20 replies to this topic

[Everydaymatters]

Bill Haithcoat is a wonderful historian about train travel. In Kansas City, he pointed out to me the many gates to the trains from the good old days of train trave. It amazed me that there were so many of them. Did anyone get pictures of those gates?

Jay, how was your $43 room? Did anyone beat his rock bottom rate of just $43 a night?

[chertling]

Bill Haithcoat is a wonderful historian about train travel. In Kansas City, he pointed out to me the many gates to the trains from the good old days of train trave. It amazed me that there were so many of them. Did anyone get pictures of those gates?

Jay, how was your $43 room? Did anyone beat his rock bottom rate of just $43 a night?

I did! It helps that my uncle lives 6 blocks from the Kirkwood station. Hard to beat Free

Seriously though, $43 would be VERY hard to beat.

I didn't have a chance to get any pictures at KC Union Station... but I will grab a few shots of the gates the next time I get down there and will share them with the group.

[had8ley]

Bill Haithcoat is a wonderful historian about train travel. In Kansas City, he pointed out to me the many gates to the trains from the good old days of train trave. It amazed me that there were so many of them. Did anyone get pictures of those gates?

Jay, how was your $43 room? Did anyone beat his rock bottom rate of just $43 a night?

The room was huge and comfortable for the very few hours I spent there. The maid made the bed the second night and forgot to empty the trash,leave any towels or anymore coffee but that's OK with me. It was the free mugging I almost got at the bottom of the station ramp next to the light rail station that bothered me (you had to walk down the ramp in order to cross over to the hotel). Been to a lot of places and this was a first!I would recommend the place as a three star but you might want to rent an armored Hummer to carry you from the station to the hotel.

Just got off the phone with the Sheraton's GM's secretary...her response to my laundry list? Soooo...what do you want me to do about it ???

[Devil's Advocate]

Forty-three dollars sounds like a great price, but I guess in their mind that rate comes with the understanding you won't be taken seriously if you complain about anything that happens in the process of staying there. Don't forget to post your experiences on TripAdvisor.com so other folks will at least be aware of your difficulties. But the part I really want to know is what exactly is an "almost mugging?" Does it mean the threat of violence had kinder wording or that they gave your stuff back?

[had8ley]

Forty-three dollars sounds like a great price, but I guess in their mind that rate comes with the understanding you won't be taken seriously if you complain about anything that happens in the process of staying there. Don't forget to post your experiences on TripAdvisor.com so other folks will at least be aware of your difficulties. But the part I really want to know is what exactly is an "almost mugging?" Does it mean the threat of violence had kinder wording or that they gave your stuff back?

When I checked into the Sheraton and got to my room I discovered my RR radio was missing. I ran over to the station and # 21 had already departed. The ticket agent cell phoned the LSA to look in our(nephew and me)room and send it back on # 22. I was walking down the ramp towards the light rail and six sinister looking thugs about 15 or 16 formed a wall in front of me. I immediately put my right hand on my wallet and pushed two aside and bee-lined it to the hotel. I guess you can call that "close" as I'm positive if it had been an 85 year old lady she would be minus her pocket book.The best part came last~ when I pressed the elevator button the door opened and there sat my $1200 radio on the floor of the elevator.

[RRrich]

Forty-three dollars sounds like a great price, but I guess in their mind that rate comes with the understanding you won't be taken seriously if you complain about anything that happens in the process of staying there. Don't forget to post your experiences on TripAdvisor.com so other folks will at least be aware of your difficulties. But the part I really want to know is what exactly is an "almost mugging?" Does it mean the threat of violence had kinder wording or that they gave your stuff back?

When I checked into the Sheraton and got to my room I discovered my RR radio was missing. I ran over to the station and # 21 had already departed. The ticket agent cell phoned the LSA to look in our(nephew and me)room and send it back on # 22. I was walking down the ramp towards the light rail and six sinister looking thugs about 15 or 16 formed a wall in front of me. I immediately put my right hand on my wallet and pushed two aside and bee-lined it to the hotel. I guess you can call that "close" as I'm positive if it had been an 85 year old lady she would be minus her pocket book.The best part came last~ when I pressed the elevator button the door opened and there sat my $1200 radio on the floor of the elevator.

well Jay I am sorry that you met some of our St Louis Pre-Felons but it turned out OK.

How did you get the $43 rate - which service did you use?

[Railroad Bill]

Great meeting you Jay. Sorry you had a shakey experience outside the station.

Back here in the hinterlands, we have so many guys carrying concealed weapons on their belts that those dudes probably would have seen some lead heading their way

Claudia and I were accosted by a guy in Chicago who started yelling "RACIST" at me because I wouldnt give him 80 cents for a "phone call".
I told him I voted for Obama but he didnt care!!
Between the panhandlers and the gangbangers on the streets, it is sometimes nice to get back to the countryside again.

[Long Train Runnin']

I took this photo of the gates. It housed the Kansas City Rail Experience.

[jis]

I took this photo of the gates. It housed the Kansas City Rail Experience.

Interestingly there was absolutely nothing connected with the Santa Fe Railroad in the exhibits in there! OTOH there was a Great Northern observation car from the Empire Builder which of course probably never saw Kansas City in its entire operating life, before being dragged into the collection

[had8ley]

Forty-three dollars sounds like a great price, but I guess in their mind that rate comes with the understanding you won't be taken seriously if you complain about anything that happens in the process of staying there. Don't forget to post your experiences on TripAdvisor.com so other folks will at least be aware of your difficulties. But the part I really want to know is what exactly is an "almost mugging?" Does it mean the threat of violence had kinder wording or that they gave your stuff back?

When I checked into the Sheraton and got to my room I discovered my RR radio was missing. I ran over to the station and # 21 had already departed. The ticket agent cell phoned the LSA to look in our(nephew and me)room and send it back on # 22. I was walking down the ramp towards the light rail and six sinister looking thugs about 15 or 16 formed a wall in front of me. I immediately put my right hand on my wallet and pushed two aside and bee-lined it to the hotel. I guess you can call that "close" as I'm positive if it had been an 85 year old lady she would be minus her pocket book.The best part came last~ when I pressed the elevator button the door opened and there sat my $1200 radio on the floor of the elevator.

well Jay I am sorry that you met some of our St Louis Pre-Felons but it turned out OK.

How did you get the $43 rate - which service did you use?

Priceline~ and I actually requested a four star property. Quite an odd price for a four star but it was done back in February.I've had similar success at a LaGuardia airport Hampton for less than $50.

[had8ley]

Great meeting you Jay. Sorry you had a shakey experience outside the station.

Back here in the hinterlands, we have so many guys carrying concealed weapons on their belts that those dudes probably would have seen some lead heading their way

Claudia and I were accosted by a guy in Chicago who started yelling "RACIST" at me because I wouldnt give him 80 cents for a "phone call".
I told him I voted for Obama but he didnt care!!
Between the panhandlers and the gangbangers on the streets, it is sometimes nice to get back to the countryside again.

Bill; I say this with complete sincerity. It was a pleasure meeting you and every other AU'er and guests that attended. I just wish we could all take a month off and ride behind any train we felt like. I'll add it to my bucket of 10 most important things to do!

BTW, next time I'll bring my pet alligator. We named him "Hungry" because he stays that way

[Long Train Runnin']

BTW, next time I'll bring my pet alligator. We named him "Hungry" because he stays that way

I can just see you with a 12 foot alligator on a leash telling the conductor its just a service animal

[GG-1]

BTW, next time I'll bring my pet alligator. We named him "Hungry" because he stays that way

I can just see you with a 12 foot alligator on a leash telling the conductor its just a service animal

Aloha

Well I did not think of a 12 foot Alligator, but I did picture had8ly wearing it as a belt.

[AlanB]

Well if Jay's going to start bringing his pet alligator to the Gathering's, cross Michigan off the list of cities where we can hold the Gathering. We don't want Jay getting a ticket while he's on a Gathering and in Michigan it's against the law to tie an aligator to a fire hydrant.

[jis]

Well if Jay's going to start bringing his pet alligator to the Gathering's, cross Michigan off the list of cities where we can hold the Gathering. We don't want Jay getting a ticket while he's on a Gathering and in Michigan it's against the law to tie an aligator to a fire hydrant.

But would it be OK to tie a fire hydrant to an alligator?

[AlanB]

Well if Jay's going to start bringing his pet alligator to the Gathering's, cross Michigan off the list of cities where we can hold the Gathering. We don't want Jay getting a ticket while he's on a Gathering and in Michigan it's against the law to tie an aligator to a fire hydrant.

But would it be OK to tie a fire hydrant to an alligator?

You got me.

I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would even have a pet aligator in Michigan, much less be so inclined as to want to tie it to a fire hydrant. I can't imagine that this was ever a huge problem in any state, much less Michigan, hence I have no idea why such a law exists.

[GG-1]

Well if Jay's going to start bringing his pet alligator to the Gathering's, cross Michigan off the list of cities where we can hold the Gathering. We don't want Jay getting a ticket while he's on a Gathering and in Michigan it's against the law to tie an aligator to a fire hydrant.

But would it be OK to tie a fire hydrant to an alligator?

You got me.

I'm still trying to figure out why anyone would even have a pet aligator in Michigan, much less be so inclined as to want to tie it to a fire hydrant. I can't imagine that this was ever a huge problem in any state, much less Michigan, hence I have no idea why such a law exists.

But Alan you live in the city that has the most strange laws. It is still against the law to wear "stave's" (old form of girdle) on a street where there are horses.

Aloha

[jimhudson]

In Louisiana it's against the law to NOT have an alligator in your yard!
The reason there is no alligators in Michigan is that all of them have moved to Texas along with all the people! New York City only has them in the Sewers, Alan lives in Queens, they dont go there, theres no sewers!

[had8ley]

BTW, next time I'll bring my pet alligator. We named him "Hungry" because he stays that way

I can just see you with a 12 foot alligator on a leash telling the conductor its just a service animal

Magnificent idea and when they bad order the CCC again I'll just turn him loose in the CCC to play with the OBS who have nothing better to do

[the_traveler]

It was a pleasure meeting you and every other AU'er and guests that attended. I just wish we could all take a month off and ride behind any train we felt like. I'll add it to my bucket of 10 most important things to do!

Even me Jay?

As far as the "traveling a month", I am! I'll get home the 20th!

My question is where is Gathering V going to be held? 11 months (to book low bucket) is coming up soon!