To answer your question, no, I have not ridden it. But I do recommend the trip. When I went, it was before this tourist railroad had begun, or been revived. Amtrak provided a package deal which included a motel in Flagstaff(after evening arrival on westbound Chief) and charter bus to the Canyon and back to meet the next night's Chief westbound. I did fly over the Canyon while there. Great trip.
Years ago the Santa Fe Railroad had a set-out sleeper from the Super Chief, which did exactly what I described above, sans the hotel(you slept in the traincar) and the bus. A connecting regular train(not a tourist train) took that sleeper to the canyon that next morning, then returning that night and hooked the sleeper back on to the Super Chief.
So, every night when the w.b. Super Chief would arrvie, two things would happen, 1, a sleeper was detached which would spend the night in Flagstaff, go to the canyon the next day, etc, and be put back on the following night, and, 2. a sleeper was re-attached which had just done the same thing from the night before and the day just ended.
Anyway, there is NOTHING like the Grand Canyon so have a great trip and I am sure the tourist railroad will be fine and fun.
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