest selling-point. Getting dressed in the morning after a bumpy night on the tracks became a game of challenge ,ingenuity and a battle of the wits. One-at-a-time was a possibility: Nancy’s move was to sit tight in her upper, while J. quickly showered. Or J. might use the john, while Nancy slid into her jeans and did a quick makeup. Then, the thought occurred that we might have one of the attentive stewards (ours altered between Pete and Mel) turn the bunk up, so we could dress ensemble, before he returned to make it up, while we had breakfast.

Although we were told that we would dine one regional Canadian cuisine, fresh ingredients picked up at each stop and an ever changing array of Canadian regional wine, the menu for the first few nights seemed continentally-familiar, based on classic train-cuisine and the wines (more drinkable than memorable) barely changed. A separate list, mostly Californias was available at fair prices. Purchasing Canadian, Chilean and Australian wines at major stops was fun and permissible. (Keep your receipts for a tax refund at the airport).

One The Road

Our first excursion, in Jasper Alberta, a charming, Swiss-like ski resort and National Park had a remarkable glacier that we actually drove up to by motor coach and onto by snow-bus. Able passengers were allowed to exit the bus and walk on the glacier. We even drank the pure water that was constantly melting. We breathed air so pure since San Moritz? And it was almost possible to imagine that we were no longer in North America. Perhaps some mystical force transported us to the Orient Express of bygone days?

But a decidedly North American and excellent barbecue lunch jolted us back to reality and readied us for boarding our home-on-wheels, showering , while the train was stilled and dressing for with dinner.

Cocktail hour in The Rocky Mountain lounge, accompanied by the promised piano music proved that alcohol (not necessarily in moderation) may not be incompatible with old age. Everywhere we looked, our fellow passengers were enjoying a martini, bourbon, bloody mary or glass of Chardonnay and no one ever turned down the bar tender's offer for a refill (or two). Simple hors d’oeuvres were gratis: hard drinks ranged from about $5.75 to $8.75 Canadian, soft stuff and bottled water was chargless.

Considering the demands and limitations, the food was good. Breakfast was invariably excellent with a buffet set out on the piano from 6:30 for early birds (smoked salmon, sweet rolls, bagels, coffee cake, fresh fruit, cranberry, orange or smoothies and help-yourself coffee. From 7:00 to 9:00 a full American breakfast was also offered. Perfectly cooked eggs, crispy bacon, toast, juice, coffee, oatmeal with brown sugar and milk and one daily special, ranging from waffles with local berries to steak and eggs. Service by a smiling, young staff was perfect.

Lunch, the weakest meal, was jut two courses: usually a salad (embellished with something like duck confit or crab) or a hot dish (ranging from black bean chili to beef pepperpot) and dessert. Simple mixed salads (always wonderful ), fresh fruit and ice cream sundaes were always on hand.

(Wine was not included with lunch, but could be purchased, except for the last day, when there was an open bar).

A typical dinner was three courses and might consist of shrimp cocktail, bouillabaisse or mussels, followed by a choice of about five items, two or three of which made regular appearances (breast of chicken "Frisco-style," in a Cognac-cream sauce and beef tenderloin, "Canadian Pacific style," both tributes to classic-railroad cuisine).

B.C. Salmon was always dependable, as were pastas and game dishes. Desserts were homemade and a high point: pot de creme, cheese cake and always one delectable chocolate concoction. On days without stops, high tea was served. I loved the fresh brewed Ceylon, accompanied by dainty cucumber sandwiches, handmade truffles, fruit tarts and, best of all, current-studded scones and fresh clotted cream. Snacks: fresh fruit, nuts, bar and bridge mix, and cheese were plentiful.

There were culinary surprises. Executive chef, Evan Waters, blew our socks off one evening using fresh produce from Thunder Bay. Marvelous wild morels, sautéed in white wine and garlic followed by Thunder Bay pickerel (a pike-taste-alike) with tartar sauce and osso bucco with reounaise sauce that was worthy of a fine Italian restaurant. Pepper orzo gratin and Manitoba sweet corn on the cob, simply steamed, that gave a new meaning to the word sweet and needed no butter, followed by pastry-chef, Daniela Cole's (a CIA grad) airy tiramisu.

When challenged, the American Orient Express's kitchen equaled the best meals we had encountered on its European counterpart.

Besides Japer, other tour highlights included Saskatoon (Sascatuan) where a journey to the remarkable Native-American Wanuskewin Heritage Park, 3 kilometers north, an exciting 100-hectare park showcasing a new interpretation of Archeology, North American history & Native Indian culture. A superb slide show with a brilliant soundtrack provided a good introduction, naive hoop-dancing , a course in teepee making, a walking tour to the buffalo-jump, when American Natives slaughtered hundreds of buffalo and the healing circle & sweat house. Meaning "Seeking Peace of Mind," we haven’t experienced such peace and tranquillity in years and the American Natives were warm, industrious and hospital. Our Native buffet lunch was delicious with homemade bread (bannock), bison (buffalo), spicy chicken, potato salad laced with local cheese, parsnips, carrots and potatoes and two local herbal teas. A trifle-like dessert, made with local Saskatoon berries was to die by. The facility is magnificent, blending with nature and emphasizing four peaks, the number 4 being mystical for Native Americans (4 seasons, 4 stages of life). Wanuskewin was our most rewarding tour.

Saskatoon is a lovely town with Native and government owned casinos. Not to be missed is a visit to Saskatchewan Western Development Museum. Here, charming white-haired women donate their time and don period costumes to become part of an authentic recreation of 1910 Boomtown Saskatoon, the longest indoor museum street in Canada. One strolls down Main Street of this movie-set city and visits, a church, where a woman in a wonderful antique hat plays "Amazing Grace," the local newspaper with its vintage printing press, a school, where it is difficult to distinguish the real-life teacher from her class of life-like figures.

Another surprise was Winnipeg. Bright and sunny, this modern, clean city with its kind residents hosts a terrific museum (the Museum of Nature & Man), with marvelous recreations of life-size antique sailing ships, Native villages and sideshows of the Arctic, earth history, B, Grasslands and Urban gallery. It's Native replicas were so well executed, one could almost believe their eyes moved. The native paintings were awesome. Winnipeg enjoys beautiful, spring-like weather in September. A visit to the interesting Forks Market is also rewarding. (While you’re there, check out Fentons, a terrific place to buy some local wines). The market hosts some delightful fast-food from stalls, ranging from Sri Lanka, Vietnamese, Greek and West Indian.

Thunder Bay, on Lake Superior, is a lovely spot, whose major attraction is Fort William an 1815 fur trading fort, cast with students in period costumes, who improvise and portray shareholders, voyagers, clerks, Native Ojibwa, free Canadian tradesman and sharholders. It's a hoot to try to trick them back into 1998. Violin-music, played by a father and his two beautiful teenagers accompanied An engaging lunch at Canoe du Nord on the North Gate of the Fort. It emulated what fur-traders might have eaten circa 1815 and included beef stew, corn salad, homemade bread and fruit cobbler.

Ottawa, just 2 and 1/2 hours from Montreal and half in Ontario/half in Quebec, was another sleeper. A beautiful, clean and highly-livable city, the architecture, a blend of modern and chateau-style reminds one more of Europe than North America. The name, depending on who you ask, is Algonquin for "gathering place" or "merchant." The Canadian Museum of Civilization is one of the world's most beautiful and featured the "Mystery of Egypt," an exhibit we had missed in the states. Its construction and location by the river and canals was exquisite. It was packed with interesting, exhibits, galleries, totem polls and Native artifacts. With 4 million tulips (more than Holland) this graceful city, filled with gardens, a canal that freezes in the winter and becomes the world's longest skating promenade and neighborhoods of elegant embassies is worth an extended visit. The day before each excursion our resident-Geologist gave a 45 minute lecture with a question/answer period, which was repeated in each Club Car.

Our favorite no-nonsense travel writer, the late Norman Ford, once wrote, "relationships made on board a cruise ship are best broken at the end," and we would say the same of a rail-cruise. Hold on to the impressions, but let go of the realities. If travel is the most broadening, rewarding and educational of all leisure activities, what lesson was to be learned from our voyage on the American Orient Express? Perhaps it is that travel is what you bring to it. It's not just what you see that counts— more often than not---it’s what you overlook. Our farewell gala diner (prime ribs, lobster, a German sparkling wine) granted us time tell our fellow passengers goodbye and leave gratuities for the staff (a suggested $15 per person per day, given to the passenger services attendant, was an efficient way of handling it) . All too soon, we arrived at Montreal's Gare Central, just below our hotel the Queen Elizabeth.

How quickly we had erased memories of minor inconveniences, a tape that seemed to ever-play Louis Armstrong singing "Hello Dolly," tracks that went bumpty bump in the night. Instead, pictures of yellow maple trees came into focus, breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies, and small pleasures like discovering a minuscule Korean restaurant in Jasper or a Canadian wine that was unavailable in the States.

We replayed conversations with or train-family: A feisty gal in her mid-80s (who exercised daily on her cabin floor), cursing the sink in which her panty hose managed to get sucked down the drain; the gentile couple from Mississippi, he a physician on a second marriage, she a soft-spoken southern lady in the true sense of the word; the husband and wife from Texas who came to "visit" with us, and who tuned out to be absolutely delightful. The wife spoke fluent French and the husband, apparently recovering from a stroke, had worked for Dow Chemical in Zurich for three years, where they sent their children to Swiss private schools; the gentleman that kept getting on the wrong tour bus, who was the governor of Wyoming for eight years.

But perhaps the most vivid impression was that of the smiling young faces of a staff that didn't no the meaning of the word no, chanting: "commin in dirty," as they carried plates back to the kitchen, and an ever changing panorama of ice-capped mountains, leafs turning from gold or purple to red and green, lakes, prairies, elk, beaver , wild black bears and schools of blackbirds-in-formation, disappearing into a clear blue sky.

And oh yes: those devastating sunrises and sunsets and the last leg from Ontario to Quebec, a full day's treat to glorious views of the Canadian shield. Memories have a way of being selective and seeking out the moments of mystery and magic. And who would so audacious to place a price tag on enchantment.

You Can’t Get There From Here. We joined the train in Vancouver, and as fate would have it, Air Canada, our carrier of choice was on strike. Had we flown them, `we would have been routed New York to Toronto with a change of planes to Vancouver. The strike was over by the time we returned and Air Canada graciously gave us complimentary passes to their First \Class lounge. A wise move, since it turned out to be one of the nicest airport lounges we had ever experienced with its gratis and well stocked bar, excellent service and plenty of free computers to connect to the Internet and get our E-Mail. The short flight back to New York (about an hour) was comfortable in the well space DC-9, a small plane that offered a smooth ride and sufficient pitch between seats for comfort. The service was pleasant and efficient.

Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About The A.O.E. (& Then Some)

The A.O.E. Offers Chance to Experience America's History, Cultural Richness and Scenic Beauty The American Orient Express, a gleaming and elegant train recreating the luxurious travel of a bygone era, offers travelers a chance to experience the historic and cultural richness of America while being pampered with gourmet dining, comfortable surroundings and impeccable service. The privately-owned and operated American Orient Express has rekindled the American fascination with rail travel with its elegantly rebuilt and renovated train carriages and unique itineraries. More than $14 million has been spent to renovate the train's sleeping, dining, and lounge cars, making the American Orient Express one of the most luxurious trains in the world. The 15 carriages of the American Orient Express, originally built during the streamliner era of the 1940s and ‘50s, are painted in the trademark blue and gold colors of Europe's deluxe trains. At the end of the train is the historic observation car New York. This car was dedicated in 1948 by Dwight Eisenhower and comedienne Beatrice Lillie. In the train's two vintage dining cars, passengers on the American Orient Express are treated to gourmet meals served on china and crystal with silver and linen settings. The two club cars feature leather and brass decor and boast live nightly entertainment on the baby grand piano. All sleeping cabins have private lavatories with built-in sinks and toilets. Each sleeping carriage has its own shower compartment, while Presidential Suites have their own showers. Cabins have individually controlled heating and air-conditioning, and each car has its own attendant.. For 1999, American Orient Express will be offering a wide array of tours, reaching all corners of the United States and Canada. Passengers can chose from ten trips, including the Antebellum South (Washington D.C. to New Orleans); the Great Northwest (Portland to Seattle via Glacier Park); the Great National Parks of the West Coast (Los Angeles to Seattle); the Great Trans-Canada Rail Journey (Vancouver to Montreal); the Jazz and Blues Express (New Orleans to Chicago); National Parks of the West (Santa Fe to Denver); the Great Transcontinental Journey (Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles); Quebec & the Canadian Maritimes (Montreal to Halifax, Nova Scotia); and the Rockies and Yellowstone (Portland to Denver). Most itineraries also operate in reverse order. The American Orient Express is owned and operated by its Oregon-based parent company. For more information about booking an excursion with the American Orient Express, call 1-888-759-3944 or fax 206/727-7309. The American Orient Express Rail Cars Fact Sheet The American Orient Express carriages were built between 1948 and 1958. Following is a brief history of the cars, prior to their refurbishment in 1989. Sleeping carriages The sleeping carriages were originally built by the Pullman-Standard Company of Chicago between 1950 and 1956. Paris (#800298) and Istanbul (#800297) -- Ordered in 1947 and delivered in 1950, these cars were built for the Southern Pacific Railroad for use on its Cascade route. Vienna (#800109) -- Ordered in 1954 and delivered in 1956, this car was used on the Union Pacific's City service. It was originally named Placid Waters. Washington (#800258) -- Ordered in 1946 and delivered in 1950, this car was built for use on the Chesapeake & Ohio's George Washington, Sportsman, Pere Marquestre and Resorter service. The car was originally named City of Staunton. Monte Carlo (#800255) -- Ordered in 1946 by the Chesapeake & Ohio railroad, the car was purchased by the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1950. The car was originally named the Opequon and saw service on the Capitol Limited. Lounge/Club Cars. New York Observation Car (#800321) -- Delivered in 1948 to the New York Central Railroad under the name Sandy Creek, this car was placed in service on the 20th Century Limited, running between New York and Chicago. This historic rail car, dedicated by Dwight Eisenhower and comedienne Beatrice Lillie, has plush seating and a bay window observation lounge. Seattle Piano Club Car (#800310) -- This car was delivered to the Union Pacific Railroad in 1954. Built by the American Car and Foundry as a 14 section sleeper, it was originally named Alpine Meadows. In 1965, the car was rebuilt as a 44 seat leg rest coach. Rocky Mountain Piano Club Car (#800311) --Built by the St. Louis Car Company and delivered in 1954, this car was originally designed as a 14 section sleeper. The car was rebuilt as a 44 seat leg rest coach in 1965. Dining Carriages Chicago Dining Carriage (#800308) -- Built by the St. Louis Car Company for the Union Pacific in 1959, this car was originally an eight seat cafe, with a 24 seat diner and a 16 seat lounge. Zurich Dining Carriage (#800301) -- Ordered in 1946, this car was delivered by the American Car Foundry to Union Pacific in 1949. The car was originally designed for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. It was built as a 24 seat diner with a 29 seat lounge. Carriage Restoration Purchased in 1980, these carriages were sent to either the Northern Rail Car Company or the Kasten Railcar Services, Inc., in 1988 for mechanical reconstruction. During the reconstruction, they were outfitted with new air-conditioning and heating systems, electrical and plumbing systems and additional safety features. After the mechanical and electrical work, the carriages were shipped to Panama City, Fla., for interior reconstruction prior to being introduced as the American-European Express. The total reoutfitting cost was approximately $1 million per car. The ceilings and the murals in the club cars were painted by Joel Dyer. The walls are made of Honduras mahogany with inlays by Thomas Etheridge and Ernest Brannon. The faux marble walls are by Jonathan Bond and Gary Fickel. Carpet and upholstery selections are by Norman Warsinke. Trips for 1999: The Antebellum South (Washington, D.C. to New Orleans). The Great Northwest (Portland to Seattle). Great National Parks of the West Coast. Great Trans-Canada Rail Journey (Vancouver to Montreal). Great Transcontinental Journey (Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles). Jazz & Blues Express (New Orleans to Chicago). National Parks of the West (Santa Fe to Denver). The Rockies & Yellowstone (Portland to Denver). Quebec & the Canadian Maritimes . Costs: Prices vary depending on the duration of the trip and cabin selection: costs range from $1,990 to $7,890 per person. Costs include most meals, excursions and some nights in a hotel as necessary. Refer to each individual trip for details.

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