Los Angeles Times staffer Christopher Reynolds Mark Potts. Dec. 9, 2025 3 AM PT

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Passengers say the journey on Amtrak’s Southwest Chief — delays and all — is worth it: no TSA lines, ground-level scenery spanning deserts and mountains, and hours of unrushed conversation with fellow travelers. The route attracts everyone from Amish families seeking affordable medical care in Tijuana to model railroaders, artists and senior travelers rediscovering American landscapes.

Born and raised in California, Christopher Reynolds has written about travel, the outdoors, arts and culture for the Los Angeles Times since 1990.

Mark E. Potts is the senior editor for video at the Los Angeles Times. A native of Enid, Okla., Potts graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism. He has created and edited video for DreamWorks, YouTube, Microsoft, Sony and BET.