Trains, rain boots and Brakeman Bunny

This Easter, instead of spending my weekend elbow-deep in deviled eggs or politely ignoring Peeps, I climbed aboard a 100-plus-year-old train and pretended I knew things about railroads.

I did not. But I learned fast.

It started at the Inland Northwest Rail Museum, where I figured I'd poke around a few vintage cars, take a photo or two, and head home feeling vaguely cultured. What I got instead was a deep dive into railroad history that included a private tour, an impromptu lesson in 20th-century train travel, and a cab ride in a diesel locomotive with a 30-year-old engine that ran smoother th...