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A buddy of mine called me last week asking me to help him book a trip to Kansas City. He wasn't sure where to catch the train and how to purchase his tickets.
Because he was westbound, I suggested that he should catch the train at Kirkwood instead of St. Louis. You save a little time on the trip. The parking is free and the neighborhood is relatively crime free. There are sufficient choices of coffee/eatery shops (Kaldis, Starbucks, Panteras) within a few minutes walk of the station. The station is on the historic register and is well kept and comfortable. It was at one time a Missouri Pacific station. Downtown Kirkwood is a well preserved upscale suburban community that has been around for a long time.
After establishing the point of departure I guided him through the new eticket process. Very easy. At that point he asked me if I wanted to go with him. I said no. But then I realized my wife would be gone to St. Louis for a few days taking care of our grandson and I was in between my part-time work obligations. Plus I haven't enjoyed a train ride for some time. So I changed my mind told him I would go.
I have been wanting to try the new Missouri River Runner service. It replaced the former Ann Rutledge and Missouri Mule trains. The Mule was a STL/KCY train. The Rutledge, a descendant of the old Alton and Chicago and GM&O RR's, was a CHI/KCY via STL train.
These trains were not well patronized. The main problem was their on-time performance. It was poor. The delays were due to several bottlenecks along the route between STL and KCY.
The trains cross several rivers. Two of them, the Gasconade and Osage are between Jefferson City and St. Louis. The bridges were single track. This route has heavy freight usage. So long delays were not uncommon. UP has double tracked the bridge over the Gasconade and the new bridge over the Osage is under construction. The Gasconade bridge improvement has helped and when the Osage project is finished it will be a major improvement. I noticed that the new track is laid on concrete sleepers.
Then, west of Jeff City and on to Sedalia it is all single track. The existing sidings were not long enough to handle the frequent and long freight trains traversing between STL and KCY. As result the Amtrak trains were sidelined while the frieght trains passed. Sometimes two or even three freights would go by while we sat on a siding. Unfortunately the delays could be as long as an hour or more. Subsequently, UP has lengthened the sidings. Now the frieghts are sidelined instead of the passenger trains. We passed several frieghts waiting to get back on the mainline.
When the old trains were eastbound out of KCY they were subject to long delays. Just a few miles east of KCY was a diamond. Frequent north/southbound freights crossed the east/west tracks. Again, an hour or better delays were not unheard of. But a few years back a flyover was completed eliminatinig the delays immediatley east of KCY.
The River Runner was right on time for the 9:44 AM departure from Kirkwood. It rolled along the Missouri River stopping at the picturesque little winery towns of Washington and Hermann. This is also the historic Lewis and Clark route. The fall colors were beautiful even in the rain. The train kept to its schedule. The ride was much smoother than I remembered the rides being in the past. A church tour group boarded at Kirkwood. Many of them had never ridden on a train before. I heard occasional comments on how smooth the ride was. One of the folks in the group was a retired UP engineer. I enjoyed chatting with him.
On this trip it is always fun to watch for wildlife in the wooded areas. We saw a large flock of turkeys in a meadow. In the winter the Missouri river is home to many bald eagles. You see them in great numbers flying over the river as the train passes. Of course deer, coyotes, redtailed hawks, ducks, geese, ground hogs are all fairly common sights.
We pulled into KCY within a minute of the scheduled arrival time of 2:58PM.
My traveling companion had never been in Kansas City Union Station before. If you have never been there it is well worth the visit. Most certainly if you are a railfan. And Kansas City is a fun town to spend some time in. Barbeque, jazz, steaks, Boulevard Beer, theatre, and history. A visit to Independence to view President Truman's home and his museum is memorable experience.
At one time Union Station handled over 270 trains per day. The fallen flags include the KCS, AT&SF, CRI&P, MKT, Frisco, MP, Wabash, UP, CB&Q, Alton. I am blessed to have had a layover there when it was a real pre Amtrak station in the early sixties. I was on my way to Centenary College in Shreveport. We took the Santa Fe from CHI to KCY. and the KCS Flying Crow to Shreveport. Incredibly two banners announcing the trains at the gates are still displayed in the old waiting room. One of them is KCS and the Flying Crow is the train featured. The Flying Crow was probably the second best KCS train after the Southern Belle.
Another point of interest is the KCS museum. There is a heavywight KCS car on display. It is named the Harry S. Truman. I believe he used this car on his political campaigning tour.
The Majestic is a great place to have a Kansas City Strip steak, a good glass of wine and listen to some smooth jazz well performed. Remarkably the Majestic was the "headquarters' of the boss Mr. Pendergast, a Kansas City kind of Al Capone. If you have ever read McCullough's biography, "Truman" he tells how Pendergast took young Harry in and helped him get his start in politics.
The train pulled out of KCY at 4:00PM, right on time. Soon we were just west of Independence when we came to a stop. After a few minutes the conductor came on the PA and announced that there was a brush fire by the tracks and the UP dispatcher stopped us and a frieght train. We waited for 45 minutes until the dispatcher cleared us for travel. I appreciate conductors when they announce the reason for the delay. That is just a common courtesy that always should be paid to the passengers. As we passed through the west side of Independence I noticed at least half a dozen of fire trucks by the tracks. I never did see any evidence of a fire.
It seemed as though the engineer did his best to make up for lost time between Independence and Jefferson City. The train really rocked and rolled in a clouds of leaves. It was dark a before we reached Jefferson City. We arrived at Kirkwood only 20 minutes late. So the engineer must have poured it on for part of the trip.
The train consisted of the Heritage cars. There were two coaches and a cafe, Heritage also. They are my favorite cars. They remind me of the 1950's style of cars. The cafe attendant was great. And the food was good. My buddy had a couple of sodas and a turkey club. I had a cheesburger and coffee. I noticed that the cafe car was well patronized. The young lady who was the attendant had a great personality.
On some of the Lincoln Service trains, maybe all in my experience, the cafe car attendants have been the monosyllable types that always appear mildy hostile. I cannot understand how these people get hired to do a job that takes a good bartender's personality.
All in all I give the Missouri River Runner a grade of A. My latest enewsletter from MoDot stated that ridership has increased 73% since 2008. It was a good trip.
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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Mr. Iron Mountain, your report was a good read, however, Horizon cars are assigned to the Runners. Save the single level Diners and Baggage cars - all of which will be retired when the new equipment, known as Viewliner II's within railfan circles but never confirmed by Amtrak, is placed in service, those cars will be retired.
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Enjoyed your post, Iron Mountain. It makes me want to take that trip again as the only other time I have been on it was many years ago on a mostly overnight City of St. Louis.
It does sound like Kirkwood is a good alternative to Amtrak's new bus station in St. Louis. Too bad this proposal (seen on another site a week or so ago) doesn't include Amtrak. But your mention of the wine country may be what the developer has in mind:
If you have been following the thread on Ed Ellis' Pullman Rail Journey, wouldn't that be a good place to start a trip on one of his cars.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Mr. GBN of the three types of Amtrak cars that I have ridden in, I like the Heritage cars the best, Superliners second, and Amfleets the least. I think the Amfleets are the ones that look like airplane fuselages sans the airfoils.
Do you have any idea what the Viewliner II's will be like? And In addition to the Midwest services who else will use them?
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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Palmland, I am glad you enjoyed the STL/KCY report. I am guessing that the majority of the contributors to this website don't have much of an opportunity to use the Midwest services. I think it is always interesting to read about different parts of the country.
I read the Post-Dispatch article. Maybe there is hope for, what was at one time, one of the greatest train stations in North America.
I could not believe that St. Louis amd Amtrak did not keep the trains running in Union Station. I was always disappointed in the mall that it was turned into. What a pointless transformation. Silly T-shirt shops, the inevitable fudge shops, and Hooters did nothing to honor the rail heritage of St. Louis. Nor did these cheesy businesses help the economic situation. WE already have malls all over the place. Maybe the new owners will get it right. At least it sounds as if they get the idea that rail transportation should be a theme and a draw.
After enduring the Amshack era, which seemed as if it would never end, the new station is just OK. Somebody described it as a good example of 1960's motel architechure. At least it is a multi-modal hub of sorts, serving Metro-Link, Greyhound, and Amtrak. You can go to Lambert from there on Metro-Link. The thing took years to build and now it is falling apart. Disgraceful. I am not a numbers person but I think it would have been more cost effective to have rehabbed Union Station for Amtrak than what they have spent on the new one and apparently will continue to spend to repair it. In fact my wife and infant son took one of the last Amtrak trains to operate out of Union many years ago.
Thanks for posting the article.
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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The 130 cars presently abuilding apparently will resemble the "shell" of the existing Viewliners. However, there has been no confirmation to date these cars will be identified as Viewliner II, although it is logical to think such will be the case (there is speculation at another board that a Romney administration will cancel the order for the 25 Sleepers and 25 Dorms, but I don't put much faith in that report). These cars (assuming all are built) will be used to replace all existing Baggage and single level Diners Systemwide. The Sleepers and Dorms will be added to single level trains in order to enhance capacity (but so far as an incoming Romney administration is concerned, nobody rides Amtrak; so why do you need more capacity?).
Posts: 9979 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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Yes GBN I was thinking of Horizon. That is exactly what serves on the Runner. Thanks for the correction.
I think it was Walt Whitman who once said (paraphrasing) "Oh for the multitude within me". I assume he meant the diverse interests and perspectives that made up his being. I feel the sameway when it comes to politics. I really support some things from both sides and oppose some from both sides. And more than once I have heard the ridiculous remark from three conservatives stating that no one rides the trains. I guess our electoral process is one of choosing the lesser of evils.
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then, I contradict myself; I am large -- I contain multitudes.” - Walt Whitman
Evidently the Republican candidate for President channels Mr. Whitman exceedingly well.
By the way, IM, I came across an old baseball program/scorecard that I saved from a 1965 or 1966 Kansas City Athletics game that I attended while stationed near KC. There was a great little ad for the KCS Southern Belle touting the RT coach fare to New Orleans as $38.10 (Lve. KC 9:25 am, arr NO 6:05 am).
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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Mr. OM, On the other hand, roughly paraphrasing the late Senator Dirksen, "Only two kinds of people never change their minds, fools and corpses".
Your KC baseball reference got me to wondering about the KC A's. They came from Philadelphia.
Some of the greats were on their roster, Roger Maris, Hank Bauer, and Reggie Jackson. Overall the A's were dismal performers.
I found a website that you might find interesting, american-rails.com. It lists many of the famous streamliners, the Southern Belle among them. They have videos of old promotional films advertising the trains. I have watched the one on the Belle. Interesting how much effort was expended to make traveling a special experience. Ammenities such as airconditioning, telephone communication enroute, radio programming, coordinated airconditioned bus connections.
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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Yes, IM, back in the day the KC A's were known as the farm system for the NY Yankees, witness the stars you mentioned in your post. Charles O. Finley moved them to Oakland in 1968, and they gained a modicum of respectability after that.
Thanks for that link, by the way.
-------------------- Ocala Mike Posts: 1530 | From: Ocala, FL | Registered: Dec 2006
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