We are thinking visiting Seattle over Labor Day weekend and might like to spend a day out of the city by train - are there any towns one or two hours away by train that would be interesting to visit? Or anything like a "wine train" expedition? Thanks!

As of 2008 there was a Spirt of Washington Dinner train out of Renton. Also there were scenic railroads in Snoqualmie and Elbe (Mt. Ranier)
But you have to reach those towns to take advantage.
Not sure about Amtrak, but it goes to Tacoma which has some points of interest and I think it goes north to Bellingham
(end of the line for the Alaska Maritime Highway, Ferry, system.)

Yes, Amtrak runs straight north/south. There really aren't any spectacular towns or cities within one or two hours (at more like 3-4 hours you can get to Vancouver BC north or Portland Oregon south). There is Tacoma and Olympia to the south, and Bellingham to the north. None are exactly tourist meccas

I'm fairly certain Spirit of Washington Dinner train is defunct.

I dunno where you're from, but maaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe a FERRY BOAT trip would suit you in similar fashion.

(If you were from Staten Island, not so much... but if you're from Kansas or the like, you would probably be intrigued by the ferry)

Anyway, take a ferry boat from downtown Seattle to Bremerton, WA... across Puget Sound... and spend a day there. The boat will be nothing special, but the town may be interesting.

Amtrak does run east/west over to Leavenworth. I don't know what their schedule is or if you can do a day trip, but you could check their website or call. Leavenworth is about 2 hours east of Seattle.

mms, of course you're right about that. my mistake! there's the trains that go to Chicago, which obviously must go east/west.

Besides Vancouver BC & Portland I just couldn't think of anything that really fit the request.