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Well, I know the train doesn't go to Montgomery, but I plan to take Amtrak to Atlanta and then it looks like I will go with a friend by car to Montgomery for the weekend. My question to anyone who knows the city: Would staying downtown be OK for 2 women on the weekend? They seem to have several hotels there now (Embassy Suites but also not Renaissance and a Hampton Inn) all reasonably well reviewed at Trip Advisor, but I did see where it said a lot of downtown is boarded up empty buildings--would be therefore be better off staying outside downtown, e.g., The Hampton Inn at Eastchase? But everything we are going to see seems to be downtown, would rather stay there . . .
I see Montgomery has a Union Staiton downtwon, not used. boohoo!!!!
palmland Member # 4344
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Sojourner, I have a nephew whose in laws are from Montgomery. You'll have a good time and you should stay downtown.
For his wedding we stayed at the Embassy Suites - very nice. While much of downtown has not been restored, it is still a nice area. When we were there, the station had a good restaurant in it (4 years ago). Now the visitor center is there and is the hub for the bus/trolley that circulates to the tourist spots: http://www.visitingmontgomery.com/visit.aspx?id=2758
There was also an excellent minor league ballpark across CSX mainline in a park along the river and walkable from downtown. Even if you're not a fan, it would be a fun evening to see the Montgomery Biscuits.
The station is worth a close inspection. It is one of the very few left that still has a large train shed covering the area where the tracks were. Too bad it's not used. Of course Montgomery was the capitol of the Confederacy for a time and many historic buildings are open to the public. Go in the spring when the azaleas are in bloom.
notelvis Member # 3071
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I have heard quiet rumblings that Alabama is interested in restoring the short-lived 'Gulf Breeze', a train which in the early 90's separated from the 'Crescent' in Birmingham and ran to Mobile via Montgomery.
(sorry but I cannot remember the source. I receive emails with news updates from Trains Magazine and the Carolina Association for Passenger Trains.....I also scan the NARP Hotline News about once a week. One of those is where I caught this and it was brief....maybe two or three sentances max.)
We'll see if the support materializes once the projected expenses are known.
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