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Downtown Indianapolis hotel allows guests to stay in historic train cars

The trains at Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Downtown Union Station haven't moved in decades, but hotel guests can take a trip back in time and stay inside a train car.

INDIANAPOLIS — It's "all aboard" a piece of American history right in the middle of downtown Indianapolis. 

"This is, I think, probably one of the most unique hotels in the country in the fact that we're the only hotel with train car rooms that are sleeping rooms inside the hotel itself," said Jim Dora, president and CEO of General Hotels Corporation. 

Dora oversees the Crowne Plaza Indianapolis hotel, which was built in the train shed of Union Station.

"These train cars actually sit on the original train tracks that serviced Union Station back in the day when train travel was the only way to travel across the country," Dora said. "Back in the day of train travel, over 200 trains a day came through Indianapolis and the Union Station facility here."

The trains haven't moved in decades, but hotel guests can take that trip back in time and stay inside the train.

"We have 13 train cars, 26 hotel rooms and they're very unique," Dora said. "All of the amenities that you would have in a normal hotel room are in this train car, it's just a slightly different setup."

Near or far, this is an experience worth checking out. 

"We are so blessed to be able to help maintain a piece of history," Dora said. "That's a unique opportunity and we take it very seriously. We care for the building. The city has done a terrific job of caring for the building. Hopefully our operation helps to offset those costs and keeps a structure like this intact well into the future."

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