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Where you start your trip on the Southwest Chief depends in part on where you are coming from, how much time you have, and what you want to see.Chicago is a big city.  Some people don't like big cities, but I think they are great.  Chicago has a lot of interesting sights.  If you are taking a train from the east coast, you connect with the Chief in Chicago.  Trains from the east coast arrive in Chicago between 8:40 and 10:35 a.m. - I am looking at the Amtrak Fall/Winter 2007-08 Timetable.  The Chief departs Chicago at 3:15 p.m.  Assuming the train from the east arrives on time, you would have time to check out Union Station, the Sears Tower and perhaps the Chicago Commodities Exchange if you hustle.  All Amtrak trains arrive and depart from Union Station; it is a beautiful building, at least on the inside.  The Sears Tower is practically next door and the Exchange is not far away.If you want to impress you lady friend with you shopping prowess, assming you get to Chicago in the morning, jump in a taxi or hop a bus and take in the Water Tower.  It is a high rise shopping mall on Michigan Avenue that is worth a looksee.  So is a ride up Michigan Avenue.If you want to miss Chicago, you could fly to Kansas City and catch the Chief from there.  It leaves KC at 10:55 p.m.  Its been a long time since I have been to KC.  I cannot recommend anything to see there, but there are plenty of on-line travel guides that will give you some suggestions.  If you are a history buff, the President Harry S. Truman Library is located in Independence, Missouri, which is not far from KC.  It is very worthwhile.If you have read "In Cold Blood" and want to see where it happened, you could fly to Garden City and drive out to Holcomb.  If you have not read "In Cold Blood", I recommend it.  Then you could double back to Dodge to get a flavor of an old west cow town.  If you decided to do this, you would need to fly into Garden City early in the morning and plan to stay a night or two.  The Chief departs Garden City at 6:45 a.m.As far as I can determine, Garden City is as far west as you could fly and still catch the train so as to be on it going over Raton Pass.  I don't recall exactly where it is located, but I remember it as being near Raton, N.M.  Although it was many years ago that I rode the Chief, I remember the climb up Raton as being impressive.If you are planning to visit the Grand Canyon, don't miss the Grand Canyon Railway train that runs from Williams Jct.  It is a great way to get up to the canyon.
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