When you're traveling on a vintage steam liner through rain forests in the Himalayas or in a first-class coach car with panoramic views of the Canadian Rockies, getting there is all the fun. Train travel evokes visions of old-fashioned 20th-century grandeur -- elegant coach cars, the conductor in his crisp uniform, the steam engine faithfully carrying its passengers to exotic destinations. It's nostalgic, romantic and civilized -- but it's definitely not boring. Many trains offer spectacular views as they chug up death-defying inclines and precipitous mountain trails. Railway feats of engineering make it possible for travelers to see jaw-dropping scenery that they couldn't see any other way. This slideshow features some of the world's most exciting and scenic rail trips, which just might inspire you to plan your own locomotive adventure.