Western Railroad Discussion > Where to spend a crappy day in Kansas City?

Well, I just arrived in Kansas City and it looks like I could have chosen better weather. 

Can anyone offer some suggestions on where to spend a rainy day or two in the area around downtown?  Looks like steady rain , so any locations that are good for sitting in the car and watching/shooting rail traffic would be good. Any locations where you can look down on the tracks without standing on an overpass would be a bonus. 

Thx for any suggestions. 
 

Jack's Stack, next to the tracks! High end BBQ with patio, across the tracks from Union Station. From there you can walk over bridge to the station and look around.

Posted from Android

Santa Fe junction, basically the west end of 25th Street, is just a couple of miles west of downtown with the "bottoms", basically Beardsley Rd and Forrester Rd, just a mile and a half north of there. Both offer plenty of safe and legal places to sit and watch and both are quite busy.
JB

4th and Beardsley. The trees shouldn't have leaves. Closest tracks are to/from BNSF Murray Yard (North KC) and lower tracks to all other roads. Numerous restaurants around nearby City Market.

BB

Thanks.

Can somebody clarify which freight routes go through Union Station? I will be at the Westin across the street.

Posted from iPhone

Not sure of exact numbers,  but would guess 70/30 BNSF/UP.  Usually three or four movemens per hour.

Union Station is kinda interesting?  Also there is a Riverboat Museum we saw on History Channel.  The guy found a sunken 1800's riverboat in a cornfield.....dug it up and reassembled it and it's contents into a pretty neat museum.

I got to stay out at the Sheraton on the south side of the tracks there east of Union station - high up enough to see down into the tracks, too.   Great view of the Western Auto sign and the throat.  Darn busy.    And from that location, surprised you could make it all the way out to Union and north of it and never once step outside.    I'm no KC expert but that pedestrian bridge over to the barbecue place looked good to me, as well as covered.   You've got Union Station, a good place to eat,and a covered pedestrian walkway all within easy reach.   

If you haven't been out there before, you really also want to just walk around KCUS, quite the building.   And there's been some private cars, other equipment outside on the south side to look at.   The Amtrak station is right there as well.   You can get down and trackside fairly easily if you want to.

I see there's a 360-degree view button now on Google Earth right off that bridge.

 

This is a very good thread.  Is the streetcar line still free? 

Just finished a belated, and grossly oversized lamb bbq at Jack Stack. Outstanding! Now sheltered on the Mike Haverty pedestrian overpass in light drizzle, turning up the ISO to 3200, waiting. Signals are lined for an eastbound. Thanks!!

Posted from iPhone

march_hare Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Just finished a belated, and grossly oversized
> lamb bbq at Jack Stack. Outstanding! Now sheltered
> on the Mike Haverty pedestrian overpass in light
> drizzle, turning up the ISO to 3200, waiting.
> Signals are lined for an eastbound. Thanks!!
>
> Posted from iPhone
So if ya need a break go back over to Grunauer to get out of the weather for great beer choices or cup of coffee (Julius Meinl)...some of the best ever! 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/22 15:44 by skinem.

Our daughter and her husband live in the Kansas City area, actually over in Kansas, and there are some absulutely spectacular KC Barbecue places to "hang out" in the area. But then, nothing to do with trains. Maybe it's just me but, having spent well more than 50 years in the railroad motive industry, I much prefer excellent BBQ over trains!

Streetcar is still free!  While not related to train watching, do not miss the World War I Museum just up the street and overlooking KCUS.  The view from the tower is superb.

Marty Harrison
Knob Noster, MO

There's so much to do in KC, drive up to the Burger King on Armour in North KC, order a
drink and watch the NS and it just goes on from there. We used to have barbeque a stone;s
throw from Argentine.

Out 

Riverboat museum is very worthwhile and one can spend hours, depending upon your interest in history, steam-boating and the part they  paid in developing the west.  Hotel can provide details. It may be on the route of the streetcar.  Been a few years since I was in KC.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Our daughter and her husband live in the Kansas
> City area, actually over in Kansas, and there are
> some absulutely spectacular KC Barbecue places to
> "hang out" in the area. But then, nothing to do
> with trains. Maybe it's just me but, having spent
> well more than 50 years in the railroad motive
> industry, I much prefer excellent BBQ over trains!

You’re alright w/ me, Jack! I’ll have 30 years running engines for Amtrak this May and I love being away from the RR on my free time now and would gladly join you for BBQ and no trains! ( years ago, this wasn’t the case… lol)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/21/22 23:58 by IC_2024.

World War I national museum is very highly regarded, too

Posted from Android

Agreed on Jack's Stacks....right in the narrows!  Great spot. Good BBQ.