• I took a 43-hour Amtrak train ride to avoid chaos at airports ahead of Thanksgiving. • The Southwest Chief from Los Angeles to Chicago had scenic views and a community vibe. • It costs more and takes longer than flying, but I want to do more long-haul Amtrak rides.

If the plagues of our modern age are screen addiction, anti-social behavior, and a desire for immediate gratification, all driven by the supercomputers constantly affixed to our hands, then Amtrak may be the antidote.

On a 43-hour, 2,265-mile cross-country journey from Los Angeles to Chicago on Amtrak's Southwest Chief, I stared out the window at deep red mesas and Midwest farmland. I shared meals with strangers. I played chess with my husband while others watched before playing a game of their own.

We decided to take t

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