Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
September 14, 2024

Photos from Monon caboose 81532 at Hoosier Valley 9/14/24.

Photo 1 - Kaiden Roberts removing window edge rust on Monon 81532's cupola.

Photo 2 - The 81532 is always dirty after work and Joe Crnkovich swept the caboose floor today.

Photo 3 - After applying primer to the 81532 cupola, Kaiden is shown sanding smooth some rough spots.

Monon Caboose 81532 Update

Update by Les Beckman
October 12, 2025

Photos from Monon caboose 81532 at Hoosier Valley 7/25.

Thomas Dyrek and his friend Christian Schluter worked on this section recently.

Here is Thomas's explanation of their work:

"Removed metal and related debris;
Cut a new section to cover the hole; to bend it to shape
We clamped one end to the vertical facing part of the roof component, heated it with a blow torch
Then slowly and carefully bent the other end downward with clamps until it was the correct shape and in the right spot;
Then Christian welded it into place".

Photo 1 - Shows the edge condition of the roof at one spot on Monon 81532.

Photo 2 - Shows Thomas grinding the area..

Photo 3 - Shows Christian welding.

Photo 4 - Shows the result.

A lot of work for one small section, but the work on 81532 does continue to move forward! Christian lives in Tennessee, so trips to North Judson are not frequent.

Monon DS-50 Restoration Work Update 6-10-2026

Update by Les Beckman
Juner 10, 2026

Ken Davenport has hired a contractor to work this week on Monon # DS-50, which has not seen any work in some time.
Photos from today (6/10/26) at the Shop building of the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, show work being done on the EMD SW1.

Note that the "transition piece" between the cab and the units hood, has been set in place although it has not yet been welded into place. In addition to the
destroyed cab, this transition piece also suffered damage in the accident that destroyed the cab and this is the replacement section for that damaged piece.

Also, a couple of photos showing HVRM member Ben Harleman grinding rust off of the piping next to the DS-50's air tank supports.

Monon DS-50 Restoration Work Update 6-20-2026

Update by Les Beckman
Juner 20, 2026

The contractors have put the replacement cab and transitional hood piece, back on Monon SW1 # DS-50 (photos 1 and 2).

This morning, museum member Ben Harleman and Blake Daulton put the fireman's side air tank in place on the unit (photo # 3).

Getting the air pipe attached to the tank however, took a bit of doing. In the 4th shot, Ben is using a large pipe wrench to try to line the pipe
into its proper position. Eventually the connection was made (photo number 5).

In the afternoon, Ben is seen in photo # 6, working on the clamps that will hold the engineers side air tank in position.

In the 7th photo, Ben (closest to camera) and Blake at the other end of the air tank, work to balance it on the jack so it can be lifted.

The 8th photo shows that they were ultimately successful and the engineers side tank is in place waiting for the clamps to be tightened.

Although the replacement cab is now in place as seen in the first two photos, a lot of work still needs to be done. Photo 9 shows the inside
of this cab which obviously needs a new wood floor, but more importantly, the wiring and various piping parts need to be put back in place.
The contractor is set to return sometime later this summer to do these important tasks.
Progress IS being made but still much to do before we will once again see Monon DS-50 running down the rails.

    Les

The Monon projects continue ongoing at Hoosier Valley!

Much more still to do, but we're getting there!

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