I am really looking forward to this trip, even though it is a tad longer than than of an airplane, it is a chance to see America up close!

A few questions for you:

I understand the view going thru New Mexico and Arizona is absolutely beautiful. Are there any sights in particular we should be watching out for?

I understand an indian guide comes on the train between New Mexico and Gallup - does this happen both east and west bound?

Are there movies in the lounge car?

We do not have a sleeper and was wondering how crowded the coach and/or viewing cars are. I assume most people reserve sleepers.

I was reading thru earlier posts and read that the Southwest Chief is a rough ride in some areas. Is this still the case?

Any comments and/or suggestions would be appreciated!

There are usually feature movies playing in the lounge car on TV screens at each end of the car. Sound is reasonable (unless the car is really crowded).

The amount of people in the coach cars is usually un-predictable. Conductors assign the cars to people with relatively the same destination (ie: New Mexico, Arizona, and California might be together, depending on the amount of travelers). The cars are more often than not mostly full, but there is still quite a bit of legroom. The Sightseer Lounge has plenty of seats. The windows are very big, and you can see everything. There is no smoking in the car, and there is a snack bar on the lower level with a generous selection. I think there are even pay phones in the car.

The Chief rolls on a few rough sections on the westbound trip. These areas are mostly between Winslow and Williams Jct (which should be your stop). But besides that, the trip is relatively smooth. The springs on the cars help a lot.