Memphis, TN

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I will be arriving in the Memphis Central Station and would like to be able to explore Memphis on foot without keeping track of my Onewheel. I see that baggage storage is listed here: Memphis, TN - Central Station (MEM) | Amtrak

Does this mean I could leave my bag or Onewheel at no additional charge as a coach passenger?
I don't know the details of the Memphis station, but in general at Amtrak stations, baggage storage is not free. The last time I used it (in New York), it was $20 a day, or $10 a day if you had a ticket for a train within 24 hours. (I was able to store the bag for $10 on the basis of a ticket I had for a train leaving the next morning.)
 
I don't know the details of the Memphis station, but in general at Amtrak stations, baggage storage is not free. The last time I used it (in New York), it was $20 a day, or $10 a day if you had a ticket for a train within 24 hours. (I was able to store the bag for $10 on the basis of a ticket I had for a train leaving the next morning.)

Good to know. I may not need it at all but wanted to know my options just in case.
 
I don't know the details of the Memphis station, but in general at Amtrak stations, baggage storage is not free. The last time I used it (in New York), it was $20 a day, or $10 a day if you had a ticket for a train within 24 hours. (I was able to store the bag for $10 on the basis of a ticket I had for a train leaving the next morning.)
I had the same experience in Charlottesville. $10 while I waited for my connection from the Cardinal to the Crescent.
 
Since your location says Minnesota, I am assuming you are coming from the north. The last couple miles into Memphis Central Station have a few blocks along the riverfront. The river is on your right side when going south. The south end of the Main Street heritage streetcar line is literally right outside the door on Main Street. There is a small and very nice railroad related museum just inside the door from Main Street. Across the street from the station is the long-standing Arcade restaurant. Nice basic good food, not special, but nice and is handy. The streetcar is a nice way to go up and down main street. $1.00 fare, $2.00 day pass. I think you can get the pass directly from the operator. Just ask. These are rebuilds of the original cars, mostly from Melbourne, (yes, the one in Australia), and are in nice condition. There is in place a loop line track that uses what was the ICRR southbound main track along the river, but this line is currently not in service, so what you have is a line up and down Main Street from Central Station to a north terminal just north of the Convention Center, also near the Pyramid. (The former northbound main track is still in railroad service, used as a single track main by Amtrak, and the occasional CN freight.) On the riverside of the riverside loop track is a pedestrian walkway on what was previously a third track along the riverfront.

Suggest that if you can work it in take a sightseeing cruise on the river. Info can be found on memphisriverboats.net. When I tried to copy it in, it came up as: Sightseeing Cruise | Memphis Riverboats The afternoon cruise is 90 minutes, starting at 2:30pm and costs $25.00, or $21.00 if senior citizen, youth, etc. It runs down the river a ways, and then up the river a ways, going under the river bridges, and you will usually see a tow or two. The person giving the spiel is interesting, and mostly, but not completely factual. The actual river current is not really that fast, it is just that the volume of flow is massive. To get to the boat, get off the streetcar at the stop nearest Beale Street, walk down toward the river, going under the railroad just before Riverside Drive, cross Riverside Drive and walk south along the top of the landing area until you see the point to access the boat.

If you are really into heavy duty walking, the northernmost of the three closely parallel bridges across the river has a pedestrian/bike walkway on what was the north side roadway of the bridge as originally built in 1916. This bridge is the second bridge built across the river, is a double track railroad bridge, now Union Pacific, with roadways on both sides hanging outside the truss. No road usage for many years now. The middle of these three bridges was the first bridge over the lower river, opened in 1892, as a single track railroad bridge, with the deck originally planked level with top of rails so it could be used by wagons between trains. This was the southern most bridge across the Mississippi River until 1930 when the Vicksburg bridge opened. It is currently used by BNSF.
 
Thanks for the input!
Since your location says Minnesota, I am assuming you are coming from the north.

Correct. You've given me an idea, though. I wanted to explore on foot primarily because my Onewheel has limited range, but there's no reason I can't stop somewhere to charge it after exploring the downtown area, maybe around lunch time. Crossing the bridge into Arkansas also sounds great.
 
Correct. You've given me an idea, though. I wanted to explore on foot primarily because my Onewheel has limited range, but there's no reason I can't stop somewhere to charge it after exploring the downtown area, maybe around lunch time. Crossing the bridge into Arkansas also sounds great.
I can't help you on where and how to find a place to charge your onewheel. Neither can I help you on finding public restrooms in the area. Since the city tries to promote the downtown strip as a touristy thing, surely there should be some somewhere, but I am only downtown at fairly long intervals and on business to places that have restrooms. To go from Central Station to the Memphis end of the bridge end is a fairly long hike itself, and parts through areas that are not exactly prime areas. To go from the Beale Street streetcar stop to the "Beale Street Landing" location, which is actually a couple blocks south of Beale and Riverside, where the riverboat docks is about a three block walk and not exactly level for the first block down from Main and Beale.

Memphis is where it is because it is on a hard clay bluff making it a fairly stable location on the river channel and above floods. Incidentially, the river elevation at low water is only about 190 feet above sea level even though it is around 700 miles by river to the gulf. People quote really fast water speeds, but the reality is that the flow speed varies between less than 2 mph to about 5 to 6 mph. What gets you is the volume of water, which, depending upon upstream rainfall can vary between around 200,000 cubic feet per second to somewhere above 1,200,000 cfs. You don't go swimming in the river unless you have a death wish. Right now the river gauge is 22.8 feet, which means 22.8 feet above lowest water reading. Zero on the gage is 183.91 feet above sea level. Flood stage is 34 feet.

(Memphis was named for Memphis, Egypt.)
 
People quote really fast water speeds, but the reality is that the flow speed varies between less than 2 mph to about 5 to 6 mph. What gets you is the volume of water, which, depending upon upstream rainfall can vary between around 200,000 cubic feet per second to somewhere above 1,200,000 cfs. You don't go swimming in the river unless you have a death wish. Right now the river gauge is 22.8 feet, which means 22.8 feet above lowest water reading. Zero on the gage is 183.91 feet above sea level. Flood stage is 34 feet.

A 5 or 6 mph current in a river is incredibly fast. Heck, even a 3 mph current is pretty fast. When I did streamflow measurements (which admittedly wasn't that often, as my specialty was in ground water), I don't think I ever measured current going 3 mph. Also, the current velocity varies across a cross section of the river channel, with slower velocities along the bottom, banks, and surface and higher velocities in the middle of the water column. I've also read about weird hydraulic phenomena in large rivers like the Mississippi, and I certainly agree that going swimming in such a place involves a death wish, or at least extreme ignorance.
 
I see on their website that Onewheels have top speeds of 16 - 19 mph, depending on the model and can tale up to +/- two hours to recharge. Is this the best way to sightsee a new city - browsing, shopping, restaurants, jazz, etc.? Just throwing that out there; I have nothing against Onewheels (except when one passes me on the sidewalk from behind. o_O Unlike skateboards, they're almost completely silent.)
 
I see on their website that Onewheels have top speeds of 16 - 19 mph, depending on the model and can tale up to +/- two hours to recharge. Is this the best way to sightsee a new city - browsing, shopping, restaurants, jazz, etc.? Just throwing that out there; I have nothing against Onewheels (except when one passes me on the sidewalk from behind. o_O Unlike skateboards, they're almost completely silent.)

A fair point, but the sightseeing is a bit of an afterthought. I will be in the Southhaven area for a graduation and will meet up with the rest of my family who are driving there- the train is an excuse to get there a day sooner and of course to ride the train. There's always an excuse to ride the train! 😁

I do my best to slow down when passing people on the sidewalk when riding my Onewheel, though. ;)

Edit: don't be like me and push the speed too much on a Onewheel- I've hit 21.8mph which is well past the speed at which it warns you to slow down.
 
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Wow! Had no idea what a Onewheel was until I just looked it up. Think just looking it up is enough for me.

MARC Rider: Yes, the high numbers I gave are extremely fast for any large river, and only happen here in floods. The usual range of river speed for the Lower Mississippi is close to the low end numbers. Most people have trouble believing "is it really moving that slow?" The average flow volume is also somewhat under half of the high volumes I quoted. Also, due to the huge size of the drainage basin, the local high/low water range may be completely unrelated to local rainfall and small stream flows. There have in the past been quite a few incidents of people parking close to the edge of the water coming back to find their car in the water. (What! It hasn't even rained today!) There can be water elevation changes of over a couple feet in a day, although that is unusual.
 
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I always wear a helmet like the one I linked there, but no kneepads or elbow pads, though.
There are breaks in the pavement next to the streetcar rails at numerous locations. Donations are accepted,, although not sure that you have enough skin to donate to be willing to do so. :eek:😁

Seriously, I hope you are aware that when wheeling across the rails you need to be as near 90 degrees as practical. Attempting to cross a rail at a low angle will usually lead to ground contact.
 
A 5 or 6 mph current in a river is incredibly fast. Heck, even a 3 mph current is pretty fast. When I did streamflow measurements (which admittedly wasn't that often, as my specialty was in ground water), I don't think I ever measured current going 3 mph. Also, the current velocity varies across a cross section of the river channel, with slower velocities along the bottom, banks, and surface and higher velocities in the middle of the water column. I've also read about weird hydraulic phenomena in large rivers like the Mississippi, and I certainly agree that going swimming in such a place involves a death wish, or at least extreme ignorance.
Rivers can be so deceptive. The Kern River east of Bakersfield in theSouthern Sierra range is wild in a lot of areas that promotes great kayaking. Other spots are delightful looking pools that look so tempting for swimming and can be so dangerous because of undercurrent that been the end for many.
 
Rivers can be so deceptive. The Kern River east of Bakersfield in theSouthern Sierra range is wild in a lot of areas that promotes great kayaking. Other spots are delightful looking pools that look so tempting for swimming and can be so dangerous because of undercurrent that been the end for many.
Honey, the Kern River is a creek compared to the Mississippi.
 
From the Memphis Central (Amtrak) Station, you have the option of taxi, Lyft and Uber. There are usually a few taxis that meet the train in the station. There is a public bus system, but that would require one (or more) transfers.
 
I have some travel questions; my mother is planning a group trip from Hammond to Memphis and was wondering how get around from the train station/hotel (planning on staying at the Central Station Hotel) to Graceland.

We were wanting to take an Uber but my father wants to rent a car/van so what is your opinion on this?

We are also needing restaurant suggestions for when we get off the train.

The trip isn't until June, but we are planning ahead.

Also, any sightseeing places you suggest.
 
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Union Station Hotel or Central Station Hotel? Think what you are talking about is the hotel connected to the Amtrak Station, in fact it is the old Central Station and Illinois Central office building that was above the station. Downtown Memphis is not a safe place at night. Directly across Main Street from the station is the Arcade Restaurant. It has limited hours. It will almost certainly be closed when you get there if you are coming in on the northbound CNO. Not a gourmet restaurant by any means, but a good place to eat and has been there about as long as the station. Beale Street is a tourist trap, and unless getting drunk with the possibility of being mugged is your thing, forget it. I don't know if you can rent a car at the station or not, but I think not. Whatever you want to do you, you should arrange ahead of time.

One of my things I take people to see is a riverboat ride. There is a touristy boat that gives afternoon and evening rides out on the Mississippi River. Since your starting point is Hammond LA, this sort of big river in action may not be news to you, but if you haven't seen it up close and personal, it can be most interesting. It is, or was a couple years ago, so don't know if the price has changed but it was $25 a head at that time. The place of departure is called Beale Street Landing, It is off of Riverside Drive about a block south of where Beale Street intersects Riverside. Allow plenty of time to park and walk, as there is no immediately adjacent parking.

Memphis has a murder and shooting rate right up there with New Orleans, so plan accordingly. Many people simply avoid being inside the I-240 loop after dark. Again, if coming in on the CNO from the south, I would suggest taking a taxi or Uber or rent car, go south on I-55 to about the state line and find a place to stay. Then you can go straight up US-51 / Elvis Presley Blvd to Graceland the next morning.
 
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Union Station Hotel or Central Station Hotel? Think what you are talking about is the hotel connected to the Amtrak Station, in fact it is the old Central Station and Illinois Central office building that was above the station. Downtown Memphis is not a safe place at night. Directly across Main Street from the station is the Arcade Restaurant. It has limited hours. It will almost certainly be closed when you get there if you are coming in on the northbound CNO. Not a gourmet restaurant by any means, but a good place to eat and has been there about as long as the station. Beale Street is a tourist trap, and unless getting drunk with the possibility of being mugged is your thing, forget it. I don't know if you can rent a car at the station or not, but I think not. Whatever you want to do you, you should arrange ahead of time.

One of my things I take people to see is a riverboat ride. There is a touristy boat that gives afternoon and evening rides out on the Mississippi River. Since your starting point is Hammond LA, this sort of big river in action may not be news to you, but if you haven't seen it up close and personal, it can be most interesting. It is, or was a couple years ago, so don't know if the price has changed but it was $25 a head at that time. The place of departure is called Beale Street Landing, It is off of Riverside Drive about a block south of where Beale Street intersects Riverside. Allow plenty of time to park and walk, as there is no immediately adjacent parking.

Memphis has a murder and shooting rate right up there with New Orleans, so plan accordingly. Many people simply avoid being inside the I-240 loop after dark. Again, if coming in on the CNO from the south, I would suggest taking a taxi or Uber or rent car, go south on I-55 to about the state line and find a place to stay. Then you can go straight up US-51 / Elvis Presley Blvd to Graceland the next morning.


Yes I meant Central Station (I fixed it on my post), thank you for catching my mistake.

Thank you for your input as well.
 
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