If there is one main characteristics of the modern world that make our lives different from our grandparents', it is probably speed. We are always on the move, and we don't have much patience with slow systems of transportation. We want to get there, and we want to do it fast! Car makers, airline owners, and the planners of mass transit systems all share a common goal. They are trying to provide us with faster and faster ways to reach our destinations. Nonetheless, many of us actually want to slow down. Although we complain when our plane isn't on schedule or when we have to wait in a traffic jam, we also complain about always being in a hurry. Every once in a while, we think of the sound of a train whistle – clear and high in the air – we feel sad. There is a strong sense of nostalgia for other places and other times, when life was slower and, perhaps, better. Why does a train whistle bring on a feeling of nostalgia? Perhaps it's because many of us remember a favorite novel or movie that took place on a train, and the story told of danger and excitement. There's a sense of romance about a train that simply doesn't exist on a modern jet plane. Several railroad companies are taking advantage of the nostalgia for train travel: They are offering unique tours for travelers who aren't in a hurry and who enjoy the romance of the past.