Southwest Chief LAX to ABQ

I am planning a trip from Los Angeles to Albuquerque with the wife. Has anybody made this trip, and if so, do you have any advice? What are the best times to view the scenery and where from? How about the menu choices? What's best? Anything else I should know? Per advice on other threads, I booked a bedroom rather than a Roomette.

The best scenery on the trip is Raton Pass (see it now while you still can!) Unfortunately, it is east of Albuquerque, so you'll be getting off before you get to see it. If memory serves, LAX-ABQ is mostly high desert.

Regarding food... the menu options vary, but (unless things have changed in the past year or two) the general rule is that some stuff is prepared on board while other items are prepared in advance and reheated. Needless to say, the food prepared on board is usually better. Ask your server for recommendations - they should know which is which.

You will be on the Transcon for 95% of the trip with 90 mph running from Barstow to Dalies NM with short
streaches of Metrolink(SCAX) and NMRX track,if on time you will arrive in ABQ around 11:10-11:30 am local time
There will be Native American vendors set up at the platform,a short walk to the Avarado Tranportation Center,
the hub of the ABQ Ride bus service,Greyhound and Amtrak share the station,is staffed and handles checked baggage.
A short walk up the platform is the NMRX Downtown ABQ platform for service to Santa Fe or Belen.

Here is an example of the menu.
Amtrak is now using standardized, nationwide, rotating menus for it's full service dining cars.

http://www.amtrak.com/ccurl/537/13/Sout ... u-1113.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As an example of what is made "off-train", the Vegetarian Pasta, Healthy Option, 1/2 Chicken, and Marketplace Special are all reheated on board.

If you booked a bedroom your base meals are covered by your ticket.

Ken

Going east, the left side of the train will have less sun in your face, if you can choose seats on that side. Depending on which date you travel, you might see Cajon Pass in the sunset. Dawn will be east of Flagstaff, AZ. Probably the prettiest scenery will be between WInslow and Gallup, but look out for the lava flow from the 1700s on the right maybe an hour east of Gallup. There are also a lot of relatively recent cinder cones near Flagstaff, but it might be too dark to see them. Meteor Crater is visible in the distance, but not remarkable from the train's PoV.

I took the SW Chief from LAX to ABQ a few years ago in a roomette. Meals were included and I had a steak dinner shortly after departure from LA. Breakfast was at 7 the next morning and even though we arrived in ABQ early at 11:30, I stayed on board for lunch and got off before the 12:45 departure. That lunchtime burger went a long way in keeping me filled for the day. I left a nice tip as one CSR told me I would have to get off the train on arrival in ABQ while another told me that I was welcome to stay for lunch.

It's rare that #4 is late out of LAUS,unless #3 was too late the day before to turned to #4 overnight at Redondo Jct yard
near LAUS. But it happens from time to time.

Thank you all for the tips. Sunrise in Arizona was beautiful. I saw the cinder cones, the lava flow and a bunch of interesting cliffs, ravines and mountains.

I found the air to be extremely dry through the night in the California desert. Next time I'd drink even more water and try moisturizer and even eye drops. The basement shower is much more satisfactory than the one in the bedroom. The bedroom was comfortable enough for two and I got enough sleep to spend several hours at business meetings and walking around Old Town immediately after we arrived.

Despite being down 30 minutes at Gallup, NM we made Albuquerque nearly 30 minutes early. It seems like the schedule is padded. There was a lot of freight traffic the whole way.

Upon arrival in Albuquerque there were no taxis at the station. It took about 10 minutes to summon an Uber car.

Jehochman wrote:Upon arrival in Albuquerque there were no taxis at the station. It took about 10 minutes to summon an Uber car.

That's interesting. The shape of things to come in a few years? Might be disquieting for those (mostly but not exclusively) older travellers who have not joined the "app for everything" world that taxis might no longer find stations worth servicing on spec.

Not suprising,even with Greyhound and Amtrak share the station,most arrivals are meet by friends/family,or
wind up hoofing over to ABQ Ride(city bus)hub. The Cabs tend to stay near the downtown Hotels and Convention Center.
Anybody using LYFT may have glitches,the NMPRC has ordered LYFT to SHUT DOWN,in their eyes,they
are considered a Taxi service,subject to all rules and regs,may wind up in court soon.
(and yes,the cabbies have complained to the PRC)

dowlingm wrote:

Jehochman wrote:Upon arrival in Albuquerque there were no taxis at the station. It took about 10 minutes to summon an Uber car.

That's interesting. The shape of things to come in a few years? Might be disquieting for those (mostly but not exclusively) older travellers who have not joined the "app for everything" world that taxis might no longer find stations worth servicing on spec.

It may be that bigger cities become like smaller ones. You need to call for a cab. In defense of ABQ, our driver told us it was a very busy weekend. Perhaps there usually are cabs to meet the trains. In Hartford we usually have a row if them waiting but once in a while they're all used up.

This was PRIDE weekend in ABQ,the event is held at Expo NM(fair grounds).
That could account for lack of Cabs near by the Downtown area.