Chugga-chugga-chugga-chugga, hoo-woo! Next stop: El Fuerte.

Nestled comfortably in your seat aboard the Chihuahua al Pacífico railroad, you're heading westbound from Copper Canyon. As the Sierra Madre Occidental melts into the coastal plains of Mexico, the fast-forward scenery out your window is some of the prettiest for miles.

The passenger car is nearly full (you're not the only one who appreciates the colorful history and gentle beauty of this agricultural region), and this is not the last you'll see of your fellow travelers.