MONON Railroad Historical-Technical Society

Ohio River Bridge

MP 324.1 - 6th Subdivision - Wf

Ohio River

The Ohio River begins at the junction of the Ohio and Monongahela Rivers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The first bridge over the Ohio River at this location was built by the Kentucky and Indiana Bridge Company of Kentucky whose charter was approved on April 1, 1880 by the Kentucky legislature. On March 7, 1881 the Indiana Bridge Company was approved by the Indiana General Assembly. The bridge company was sold to the Southern Railway, Baltimore and Ohio Southwestern, Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railroad on January 18, 1900. It was reorganized as the Kentucky & Indiana Terminal Railroad Company effective December 30, 1910. The bridge is now part of the Norfork Southern Corporation.

Photos: Left: The Kentucky and Indiana Bridge, circa 1929. The first spans cross the Portland Canal. Right: The bridge, circa 1935. Photos University of Louisville Library, Louisville Herald-Post Collection-

Photo: Left:One more look at the Kentucky and Indiana Bridge, circa 2005. Right: The KIT bridge at night.

Photo: Left: Looking at both tracks on the KIT. Right: Southern freight coming across the bridge.

Photos: Left and Right: Under the KIT Bridge on the New Albany side, circa 2010.-Jim Davis Photograph-

Coming down from the bridge in Kentucky. Left: Train 5, circa 1964. Right: Freight #73 coming off the bridge.

Photo: Left: FM #46 on an interesting consist coming off the bridge in 1964 Right: 1966. Derby Special entering Louisville.

Photos: Left: C-420s on #73 coming off the bridge into Louisville. Right: Lash up of C-628s.

Youngstown Yard

Youngtown MP 319.4 YD

This yard once owned and operated by the KIT Railroad was used by the Monon as the terminal for its freight traffic. It is presently a Norfolk and Southern facillity.

Photos: The Monon Freight House at the KIT Railroad's Youngtown Yard, circa late 1940's or early 1950's.

Photo: A group of men in hats and coats stand on the stairs and at the foot of the stairs to the Monon Freight House building. Caufiled and Shook Photograph, University of Louisville Archives.

Photo; Right: Left to right on stairs: Clyde Chastain, Herman Wilson, Ray Warren, Paint Crew foreman Kenneth Pritchett, Charles Apple, Morris Newlin, Jake Brown. Standing: Smoky Brunson. -Courtesy David Longest-

Photos: Left and Right: The former Monon Freight House, circa 2004 -David Longest Photos-

Photos: Left and Right: Former Monon Louisville Freight House, circa 2010. -Jim Davis Photographs-

Photo: Left: Youngtown Yard. Right: Monon F3's pass through the wash line.

Photos: Left: Monon RS-2's on the fuel track at Youngtown. Right: Lash up of RS-2's on the sand track.

1965 scene at Youngtown. Last up of C-628s await their assignment.

Louisville

Col. George Rogers Clark made the first Anglo-American settlement in the vicinity of modern-day Louisville in 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. He was conducting a campaign against the British in areas north of the Ohio River, then called the Illinois Country. During its earliest history, the colony of Louisville and the surrounding areas suffered from Indian attacks, as Native Americans tried to push out the encroaching colonists. As the Revolutionary War was still being waged, all early residents lived within forts, as suggested by the earliest government of Kentucky County, Virginia. The initial fort, at the northern tip of today's 12th street, was called Fort-on-Shore. In 1780, the Virginia General Assembly and then-Governor Thomas Jefferson approved the town charter of Louisville on May 1. Clark recruited early Kentucky pioneer James John Floyd, who was placed on the town's board of trustees and given the authority to plan and lay out the town. Jefferson County, named after Thomas Jefferson, was formed at this time as one of three original Kentucky counties from the old Kentucky County, Virginia. Louisville was the county seat.

Also during 1780, three hundred families immigrated to the area, Louisville's first fire department was established, and the first street plan of Louisville was laid out by Willian Pope. Shippingport, incorporated in 1785, was a vital part of early Louisville, allowing goods to be transported through the Falls of the Ohio. The first church was built in 1790, the first hotel in 1793, and the first post office in 1795. Following the 1850 Census, Louisville was reported as the nation's tenth largest city, while Kentucky was reported as the eighth most populous state.

The Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N) Company was founded in 1850 by James Guthrie, who also was involved in the founding of the University of Louisville. When the railroad was completed in 1859, Louisville's strategic location at the Falls of the Ohio became central to the city's development and importance in the rail and water freight transportation business.

Photo: Left: Churchill Downs 1901. Right: The Kentucky Derby, unknown date.

The first Kentucky Derby was held on May 17, 1875, at the Louisville Jockey Club track (later renamed to Churchill Downs). The Derby was originally shepherded by Meriwether Lewis Clark, Jr., the grandson of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Ten thousand spectators were present at the first Derby to watch Aristides win the race.

On February 2, 1876, professional baseball launched the National League, and the Louisville Grays were a charter member. While the Grays were a relatively short-lived team, playing for only two years, they began a much longer lasting relationship between the city and baseball. In 1883, John "Bud" Hillerich made his first baseball bat from white ash in his father's wood shop. The first bat was produced for Pete "The Gladiator" Browning of the Louisville Eclipse (minor league team). The bats eventually become known by the popular name, Louisville Slugger, and the local company Hillerich & Bradsby rapidly became one of the largest manufacturers of baseball bats and other sporting equipment in the world. Photo Left: Louisville Slugger Headquarters.

Photo Right: Monon Directors Special at New Albany, January 1968.

Union Station MP 324.1 Wf

Photo: Louisville's Union Station 1907. Louisville and Nashville Railroad's Office building is to the left of the photo.

Louisville Union Station Left: The station in 1922. Construction of the station began in 1880, but completion was delayed until 1889. Its exterior is made of limestone ashlar, mostly from Bowling Green, Kentucky, although limestone from Bedford, Indiana was used for its trim. Several railroads served Louisville, including the Monon, Louisville and Nashville, Chesapeake and Ohio, Illinois Central. New York Central, Pennsylvania Railroad and the Baltimore and Ohio. The passenger terminal was owned by the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Right: Union Station Today

Photos: Left: Interior of Union Station, 1936. Right: Another look, modern era. Not sure of the date.

Photo Left: Monon train bearing the emblem for Kosair Templars sits on the railroad tracks. The wheels on the engine section have pictures of camels decorating them and there is bunting. Date is June 11, 1920. Louisville's Union Station is in the distance. - University of Louisville Archives.-

Photos: Left and Right: Louisville's Union Station and Yard.

Photos Left and Right: Monon head end equipment at Louisville. RPO #18 on Derby Special at Union Station. -Robert Schultz Photographs-

Photos: Left: C&O waits to head out. Right: Union Station served many roads. Pictured are the the L&N and C&O.

Photos: Left: Train #6 awaits departure. Right: Train #5 with REA Express car arrives at Union Station, 1964

Photos: Left: F3 #81A ready to leave with Train #6. Right: Train #6 departs the station, January 1950. Both photos courtest of Tom Bedwell.

Photo: Left: September 1963. Train #6 gets ready to head north. Right: 84B on passenger at Union Station.

Photo: F3 #84B on passenger at Union Station.

Photos: Left: Red and gray Train #6 gets ready for its run north. Right: Train #6 ready to head out, 1964.

| Bygone Monon Main | Fifth Subdivision |