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MTRF/St. Louis


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#1 KevinKorell

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Posted 08 July 2017 - 10:36 PM

Our time in St. Louis can be chronicled here, from arrival on Sunday night until our departure Monday evening.



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ


#2 KevinKorell

KevinKorell

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Posted 18 July 2017 - 09:45 PM

St. Louis is history, and we were able to do everything that was planned, albeit early.

 

On Sunday evening, I really wanted to go meet the arriving Fest group at Gateway Station. However when I went out into the Union Station trainshed behind the Curio hotel, there was cloud to cloud lightning almost contantly, and thunder as well. I elected not to make the walk. Instead, I met most as they arrived into the Curio from their respective trips from the station.

 

Monday was our day on Metrolink light rail.  Ten of us got an early start 20 minutes early because all of us were assembled early at Union Station and we had all purchased our tickets with ease thanks to the help of one of the fare checkers at the top of the stairs.   We first went out to the airport on the Red Line, where I had scheduled a potty break that nobody needed.  That put us another 20 minutes ahead of our itinerary. Unfortunately, it also put us on the same train as a deranged individual who was talking and acting in an obscene manner. Uncomfortable trip, but we got through it.

 

Next we went out the Cross County Blue Line, and here we slightly deviated from our itinerary because of our earliness. We went to the end of the line first and then to our lunch stop, so we would not have to eat too soon.  Most chose to walk to Lion's Choice.  From the lunch stop, one took a car service back downtown. The remaining nine, ready to go, earned yet another 20 minutes back by leaving on the next available Blue Line train. For the remainder of the Metrolink travels, we were now 1 hour ahead of plans.

 

We went over the Mississippi River into Illinois and continued to Fairview Heights, where the Blue Line ends, and then waited 10 minutes for the next outbound Red Line to come, and take us the rest of the way to the end of service at Shiloh-Scott.  Finally, we returned to St. Louis and Missouri, getting off at Laclede's Landing.  We had already moved up our dinner reservation based on our early travels, but still we waited inside the air conditioned Lumiere Place casino until it got close to our reservation time.

 

Dinner at Old Spaghetti Warehouse was great as it always is.  We were seated not far from their trademark trolley.  Service was great. After dinner, most of us still did a couple more light rail rides to go to and from the Curio hotel to get the luggage that they were holding for us.

 

With all of us at Gateway Station, most of us sat in the first class lounge, even though nobody was really in charge of it.   After our Texas Eagle came in, it took a while before a conductor came and scanned our tickets so we could finally board the train.  And with that, so long St. Louis!



Kevin Korell


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Lakewood, NJ




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