Boy Scouts Make The Journey to Philmont Scout Ranch Aboard Amtrak

As I attended Amtrak Train Days in Galesburg, I watched as several troops of Boy Scouts prepared to board the westbound Southwest Chief for Raton, New Mexico with the ultimate destination of Philmont Scout Ranch.  In a few days, I would be taking the Southwest Chief to Los Angeles, and several additional troops of Boy Scouts made the westward trek to New Mexico aboard that day's Southwest Chief.
While drawing Amtrak logos in the lounge car, I asked them about their journey to New Mexico.  I learned that making the summer trip to Philmont Scout Ranch aboard the Southwest Chief is a long standing tradition for Boy Scouts across America.