Chugging through the Highlands, windows down, doors open, is the best way to see the country’s emerald interior unfold — and this route is often lauded as one of the world’s greatest train journeys.

"There's a lot of excitement," Andy Spinelli, president of the museum, said this week. "We still have a lot of work to do, but it’s huge and monumental." ...

From luxury heritage routes to routine service passing through extraordinary scenery, here are 19 of our favorite rail ...