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Four of us took a trip on the Missouri River Runner (MRR) last Tuesday and Wednesday to see the Cardinals and Royals play. Cardinals won when we were there but lost the other four games. We boarded the morning train at Kirkwood at 9:44AM. Arrived in KC 3;00PM. Nice ride. New tracks are smooth. Concrete ties on much of the route. Bottlenecks reduced. Freight traffic appears to be down. Only one 10 minute delay
Tuesday afternoon we went to the ball game. The stadium is not convenient to the downtown. It is about 8 miles east of the city. I do not like to fool with car rentals. Taxis are expensive. So we tried Uber. I cannot think of one negative thing to say about it. The Uber car was waiting for us as we left the hotel for the game. When we departed from the stadium after the 8th inning we only waited about 5 minutes for our ride back to our hotel. The fare round trip for four people was $25. Last time I went to the ball game there it cost me $60 for a car rental. Taxis are not much better. Both of the drivers were interesting young men who were employed full time with pretty good jobs but just do this on the side for extra bucks.
Upon arrival in KCY on Tuesday (prior to the game) we inquired about the street car. We were told just walk out the door to Main Street and it will be there. We exited Union Station and boarded the street car right next to the station. Very nice. It runs the length of downtown Kansas City on Main Street. At this time it is free. I was told that in Portland, OR their similar conveyance has been free for a goodly amount of time. That might be a smart move if free transportation draws in more revenue visitors. Many of the things to do and see can be conveniently accessed from the street car.
We returned the next day, Wednesday on the afternoon train. It pulled out of the station at exactly 4:00PM. Arrived in Kirkwood at 9:10PM. Good OTP. The two conductors were women. The cafe car attendant was a woman. I was chatting her and told how pleasant and well run the train was with the ladies. She laughed and said that we also had a woman engineer. More laughing. She said that this didn't happen very often. I found that the interaction between passengers and crew seemed more positive. Good job.
The hotel we stayed in is the Aladdin. It is owned by Holiday Inn, who has preserved the original charm of the hotel. It is an art-deco building that was built in 1929. It is now on the historic register. Beautiful building. Very nice and very reasonable.
We wore our Cardinal red while in Kansas City. There were many other Cardinal fans there also. I was surprised at the amount of red there was in the stadium. The KC folks were fun. Lots of good natured ribbing. Good sport.
When we left KCY Wednesday afternoon the station attendants told us that the morning train and afternoon train were sold out. They said that an extra car was added on the morning eastbound. They attributed the increase to the ball game.
New experiences, fun people, clean city, a really nice place to visit.
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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Mr. Iron, I would presume the streetcar is a rubber tired vehicle looking like a trolley.
One of these days I'll try out an Uber, but since the last time I set foot in a taxicab was during May '15 ($75 to sit in a traffic jam from JFK to a hotel in the Bay Ridge area of Brooklyn; took the A Train and Air Train back for $7.75) can't say it will be anytime soon.
Posts: 9976 | From: Clarendon Hills, IL USA (BNSF Chicago Sub MP 18.71) | Registered: Apr 2002
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The KC Streetcar is a steel on steel, electric powered system like the routes in Portland and Seattle. I was in KC in January, before operations started, so I can't talk about the vehicles. The route connects the Union Station area (which includes the WW I museum) with the Power & Light District (nightlife, sports arena).
Seattle used to offer free transit rides in the downtown area but that policy has been stopped due to the overwhelming popularity of the free rides with the wrong clientele. Too much riff-raff was taking advantage of the free rides. I hope KC's fare-free policy works out better.
Posts: 831 | From: Seattle | Registered: Jan 2011
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Thanks for the report IM. Streetcars are making a comeback in most cities. Some of them are a bit ill conceived, but this one sounds like it will serve a real purpose. Another reason to spend some time in KC. Any BBQ favorites there? I'm also looking forward to riding the new one in Cincinnati. Just too bad it doesn't go out to the Museum Center (aka Cincinnati Union Terminal). But it'll be a couple years before its $200M renovation is complete.
And enjoyed the info on the River Runner. Sounds like it is doing well. I'd like to ride that again as my only other time on the route was on the City of St.Louis, long ago. Does the train have business class and is it necessary or desirable?
Although I'm a fan of Uber, we had a situation on our recent trip where a taxi was better. Seattle was almost in lock down over a President Obama fundraising event. Uber estimated our ride at about $14 due to extreme demand. A taxi showed up as we were deciding and took us to the station for less than $8.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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GBN, Yes the street car(s) have flanged steel wheels on steel rails. And the street car has a bell that clangs. This is not some disneyesque facsimile.
Vincent, I share your concern about clientele and crime. The St. Louis Metro Link is plagued with mugging and gang banging bullies. The metro area can't seem to get together and create a regional authority which would provide a Metro link police force. I suppose money is the objection. But why spend millions for a transportation system and then operate it improperly? No excuse. I have never seen this type of lawlessness in KC.
Palmland, KC seems to have its act together. We will see. The two BBQ restaurants that I am familiar with are Jack's Stack House and Gates. Jack's is on the other side of the tracks from Union Station. Easy walk. It is interesting because it, along with Gruenauers (german), and Lidia's (Italian) are along side each other in a row. These restaurants are all former freight houses that served the many passenger trains of the past. They have been beautifully restored. The service, food, wine, and beer are all very good. Gate's BBQ is quite different. It is fast and loud. You go through the line and the cooks holler at you for your order. Very casual. Wonderfully messy eating. Excellent KC BBQ. I will remind folks that KC BBQ is hot and sweet. Very different from the Carolinas and Texas.
Another favorite of mine is the Majestic. This was once Pendergast's headquarters on the third floor. Pendergast was KC's answer to Chicago's Capone. Pendergast took a young and naive Harry Truman under his wing and helped him to get started in politics. For more info read McCullough's book, "Truman". As to the restaurant is is pretty much original from the 1920's. The floor is black and white mosaic. The steaks are good. Dry aged Angus. The wine list is extensive. And jazz is played nightly in the lower level. I have not been there for a few years so I hope that it still is as I remember it.
I am a fan of the MRR. It used to be the Ann Rutledge from Chicago to KC. I think it was GM&O. Not sure. As to the rolling stock the MRR uses Horizon cars. I like them better than anything else Amtrak uses. I think that GBN intimated one time that he too preferred them. What I like about them is that they remind me of the trains from the 1950's. Yes the MRR has business class. The cafe car is half cafe and half business class. The food counter separates the two. I have used it. It is nice. It has 2-1 seating. Finally, I think that the ride to and from STL and KCY is beautiful. It is truly the Heartland.
Posts: 140 | Registered: Nov 2008
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Thanks for the rundown on those restaurants- that area is where we'll head! I'd also like to try out the Horizon BC cars. Ridden in coach on Milwaulee service and like them for them same reason but wish windows were larger.
Posts: 2397 | From: Camden, SC | Registered: Mar 2006
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Most definitely standard guage electric light rail. During construction, they tore down in Main Street to get to the old rails and brought them out, then laid new 75lb or so street rail. ETA: Yes, in the 50s, when street cars ended, they simply paved over many of the rails.
One big problem with Kansas City transit is one of its advocates. He's burned every single bridge in town he ever had. The heavy rail infrastructure is available. There's old yard space from before the consolidation era (although the tracks came up years ago) available. The first issue is money, the second coordination with UP, KCS, BNSF, and CN, and the last is voter willingness.
-------------------- The City of Saint Louis (UP, 1967) is still my standard for passenger operations Posts: 1404 | Registered: Oct 2001
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I'm guessing it was pretty common to just pave over the rails from street car systems. I know we have them somewhere lurking under the pavement outside our house. They were part of a line that went from downtown Santa Barbara up the hill to the Old Mission and then around a steep, winding curve to the campus of Santa Barbara State College now UCSB and the El Encanto Hotel. The Shelter for the latter two has been rebuilt but, alas, no more street cars and, now, no more city busses.
Frank in sunny and warm SBA
Posts: 2160 | From: Santa Barbara, CA, USA | Registered: Oct 2003
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