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See ancient America aboard the Southwest Chief.
 

Travel on the route formerly traveled by the
 Super Chief,
 the premier Santa Fe train that traveled through the lands that Coronado explored...

The Southwest Chief is Amtrak's fastest train from Chicago to California.

Southwest Chief picture page  Striking pictures of the stunning scenery found along the train's transcontinental trip from Chicago to Los Angeles. All states are represented in pictures.

Links to other Southwest Chief Web pages
 

Southwest Chief travelogues
 

Trip Description:The Southwest Chief is a two day trip from Chicago to Los Angeles.
 Westbound,the train departs Chicago in the afternoon, arrives Kansas City close to Midnight. The next morning, travelers awake to western Kansas, set their watches back an hour as Mountain Time is entered, and roll into views of the Rocky Mountains in southern Colorado. While eating French Toast in the dining car, passengers can sometimes see prairie dogs at play.
By afternoon, the stunning scenery of northern New Mexico, including the Raton Tunnel and mountain streams, captivates views from the train's big picture windows. Late afternoon, the train arrives Lamy, the station stop for Santa Fe, and later, Albuquerque.
In the dining car, travelers enjoy spectacular western New Mexico sunsets at dinner.
Late in the evening, the train arrives Flagstaff, Ariz., the stop for the Grand Canyon.
The train traverses the Mojave Desert overnight, crossing into the Pacific time zone, arriving San Bernardino, Calif., in the morning before arriving Los Angeles around 8:30 a.m., the second morning out of Chicago.

Eastbound, the train departs the City of Angeles in the early evening and arrives Flagstaff first thing in the morning. Indian cities such as Gallup, N.M., and Winslow, Ariz., are seen.
By midday, the train calls on Albuquerque and later, Santa Fe. The northern New Mexico scenery attracts attention through the afternoon. Sunset begins to fall in southern Colorado after the train crosses Raton Tunnel into Colorado. The Southwest Chief crosses through the plains of Kansas overnight. Passengers are awakened to views of the Kaw River just east of Topeka, Kan., and in Lawrence, Kan., home of the University of Kansas.
 The train pulls into Kansas City's historic Union Station later that morning and picks up more speed across the plains of northwest and northeast Missouri before crossing the Mississippi River into Illinois. Chicago is reached by late afternoon the second day out.

   Chicago - Kansas City - Topeka, Kan. -
Southern Colorado - Santa Fe, N.M. - Albuquerque -
 Flagstaff (Grand Canyon) - Los Angeles

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