It starts in La Crosse, when you hear a distant train whistle.

That's Amtrak's Empire Builder, as it crosses the bridge from Minnesota over the Great River into Wisconsin.

The train has already come a long way by the time it reaches that point, all the way from Seattle, with stops in places like Minot, Whitefish and Fargo along the way. Its final destiny is Chicago. The Empire apparently ended or started there when this train line was completed 76 years ago.

For the next couple hundred miles, the train will run through Wisconsin. The stretch through the state is one of the most beautiful of what overall is a wonderfully scenic trip.

This trip is in jeopardy, as is all of Amtrak service. We'll look more at that later, but first let this writer, who recently took the Empire Builder through the state, finish the trip for you and look at some of the history of the train.

After dropping off some people and picking up others at the historic depot in La Crosse, the Empire Builder heads east, first through the wet lowlands of the Scenic Rivers area, then through the hills and valleys of the Coulee Region of the state.

It only slows for some towns. Kids wave to the passengers. Even older people stop to watch, and sometimes wave too. But, their towns no longer are stops along the way.

For much of the route, bicycle paths run where a second set of tracks once laid during the peak years of railroads. Some former depots now serve as museums, gift stores, ice cream shops and other businesses in these towns that no longer are stops.

Some of the small towns still have wonderful old, historic looking depots. Portage is one of this writer's favorites. So is Wisconsin Dells.

The Tomah and Columbus depots need a little work, but have potential. Pewaukee has one of the nicest looking examples, but Amtrak doesn't stop there.

The land starts to flatten out around Columbus, sprawling in broad farm fields of south central Wisconsin. Those fields become dotted with more development as you approach southeastern Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Metro area.

When you get to Milwaukee, you can't help but feel that there is untapped potential for trains here. You can't see much of downtown when you enter the city from the west, but you do get a good view of downtown and the Third Ward when you come up from Chicago.

No matter how you enter the city, the depot is dingy and looks more suitable for freight than humans. You can't really see downtown until you pull out of the depot.

Plans and proposals have been made to update and expand the depot, as well as increase overall rail service to and from town. Let's hope they become reality.

Heading south of Milwaukee, you get the feeling Racine and Kenosha counties have done some things to appeal to train transportation. You see the backside of most communities from a train, and like it is with humans some backsides are appealing to look at and others not.

You can say the same for communities. In Racine and Kenosha counties, recreational facilities and renovated businesses face the tracks in many areas and make better-looking backsides.

The line is Amtrak's most scenic, with the possible exception of the California Zephyr, which runs through the Rockies, according to Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari.