For the first time in more than a century, trains now will go through the Route 66 town of Flagstaff, Ariz., without sounding their warning horns, reported the Arizona Daily Sun. On Tuesday, trains went through Flagstaff for the first time without blasting their horns. It took several years and hundreds of thousands of dollars, … Continue reading The silence of the trains — for real
Category: Motels
Revival of hotel building in Tulsa begins
The restoration of the historic Max Campbell Building in the 2600 block of East 11th Street, aka Route 66, in Tulsa is starting now. The purchase of the building and the intentions to convert it into a hotel and retail center was announced in late 2008. But I feared that the project went by the … Continue reading Revival of hotel building in Tulsa begins
Kingman as a jumping-off point
An article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal about the Route 66 town of Kingman, Ariz., contains a lot of interesting material about tourism attractions in the town and in the surrounding area. Not only does the article mention usual attractions such as Route 66 and the Route 66 Museum in the city's Powerhouse Museum Center, … Continue reading Kingman as a jumping-off point
The silence of the trains
James Chilton of the Kingman Daily Miner takes a look at a railroad "quiet zone" that soon will take effect in the fellow Route 66 town of Flagstaff, Ariz. The rule will require train engineers to put a sock in their whistles when going through town. "The hotel guys are the ones who are most … Continue reading The silence of the trains
Rail Haven Motel nominated to National Register
The Rail Haven Motel along Route 66 in Springfield, Mo., has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places, reports KBIA radio. Randy Nottle is the motel's manager. "We cater to a lot of European travelers coming down Route 66 everything in the hotel is original the furniture recently, though, has been updated and … Continue reading Rail Haven Motel nominated to National Register
Notes from the road
It looks like planning on the proposed Route 66 bicycle trail in Logan County, Ill., is proceeding again after a hiatus. The county board this week discussed the possibility of leasing a gravel road parallel to the railroad tracks from AmerenCILCO to use as part of Logan County’s portion in the statewide, north-south bike route, … Continue reading Notes from the road
One from the road
Here's a photo taken at 10 a.m. today at John's Modern Cabins, off old Route 66 near Arlington, Mo. The area had been covered by a snowstorm the day before. (Photo courtesy of Shades of Grey Photography)
Notes from the road
If you're traveling the Mother Road this week, you may have to make other plans for the midsection. As this map from the National Weather Service shows, the Route 66 corridor is under a winter storm warning all the way from about Springfield, Mo., to Gallup, N.M. -- much of it freezing rain. Authorities closed … Continue reading Notes from the road
Motel living
Here's a nice video of the sights and sounds of two Route 66 icons -- the Wigwam Motel of Holbrook, Ariz., and the Blue Swallow Motel of Tucumcari, N.M.
A closer look at the Wigwams
The Press-Enterprise newspaper in the Los Angeles region posted a story about the origins of the famed Wigwam Motel on Route 66 in on the San Bernardino and Rialto line. What got overlooked in the story is that the motel was a haven for prostitution and other shady activities for many years. The property was … Continue reading A closer look at the Wigwams