We took weekend trips to Red Wing and La Crosse on new Amtrak Borealis

The recent launch of Amtrak’s Borealis, a second train between St. Paul and Chicago, evoked the midcentury golden age of Midwest train travel — when the dueling Hiawatha and Zephyr behemoths barreled down the Mississippi River Valley at top speeds of more than 100 miles per hour.

I was excited, yet wary of Amtrak’s 21st-century record of running the existing Empire Builder train more than two hours late. But there was adventure ahead, history to explore and no time to sit on my hands.

It turns out that the new 54-mph Borealis is averaging only a 27-minute delay on its entire trek to Chicago, and 43 minutes on the return. That was all the encouragement I needed to jump into two very entertaining weekend excursions: to Red Wing, Minn., and La Crosse, Wis.

In June, I sampled the new service with a same-day trip from St. Paul’s Union Depot to Red Wing. My round trip cost $18. Weekend parking at Union Depot is a bargain at $4 per day. Borealis was right on time in both directions. The train itself is not new, but the leather seats and Wi-Fi were new to me.

Red Wing is perfect for a Borealis day trip because the town is very walkable, and the daily 11:05 a.m. departure from St. Paul and 12:35 p.m. arrival leaves five hours to explore. There is plenty of compelling history within three blocks of the Red Wing station. Our primary targets were the iconic St. James Hotel and the majestic Sheldon Theatre, institutions enhanced by the legacy of two pioneering women.

The Sheldon was born from an $83,000 trust gifted to the city in 1900 by businessman Theodore B. Sheldon. His widow, Annie, led the project to build a leading-edge entertainment showplace. The Renaissance Revival building was a masterpiece of sculpture, decorative painting and arches that earned its nickname, the Jewel Box.

The theater is brimming with intriguing Masonic symbolism. Annie Sheldon’s love of Roman and Greek gilded hearts, cherubs, peacocks and eagles appears in every nook and cranny of the four-level hall. Grab a self-guided tour booklet to help unlock the mystery. We toured the public areas for free by visiting when the box office is open: 1-5:30 p.m. Wed.-Fri. and 12:30-4 p.m. Sat. Call ahead to ensure there is not a play rehearsal on the day you visit (1-651-388-8700).

In 1875, Red Wing was the wheat-trading capital of the world. Eleven civic-minded businessmen banded together to develop a commensurate luxury hotel. Architect Edward Bassford provided the solution with the four-story Italianate-style St. James. Its Victorian accents, furnishings and decor are wonderfully preserved.