I live in Los Angeles and the train I would hear called nightly, as I waited for my Metrolink train to arrive, was the Amtrak Southwest Chief. In those days they would announce all station stops along the route and I would dream of someday riding on it: Flagstaff, Winslow, Gallup, Albuquerque, Fort Madison, Galesburg, Naperville and the final stop in Chicago. I mentioned it to my Husband and he gave the go ahead to book our first trip, back in 2010. It was May of that year and minus the fact that we hit an area of snow, outside Albuquerque, it was, a fairly uneventful trip. We booked our first Roomette and got the full experience. Excellent food and our every need was handled by the car attendant on duty. We decided to try it again another time and as of 2022, we have ridden on different Amtrak trains over 15 times and have no plans to stop.
One of the best parts of riding on that first train, The Southwest Chief, is that you follow a lot of the original route 66. You go through many of the towns mentioned in the Route 66 song by Bobby Troup. “Gallup, New Mexico, Flagstaff, Arizona, don’t forget Winona, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino”. If you don’t ever plan to drive the remnants of Route 66, this is a great way to experience it. Lots of sandstone formations to view and as an extra treat, after your stop in Albuquerque, the Chief veers off to the north and connects to the old Santa Fe Trail through the Raton Pass area of New Mexico. According to the time of year, you will probably be sleeping through Kansas and wake up in Missouri. One of the towns you pass is where Walt Disney spent part of his growing up years, Marceline, Missouri. The train that surrounds his parks, was born in that area of our Country.
Up the tracks a bit is the mighty Mississippi River. Fort Madison, Iowa is a wonderful experience and a history lesson, too. The only battle of the War of 1812 that was fought west of the Mississippi River, was at Fort Madison. There is a chimney marker along the train tracks off to the left side, and a reproduction of the original fort, off the right side of the train. Once you cross the swing bridge, you are in Illinois and pass the farmland of the state, all the way to the suburbs and then city of Chicago. The station is right on the edge of the loop and your adventure can begin there. Otherwise, Chicago is the transfer point to many other Amtrak trips.
In my humble opinion, spending the money for a Roomette or Bedroom is the way to go. More on that in other posts on this blog.
