Following an ugly incident involving a group of Black women in 2015, which tarnished the tourist attraction’s reputation in wine country, and a year spent closed due to pandemic restrictions, the famed train is hoping its newest rider experience will help usher in a new era.

On May 3, the Napa Valley Wine Train launched Tasting on the Rails. The three-hour journey is in a Pullman lounge car where the restored furnishings maintain a plushness for guests, while the updated amenities — like the dishwasher — make service for the staff and visitors more fluid and comfortable.

Comfort for everyone is a big part of the wine train’s mission after 11 women members of a book club — 10 Black and one white — were kicked off the train for allegedly being disruptive in 2015. The women filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the company, seeking $11 million, and settled the following year for an undisclosed amount.

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