Passenger Trains > Carbondale

For someone familiar with Carbondale,IL; are there restaurants in the vicinity of the Amtrak station? TIA for any useful comments.

Tom

Check Google Maps with a filter on for restaurants...you'll see several, including one in the former depot which appears to be a block or so north of the current Amtrak depot.

Dave

Yes, there are several good restaurants near the station.  I use Yelp and cross-reference with Google Maps to make sure that I am not too far from the station.  I have done the round trip from Chicago several times.  

DavidP Wrote:
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> Check Google Maps with a filter on for
> restaurants...you'll see several, including one in
> the former depot which appears to be a block or so
> north of the current Amtrak depot.
>
> Dave

There is no restaurant in the old depot, just the chamber of commerce office, the office of Carbondale Mainstreet, and the display room presenting the history of Carbondale's railroads.

There are places across the street from the old depot, though.  I recommend Mary Lou's for breakfast or lunch (they close at 2pm).  It's a Carbondale institution, and one of the few places that go back decades.  It also has an ICRR connection, as the owner's grandfather was a division superintendent many decades ago.

Another is Tres Hombres, which is two blocks north of the Amtrak station and on the east side... another Carbondale institution that's been there since I can remember.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/23 07:41 by MaryMcPherson.

Thanks everyone, for your help.

Tom

Drove from Northern Illinois to Carbondale specifically to stop in at Mary Lou's to relive my breakfast experience there from over 45 years ago.  Sadly had originally planned on taking Amtrak, but due to its unreliable running time on the CN you can't count on getting to Carbondale before Mary Lou;'s closes at 2pm.  So, in case you're thinking of taking Amtrak, keep that in mind.  A stop at Mary Lou's may take an overnight stay in Carbondale if traveling from points North by rail.

It was well worth the drive for me and to share my 'Mary Lou's' experience with my wife.

mkt1992 Wrote:
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> but due to its unreliable running time on
> the CN you can't count on getting to Carbondale
> before Mary Lou;'s closes at 2pm.

How about taking into consideration that on time for that train is 1:45pm.  Not much of a window, is it?

Also, I had to go back to the 7th of September to find a train that was more than six minutes late.  Most were a few minutes early.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/23 18:24 by MaryMcPherson.