Southwest Chief Dining Car from LA Union Station to Albuquerque

There's nothing quite like Los Angeles' Union Station, a tribute to the great train stations of the Midwest and East, but tailor made for our city's sensibilities and architecture. The main waiting room might be one of the most breathtaking places in the city, the din of the voices and clicking of heels imparting the ideal soundtrack for a stroll down the long hall, the auburn light of the setting sun tinting it just right. Tens of thousands come through Union Station but not very many come here with the intention of taking a real train to a far-off destination. Subways and the Gold Line are trains, but they're not trains.

I remember taking the Coast Starlight train with my family all the way up to Seattle, which takes 36 long hours. On the way back, our family upgraded to the sleeping car, where my sister and I took our turns shuffling through our mini board games for hours on end. I realized not too long ago that I've had the opportunity to take trains to some unusual destinations. I've taken a crappy sleeper car from Odessa to Kiev, a clean-cut sleeper train (with three levels!) from Beijing to Yinchuan, China, and most recently a short train from London to Newmarket. I even took a train from Chicago to St. Louis because a storm delayed our flight (talk about dedication to get somewhere). I love trains because they usually run along compelling vistas and landscapes, allowing one to better get a feel for the land through which he or she travels.

The Southwest Chief, the stalwart remnant of the Southern Limited and Super Chief, runs from Chicago to Los Angeles every day, the entire trip taking nearly 42 hours. The train departing from Los Angeles runs through Albuquerque, which made it a great alternative to flying (saved me a bundle of money too).

The daily Southwest Chief leaves at 6:55PM, just when the sun begins to wane through the Southland. It takes a stroll along the L.A. river before cutting through the Inland Empire and through to San Bernardino before sunset.

The train features a viewing car with large windows and seats that face the sides, making it easier to socialize with fellow train riders, some of whom avidly ride these specialty long-haul routes all over the country. You tend to run into some interesting people on these trains.

Since I wanted to feel a bit like James Bond in Casino Royale (minus the incredibly attractive Eva Green/Vesper Lund), I decided to splurge at the Dining Car, which features classic American dishes in a sensibly appointed rail car. I honestly didn't expect top quality food since these trains aren't particularly geared toward a well-heeled crowd.

A "warm" roll came (it was cold), along with individual packets of butter.


I ordered the strip steak medium rare, which came with a side salad (which I covered in blue cheese dressing), baked potato, and "vegetable medley" (boiled soybeans and corn). I found it almost comical that the salad dressings were gathered onto a basket in individual packets, as well as the sour cream that came for baked potato. The steak was evidently grilled on a steel flattop but clearly within a reasonable range of "medium rare", with a nice sear on the outside and a warm pink in the middle.

The beef was rich and garlicky, a credit to the special marinade that the menu touts. I couldn't help but dab a little A1 sauce, but the steak actually didn't need it. The experience felt cheapened by the plastic plates that resembled porcelain but I wasn't going to start complaining when I had just eaten a mighty fine steak dinner. If it's between traveling on Southwest and nibbling on pretzels, and this dining car, buy me some train tickets.

Note: Train leaves daily at 6:55PM and arrives in Albuquerque at 12PM.