Listen up all of you train buffs (that includes fellow blogger Brian "Candy Corn" Lusk), I had the opportunity to stay at a wonderful hotel that is outfitted especially for you. The Crowne Plaza Hotel at Historic Union Station in Indianapolis, Indiana (IND) has 26 suites that are located within 13 real Pullman sleeper cars. These 1920 era Pullmans were actually brought into the hotel on existing tracks on what is the second floor of the hotel. Walls were built to incorporate the cars within the hotel, where they were cleaned, painted and refurbished to a quality that I feel would make George Mortimer Pullman proud. It's hard to believe that these majestic beauties had been abandoned and left to rust away. Each suite is impressively decorated with antique tables, sitting areas, specifically designed furnishings and, of course, Crowne Plaza's wonderful Sleep Advantage Beds.

The hotel has 273 other guestrooms and suites, but the Pullmans are the star attraction, and since the hotel is situated within an active railroad station, you get the muffled rumble and subtle vibrations of real trains to "enhance the ambiance" of your stay. While walking beside the Pullmans, I even noticed that "train fragrance" of grease and oil which reminded me that these cars are the real deals and not replicas. It was a wonderful moment to take in the beauty of these awesome reminders of past times in our nation's transportation history.