Train Times - May 2010

We've added three new USA regional route guides to the Rail Passenger USA library this month; the Hoosier State, Lincoln Service, and the Missouri River Runner.

The Hoosier State has arrived just in time to get speedway fans to the Indy 500, the classic Memorial Day weekend event in Indianapolis

Those that decide to make the trip by train will arrive either on the Cardinal or the Hoosier State. The Hoosier State supplements Amtrak's Cardinal service on the days of the week that the Cardinal doesn't run.

From Chicago, you'll pass through the Indiana towns of Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette (Home of the Purdue Boilermakers), and Crawfordsville on the way to the festivities. Currently the 150 mile trip takes about 4 hours and gets you into Indy just before midnight.

Lincoln Service

Amtrak's Lincoln Service follows the route of the Texas Eagle between Chicago and St. Louis. It is the route for which the State of Illinois was recently awarded $1.23 billion in Federal stimulus funds to start the highly publicized high speed rail line between the two cities.

Who knows, if things work out, Cubs and Cards players may again travel by train on their road trips between the two cities. In the meantime, we can all still enjoy a leisurely trip to the ball game aboard the Lincoln. Here's the 2010 series schedule:

Cubs at St. Louis	Cardinals at Chicago
August 13, 14 and 15	May 28, 29 and 30
September 13, 14 and 15	July 23, 24 and 25
	September 24, 25 and 26

Click on the map below to check out the stops the Lincoln Service makes.

St. Louis		Chicago
To open our new Lincoln Service Route Guide click - Lincoln Service or check out the Texas Eagle for a journey via Missouri and Arkansas into the Lone Star State

As a brief aside, some old pals were sitting around in Gateway Station between trains this spring. To pass the time, they started talking baseball and spinning a little baseball lore of their own. Here's some of it.

Awhile back baseball Hall of Famers Lou Boudreau (1970) and Luis Aparicio (1984) happened to run into each other on the road. They ended up talking baseball and reliving the good old days for hours. In fact they enjoyed each other's company so much that before parting ways they decided to get together again in the coming off season to talk (what else) more baseball. Being relatively smart men for baseball players they agreed to ask their spouses to join them at the meeting place of their choice. What identical 1 minute and 9 second long response did both wives later send to their husbands? Click here to view the answer.

Sorry folks, we've got to vamoose now. The Missouri River Runner has arrived just in time to facilitate our escape. Have mercy... no booing or hissing please... after all, how many things in life are exactly 1 minute and 9 seconds long and free?

Missouri River Runner

Formerly traveled by the "Kansas City Mule" and the "St. Louis Mule" the trains that travel this regional route tote baseball fans and many others through the middle of Missouri between the metropolitan centers of St. Louis and Kansas City.

The westbound Missouri River Runner travels along the Missouri River between St. Louis and Jefferson City, the Missouri State capitol, where it leaves the river on the way to its western Missouri stops and final destination of Kansas City.

Click on the map below to visit the cities, towns and villages along the way.

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Rail Passenger USA is a free website founded by Ramblin' Ray, an old train travel addict who devotes most of his time to mapping USA passenger railroad routes and preparing route guides to share with others via his website.