rtabern
Conductor
All aboard, you history buffs! Passengers along the 284-mile railroad corridor between Chicago, Illinois and St. Louis, Missouri will have a unique opportunity to see the trackside scenery from a historic 1950’s full-length dome car the weekend of April 23 and April 24, 2016. This train will also make stops in Summit, Joliet, Dwight, Pontiac, Bloomington-Normal, Lincoln, Springfield, Carlinville, and Alton. This excursion, organized by Zephyr Route of St. Charles, Illinois, will feature volunteer interpretive guides from the non-profit 501©(3) American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation Rail Rangers program. Rail Rangers guides will point out various historic landmarks along the route and provide on-going narration about various topics, including the I&M Canal, Route 66, Abraham Lincoln, coal, and the Mississippi River.
While ten Amtrak passenger trains normally operate on this line on a daily basis, rarely does on feature a private historical rail car that is more than 60 years old and is open to the public. All passengers who purchase tickets for this excursion will ride in the glass-enclosed dome car, which offers great views of the scenic countryside as it passes by. Meals on-board the train and one night of overnight accomodations at the DoubleTree Hotel at St. Louis Union Station are included in the package price. This will truly be an unforgettable experience for anyone who loves Illinois railroading and history!
The outbound train will leave Chicago’s Union Station at 9:25am on Saturday, April 23, 2016, and make stops at Summit (9:48am), Joliet (10:15am), Dwight (10:49am), Pontiac (11:06am), Bloomington-Normal (11:39am), Lincoln (12:10pm), Springfield (12:50pm), Carlinville (1:28pm), Alton (1:59pm), and arrive in St. Louis at 3:00pm.
The inbound train will leave St. Louis’ Gateway Station at 3:00pm on Sunday, April 24, 2016, and make stops at Alton (3:45pm), Carlinville (4:14pm), Springfield (4:56pm), Lincoln (5:24pm), Bloomington-Normal (5:56pm), Pontiac (6:23pm), Dwight (6:41pm), Joliet (7:26pm), Summit (7:51pm), and arrive back in Chicago at 8:40pm.
Guests will have approximately 24 hours on their own on Saturday late afternoon/evening and Sunday morning/early afternoon to tour St. Louis and see sites such as the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Old Courthouse Museum, Busch Stadium, and many more attractions. An optional group trolley tour of the city will also be offered to passengers for a nominal additional fee.
Those interested in booking the excursion should contact Zephyr Route President, Mike Abernethy, at (630) 542-3607 (10AM to 9PM daily). The package price is $649.00 per person, double occupancy in the hotel which includes round-trip train travel, meals onboard the train, one night hotel accommodations, breakfast in the hotel, transfers to/from the hotel, tour director services and narration from APRHF Rail Rangers, and included gratuity. Tickets are expected to “sell out” very quickly – passengers are encouraged to make their reservations prior to March 22nd. Zephyr Route will make a $60 donation to the non-profit American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation for each passenger who mentions “APRHF Rail Rangers” at the time of booking.
Questions about the APRHF Rail Rangers program, this press release, and the “Outside the Rails” rail route guide can contact Executive Director Robert Tabern at [email protected].
While ten Amtrak passenger trains normally operate on this line on a daily basis, rarely does on feature a private historical rail car that is more than 60 years old and is open to the public. All passengers who purchase tickets for this excursion will ride in the glass-enclosed dome car, which offers great views of the scenic countryside as it passes by. Meals on-board the train and one night of overnight accomodations at the DoubleTree Hotel at St. Louis Union Station are included in the package price. This will truly be an unforgettable experience for anyone who loves Illinois railroading and history!
The outbound train will leave Chicago’s Union Station at 9:25am on Saturday, April 23, 2016, and make stops at Summit (9:48am), Joliet (10:15am), Dwight (10:49am), Pontiac (11:06am), Bloomington-Normal (11:39am), Lincoln (12:10pm), Springfield (12:50pm), Carlinville (1:28pm), Alton (1:59pm), and arrive in St. Louis at 3:00pm.
The inbound train will leave St. Louis’ Gateway Station at 3:00pm on Sunday, April 24, 2016, and make stops at Alton (3:45pm), Carlinville (4:14pm), Springfield (4:56pm), Lincoln (5:24pm), Bloomington-Normal (5:56pm), Pontiac (6:23pm), Dwight (6:41pm), Joliet (7:26pm), Summit (7:51pm), and arrive back in Chicago at 8:40pm.
Guests will have approximately 24 hours on their own on Saturday late afternoon/evening and Sunday morning/early afternoon to tour St. Louis and see sites such as the St. Louis Gateway Arch, Old Courthouse Museum, Busch Stadium, and many more attractions. An optional group trolley tour of the city will also be offered to passengers for a nominal additional fee.
Those interested in booking the excursion should contact Zephyr Route President, Mike Abernethy, at (630) 542-3607 (10AM to 9PM daily). The package price is $649.00 per person, double occupancy in the hotel which includes round-trip train travel, meals onboard the train, one night hotel accommodations, breakfast in the hotel, transfers to/from the hotel, tour director services and narration from APRHF Rail Rangers, and included gratuity. Tickets are expected to “sell out” very quickly – passengers are encouraged to make their reservations prior to March 22nd. Zephyr Route will make a $60 donation to the non-profit American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation for each passenger who mentions “APRHF Rail Rangers” at the time of booking.
Questions about the APRHF Rail Rangers program, this press release, and the “Outside the Rails” rail route guide can contact Executive Director Robert Tabern at [email protected].
