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I have a lot of time (11 months) to prepare for a trip to "horse country" (Lexington/Louisville, KY) next fall in conjunction with a contest that my daughter won sponsored by a big thoroughbred farm up there. We are going to get a tour of WinStar Farm in Lexington, and then we will attend the 2011 Breeders Cup at Churchill Downs in WinStar's private box.
My plan is to get into either Charleston or Huntington, WV via the Cardinal, get a hotel, and rent a car for the two hour or so trip into Lexington from there.
So I guess I'm "polling" the forum to find out if anyone has any experience with either of these two towns. Is one better than the other for availability/price of decent hotels? Would there be any problem finding an Enterprise car rental outlet? Any better suggestions from anyone on traveling to Kentucky utilizing Amtrak as much as possible?
notelvis Member # 3071
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Hi Mike,
Through no real fault of my own, I was raised a Kentucky Basketball fan and I generally make the 4.5 hour drive from my home up to Lexington, KY for ballgames 8-12 times each winter.
It's been my experience that Lexington is smaller than Louisville and a little bit cheaper for lodging. I've become a fan of the Country Inn on US 60 (Winchester Road) out by I-75 about 3 or 4 miles east of downtown Lexington. (link provided below) This hotel is fairly new and well-kept.....not overly expensive but a clear step up from the Red Roof/Quality Inn kind of place..... and they offer a decent breakfast so that you don't have to go scrounging for food before you're fully awake.
Coming from WV off I-64 West you would actually take I-75 South one exit to Exit 110 upon reaching Lexington.
For comparison sake - you might want to check rental car rates in Ashland, KY as opposed to in Charleston or Huntington...... you could come off the train and spend the night at the Ashland Plaza Hotel. It's Ashland's best hotel and it's right downtown just a couple of short blocks from the Amtrak station. I would imagine that Ashland would have an Enterprise Office that would love to pick you up at Ashland's nicest hotel..... at least on a weekday! Be sure to check out the old C&O passenger station....which is now a bank..... a few blocks away.
The only real alternative train-wise would be to stay on the Cardinal until Indianapolis, rent the car there, and drive down I-65 to Louisville. You would need a much better car rental deal in Indy though to warrant staying the extra night on the Cardinal.
I hope that you have a great time in Kentucky. Since this sounds like an October event, you might want to allow time for a visit to the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, KY (about 40 miles south of Louisville off I-65) where a pretty little 4-6-2 steam locomotive is active pulling a 22-mile train ride most fall weekends. You also might enjoy the Old Kentucky Dinner Train in Bardstown, KY (roughly 30 miles southeast of Louisville) which is pulled by a pair of ex-Southern Railway FP-7's. One of those vintage diesels used to be #6141 and was the most frequent power assigned to Southern's Asheville-Salisbury passenger train in the early 1970's.....
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Thanks for that info, David, especially about the Lexington hotel. I am considering Ashland as well, but the scheduled arrival time of the Cardinal starts to become a limiting factor.
Don't mind getting into someplace late at night, but balk when it becomes early in the morning.
palmland Member # 4344
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Mike, my suggestion would be to take the Star to Jax. Then at 10pm get on the Royal Palm. It'll have you in Lexington the next afternoon. You should get a bedroom in one of the observation cars we discussed on the Asheville thread. It'll be good for viewing the KY and TN mountains after you leave Chattanooga. Oh, this is not 1954?
In that case, good luck. Since it will be dark after Charleston, I'd be inclined to get off there and get a good night's sleep. It's an interesting drive from there through the valley to Huntington and on to Lexington on the Inter state.
In addition to the Ky RR museum and Dinner Train, that David mentions, you might check out Bluegrass Railroad Museum. It's close to Lexington and should be a fun excursion.
Congratulation on your daughter winning the contest. Sounds like she won an exciting and memorable prize.
notelvis Member # 3071
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Palmland's suggestion that you get off in Charleston since it will be dark by then makes sense...... and nothing wrecks an evening in a comfortable hotel like dragging in off a train that is hours late.
I had suggested Ashland simply because I'm itching to try the Ashland Plaza myself some day!
Ocala Mike Member # 4657
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palmland, it'll never be 1954 again, and this isn't Kansas, Toto! I'll probably opt for Charleston, WV based on the Cardinal's schedule. Looks like only about 2-1/2 hours or so to Lexington from there.
Connecting thoroughbred horses to trains, I remember when that was a primary travel method for them well into the 50's. Used to see them pass my house on the way to Belmont Park on the Long Island Rail Road. The Pennsylvania had special baggage cars done up as horse carriers in those days.
Nowadays, everything's by van or air, of course.
George Harris Member # 2077
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quote:Originally posted by palmland: Mike, my suggestion would be to take the Star to Jax. Then at 10pm get on the Royal Palm. It'll have you in Lexington the next afternoon. You should get a bedroom in one of the observation cars we discussed on the Asheville thread. It'll be good for viewing the KY and TN mountains after you leave Chattanooga. Oh, this is not 1954?
Always thought it a shame that after Southern did the major rebuild on the Rathole that included enlarging all the tunnels that they did not put a dome or domes on the Royal Palm. Unfortunately, by that time the RP was running on borrowed time. However, the one time I did see it, which was the southbound just north of Oakdale TN in about 1964 it carried three streamlined coaches, a sleeper, and a Southern dark green Diner Lounge.
notelvis Member # 3071
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During my dad's grad school days we lived in Georgetown, KY where I recall evening trips down to the station to watch the very last remnant of the Royal Palm...... by this time a Cincinnati - Somerset, KY local held down by a single E-unit, heavyweight baggage car, and two stainless steel coaches.
On an unrelated note - the Louisville and Nashville also operated a fleet of special baggage cars configured to transport horses 'back-in-the-day'.
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