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I have done the California Zephyr three times, the Coast Starlight two times, and the Empire Builder once. I am traveling to California next week, and am currently booked on Southwest Airlines. I just noticed that Amtrak has a bargain fare available for a sleeper on the Southwest Chief from Chicago to Los Angeles on the date I would like to travel. I love long distance train trips, but scenery is very important to me. Compared to the Zephyr or the CS, would I find the Chief disappointing, or would it be a pleasant surprise ?
notelvis Member # 3071
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Depends on what you like. I find Wyoming an interesting ride but it doesn't compare to the California Zephyr through Colorado. I find the Sunset Limited west of San Antonio a fascinating trip but it isn't Glacier National Park.
Having said that, I think the Southwest Chief will interest you. The first afternoon out is your typical American Midwest cornfield montage. Crossing the Mississippi into Ft. Madison is interesting......my favorite though is waking up the next morning and winding over Raton Pass and through northern New Mexico to Albuquerque. The scenery here is not at all what you would expect from the American Southwest. Beyond ABQ the scenery changes to what you would expect from the American Southwest.
Bottom Line - If you enjoy long-distance rail travel enough to have taken 6 trips previously, you will find enough to enjoy the Southwest Chief given this opportunity. Take the train!
Mr. Toy Member # 311
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I think any opportunity to see something new is good for the soul.
There was an inspirational speaker for a group I was working with a few years ago. His theme was that we should all take detours from time to time to broaden our perspectives. If I were you I'd take the Chief.
RussM Member # 3627
posted It doesn't matter where they're going.What matters is deciding to get on.
Thanks Mr.Toy for the words of inspiration. I will book that trip on the Southwest Chief.
I envy you living in Seaside. I am crazy about that that area, but with home prices starting at about 700K, it is a bit beyond my means. I do visit every March for the Dixieland Monterey Fest at the Portola Plaza. Love that bicycle trail between Monterey and Marina.
TwinStarRocket Member # 2142
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After many trips on the Zephyr and Empire Builder, my favorite for scenery per hour is still the Southwest Chief. You see so much variety in a short time with few boring stretches. The speed also helps. I believe this train still hits 90mph over some segments.
Highlights are: -For much of the year, sunset on the Mississippi and a chance to see some Eagles there.
-An evening at downtown Kansas City (what else can you see at night but a big city).
-The old Santa Fe train stations overnight in Kansas.
-Dawn in Dodge City. Just outside is old Front Street and the Long Branch Saloon. The American West. Kinda boring from here, but not nearly as long as eastern Montana on the EB.
-The long morning stop at La Junta with wonderful fresh air.
-The winding but fast climb into Trinidad with a distant view of Pikes Peak and the Front Range.
-A slow scenic climb to Raton Pass with many switchbacks in the pine covered mountains, and a tunnel into New Mexico.
-The unique local architecture of the Raton depot followed by the vast New Mexico high plains broken by an occasional surprisng scenic river valley.
-The old Harvey House at Las Vegas, NM. Then more mountains as you leave the high plains behind.
-The winding climb to Glorieta Pass into the pine country surrounded by high mesas and 12,000 ft. peaks. I was told by a native New Mexican that all those junk cars you see in the ravines are not litter. They help control erosion. Really.
-The unique homes in the mountains near Santa Fe.
-Apache Canyon just before Lamy, where the sheer walls almost touch the train on both sides. Probably most scenic spot, but brief.
-The high speed run down to the Rio Grande valley into Albuquerque with the low afternoon sun illuminating the Sandia Mountains to the east, a 6,000 foot sheer rise from ABQ.
-The vendors selling jewelry and local food trainside at ABQ, and maybe a glimpse of the colorful new "Rail Runner" commuter train. A very long stop and usually great weather. But one of Amtrak's worst station buildings.
-After you leave the Rio Grande at Belen, a gazillion fast roaring BNSF freights on the Transcon that you never have to pull over for.
-The lava beds, then red rock mesa country around Gallup. During sunset in the summer.
-The beautiful depot in the pine country of Flagstaff.
-Dawn in the California mountains.
If you could get a route guide, it might help. There are still some old Santa Fe RR signs for points of interest out the window. This used to be one of the more popular tourist routes in the old days of train travel. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.
zephyr Member # 1651
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I took the Southwest Chief a couple weeks ago, and it was great (see TwinStarRockets fine post about the route).
But I have a question about this train. Most western LD's have docents pointing out points of interest on sections of the route. For example, on the CZ there's usually a volunteer from the Calif RR Museum giving a narration between Sacramento and Reno). But on my trip a couple of weeks ago on the SWC there wasn't anything like that. Is this normal?
MontanaJim Member # 2323
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I think in years past they had docents on some portions of the route in New Mexico. Maybe they did away with them.
CoastStarlight99 Member # 2734
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I have only been LAX-ABQ, the scneary is much different the the Coast Starlight scenary, but it is still an enjoyable trip.
ehbowen Member # 4317
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I haven't been able to find it with a Google search, but I remember seeing a story a couple of years back about the Native American guides which used to ride the SW Chief between ABQ and Gallup. Apparently they had been paid by Santa Fe all of those years, as Amtrak was too cheap to pick up the tab. Post-merger, the tribal government became unhappy with the railroad taking too much time to reimburse them for the guides' pay and threatened to withdraw them. BNSF looked at the situation and said, in so many words, "Why are we still paying these guys, anyway?" With neither BNSF nor Amtrak willing to step in and cover the cost of the service, it ended.
Again, I'm going purely on memory here; I was unable to find a primary source on Google. Take it for what it's worth.
PaulB Member # 4258
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Unfortunately, no more guides on the Chief. It's very sad. The only thing you can hope for is the National Park's "Trails and Rails" program is still on. They usually do this only during the summer months.
RRRICH Member # 1418
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On our recent trip last month, we didn't spend much time in the lounge car, but on the SWC, I seem to recall hearing an announcement about an NPS "Trails to Rails" program at some point, but I don't recall where on the route that was, but it was somewhere in the Arizona-New Mexico segment.
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