MOUNT PLEASANT -- Two weeks ago our family took a four-day weekend trip to Chicago to take in the sights, catch a game at Wrigley Field and celebrate summer.

We would ride the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier, look down at rooftop pools from atop the John Hancock Center, take in the Museum of Science and Industry and enjoy classic deep dish pizza.

But perhaps the biggest highlight was just getting there.

Huh? The scenery along the farm fields of Illinois isn't exactly postcard material, and the traffic in Chicago can be maddening.

Hop aboard a train, though, and the perspective changes drastically.

The decision to take Amtrak stemmed in part from curiosity about rail travel.

But a healthy part of the decision also rested in the other options available. We could take a small car with no air conditioning in August. With children ages 14, 11 and 7, that sounded like a relatively miserable option.

We could rent a van, but on top of the cost of rental we would have the additional frustration of Chicago traffic and the cost of parking.

We could fly, but it would cut our travel time greatly and cost double that of the train fare.

So we decide to hit the rails, requiring a two-hour drive to Mount Pleasant to start the trip.

We arrive to a quaint little station in Mount Pleasant the recommended half-hour before departure time. The station is a blast from the past. The pressed brick structure was built in 1912, and doesn't appear to have been greatly modified since then. Long wooden benches line the inside of the station and tiles in the station appear as if they were laid prior to the Kennedy administration.

Unfortunately, the departure times for Amtrak often are simply guidelines. Our train arrives more than an hour later. We discover during that waiting time that we could call (800) USA-RAIL to get updates on the train's progress. For future reference, always call Amtrak before heading to the station. In the Midwest, Amtrak trains share the rails with freight trains, which can cause delays.

We board a nearly full train and wind up in the last car on the bottom floor of a double decker. It's a wonderful space with 12 seats and an open section at the front of the car. The car's remaining empty seats are one short of what we need, so the conductor recommends we head upstairs to the lounge car to pass time until we reach Galesburg, Ill., where more space will open up.

The lounge car is the jewel of the Amtrak train. Windows line the second-floor car, along with some casual seating. The train through Iowa is part of a California-to-Chicago route, and the lounge car is the place to get to know people from across the country.

Views from the train are unique.

Without needing to pay attention to the road, one can more easily focus on the tiny creeks, few pockets of woods and vast fields of beans and corn.

Railroads long ago lost their luster in the American eye, much of their function replaced by the air and roads. Now, they typically run through the parts of town that cities like to keep hidden. With each town the train passes through, the windows reveal abandoned rail stations, industrial buildings, junk yards and water treatment facilities.

The arrival point in Chicago is a different matter. Union Station has the feel of a small airport, with a food court and well-kept hallways and waiting areas.

Amtrak travel isn't exactly cheap. We paid $362 for the five of us to go from Mount Pleasant to Chicago.

And the accommodations and service aren't necessarily luxury either. On our trip to Chicago the train was full. We were among the last groups to get a seat in the dining cart. By that time the train had run short of most menu items, the choices now limited to a salad, hamburger or chicken sandwich. Also, prices on the dining cart are pretty steep.

Although Amtrak isn't known for having consistently good service, we had a wonderful server on the dining cart, and overall had a good experience with the staff.

The coach class seats lack nothing in comfort. They tilt far back to get a nap and come with a couple of options for foot and leg rests.

We poked our heads into the sleeping cars where the space is tight. But the option to have your own private room still looks appealing for a longer distance trip.

Rolling into Chicago, the children give glowing reviews of the Amtrak trip, with comments like "this is the best." And already, before the heart of the vacation has even begun, Brandon, 11, is already asking, "When can we do this again?"

Contact Jon Ericson at (319) 291-1461 or jonathan.ericson@wcfcourier.com.