Just a couple of quick questions while I mull ideas for a trip in April.
1) Anyone know whether rental cars are available in La Plata, MO? (I'm guessing no.) What about a morning bus departing for Kansas City? With all the play the new rail themed hotel there is getting I might spend a night there but I would want some wheels to make a daytrip the 140 miles over to Kansas City before resuming my Amtrak journey.
2) In the event that I travel west to east, scrap the La Plata idea, but don't want to ride the St. Louis Mule all the way to St. Louis, anyone know of a hotel near the Amtrak station in Jefferson City, MO?
Thanks,
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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David, If you go to KC why not take alittle extra time and go the short distance to Independence and the Truman Library. It was closed for repair when we were there but the Truman home was open. I kept expecting him to come down stairs and greet us.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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La Plata actually DOES offer a rental car service. Kirksville (about 10 miles away) has an Enterprise agency which will actually drop the car off for you at the Depot Inn, then you can just leave it there when you are departing. Quite a few people did this when I was in La Plata, and found it to be quite convenient.
Good Luck on your trip. Anton
Posts: 1082 | From: Los Angeles, CA. USA | Registered: Aug 2003
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Thanks for your suggestions - After posting I had started playing around with the Depot Inn website and noticed that Enterprise would drop a car off there for you. That's a plus.
I'm thinking of something involving the westbound Chief.....spend a night or two in La Plata (mentioning Trainweb for a 10% discount), and then push westward maybe even spending a night off the train at the La Posada in Winslow, AZ before pushing on to LAX and flying home from there. The rental car in La Plata would allow me to visit Independence (a great suggestion) and also the museums in the Kansas City Union Station.
Hadn't decided yet how I want to get to Chicago in the first place!
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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When I was considering a stop in KC on my upcoming trip, the Westin and Hyatt in KC both had semi-reasonable prices -if you were there on a Sat. nite-in the $110-$130 range. Certainly convenient if you are stopping there and checking out the museum/station.
Also the Drury Inn in St. Louis was one of my favorites in business travel days-price in the $100 range (esp on weekends) and it is located right next to Union Station. What makes it interesting is that the entrance lobby retained the original tile herald on the floor from the days before it was redone and was still a RR YMCA.
Of course staying in the station itself is a nice treat. Even if you don't stay there (I think it's a Hyatt) it is a great place for a cocktail to soak up the atmosphere and listen to the echos from announcements for the Spirit of St. Louis, the Texas Special, and the Midnight Special and other trains long gone. The latter was my last ride in an open section car in the U.S about 1967-8 when returning from college.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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David, the name of the drugstore in Independence is Clinton's. I just looked it up in my journel.
Posts: 1577 | From: virginia | Registered: Jun 2005
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I've kind of envied you SOCAL guys. With the train rider meetups and whatnot you could argue that the denser population makes it easier to find a group that shares your passion.
Fortunately I have one rail enthusiast buddy who works less than 100 yards from. I've almost talked him into taking a couple of days off work in October and going out to Chama, NM for the Rio Grande photo freights! We'll see.
-------------------- David Pressley
Advocating for passenger trains since 1973!
Climbing toward 5,000 posts like the Southwest Chief ascending Raton Pass. Cautiously, not nearly as fast as in the old days, and hoping to avoid premature reroutes. Posts: 4203 | From: Western North Carolina | Registered: Feb 2004
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