Monroe, Louisiana
Holiday Inn
1051 Martin Luther King Jr Dr
Monroe, LA 71203
318-387-5100
You need to stay on the Second Floor, in the South end of the hotel, which overlooks the KCS mainline over to Vicksburg, MS. The attached map shows why: there is a fence between the hotel parking lot and the tracks. But, if you get on the second level not only is there a good view from the trackside rooms (227-241 are best) but there is an outside walkway from 227 around to 225 (south-west corner) and from 241 to 243 (south-east corner). Rooms from 243 up are on the east side, and any view is blocked by the tree line I've indicated on the map. On the West side, rooms 219-225 are quite good, while 209-217 should be acceptable. In all cases, the odd numbered rooms are on the outside of the building. We stayed in 223 and were quite happy.
Also, on the west side of hiway 165, the KCS yard runs alongside of Millhaven Rd. There's a yard office just a couple blocks down that way. The railgrinder was working its way West about the time we were checking in on the Saturday evening after Thanksgiving. Not a very good pic, but it was overcast, drizzly, and the light was fading fast. The picture was taken from the 2nd floor SE-corner walkway.
Submitted by Ron Kohlin 1.1.6
The Holiday Inn "Holidome" in East Monroe is trackside to the KCS Transcon mainline between Dallas and Meridian, Mississippi. They have some rooms facing the tracks on the upper floor as well as the lower floor that have great views. Many trains a day travel this line, and a local yard see's switching moves beside the hotel as well. There are a couple of shortlines a few miles away, and has become a favorite of mine the past few years.
Submitted by Howard Keith 11.24.03
Residence Inn
4960 Millhaven Rd
Monroe, LA 71203
318-387-0210
It is right across Millhaven Rd. from what I believe is a Canadian National (ex-IC) track. Rooms on the north side will overlook the track; given the intervening street, an upper-floor room might be better. This hotel is inside Pecanland Mall and right by the Monroe airport. I believe there are also Missouri Pacific tracks a bit to the north. I discovered by accident how active this line is when I spent a night there and had about five trains between midnight and 6 a.m.
Submitted by Dave Redmann