January 9, 2025

In the winter of 2007 I rode the Southwest Chief round trip from Chicago to Albuquerque. I’d never ridden Amtrak. This would be the first of many, but the longest by far. 

Winter train travel out of Chicago doesn’t leave much time for light. The sun was setting within 90 minutes of departure. I guess it wasn’t too bad since all the good views wouldn’t be until Colorado. One can only read, wander, or stare out the window for so long before trying to sleep. Coach seats are pretty big, but sleeping in them isn’t much fun. I looked forward to the sunrise to say the least. 

The next day brought some beautiful views, and sitting in the observation car, I could take in close to a 360 view. I arrived in ABQ on time, a little over 24hrs after I left Chicago. 

Unfortunately, the cost of long distance train travel is about the same as a plane ticket, so it can’t really be about the destination. It was about the journey. That was the case riding west. The return trip was more about the destination, which made for a long trip.