Kansas City vs. La Plata

[pschnebs]

Hi folks! I’ve thought about traveling by train to visit Walt Disney’s boyhood home, Marceline, MO (given Walt’s love of trains and his family connections to the Santa Fe, it kinda seems appropriate). Of course, the Southwest Chief doesn’t stop in Marceline; the closest stops are Kansas City and La Plata. I’m assuming that car rental facilities and luggage service would be available at KC, but it seems Ike a long drive from there to Marceline. La Plata looks closer, and they do have a train- themed hotel there, butI don’t know what’s available there as far as station services.

Can anyone provide any info about services at each station and who’s realistic it is to get to and from Marceline from the stops? Any information you can provide would be appreciated.

 

[tgstubbs1]

Perhaps http://kevinkorell.com/hotels/hotels.htm is what you seek.

La Plata is just a quick stop with no real amenities at the station other than the waiting room and parking lot. The town has no car rentals so unless you bring a folding bike that you can carry-on (no checked baggage) you would have to find transportation to Marceline.
Kansas City of course is a major stop. You could probably drive to Marceline in about 3 hours from there, about an hour north on I-35 and a couple of hours east on US36.

 

[Saddleshoes]

You can get to Quincy IL via Chicago and the Illinois Amtrak Service.
Quincy is @ 100 miles from Marceline, MO. with multiple car rental options.

Last month we visited Marceline and the Disney Museum in the old train station. It was a good place to check out.
Be sure to learn about and check out...
1) ...the downtown and compare it to Main Street Disneyland.
2)...drive out to the farm and see the "Dreaming Tree".
3)...go by the grade school ans see the Disney flag they fly.
4)...get your postcards mailed from the post office there as they will hand stamp the outgoing mail with a cool Disney postmark.

Have a good trip.