MONON Railroad Historical-Technical Society

M.P. A00.0 - 3st Subdivision - Rn

M.P. B88.4 - 2nd Subdivision - Rn

M.P. 88.4 - 1st Subdivision - Rn

The town of Monon was platted by James Brooks, President of the New Albany and Salem Railroad (forerunner of the Monon Railroad), in 1853. The first post office was established in 1838. The town was incorporated in 1878. There are two creeks near Monon, the Big Monon and the Little Monon. The spelling of the name of the creeks, from which the name of Monon is derived, was formerly Monong, a Potawatomi word which one authority says meant "swift-running". The name of Monon is also accredited to the Monon Railroad. The name Monon was adopted by the Monon in the late 1940's for advertising purposes. In 2000 the population of Monon was 1,733. (Historical information from Now and Then, a Century of Progress, Monon, 1878-1978 courtsey of the Town of Monon Library.)

Original wooden depot at Monon. Left: Passengers pose new the wooden depot. Right: Original depot and Junction House Hotel. -MRHTS Archives Collection-

Monon Indiana depot, early 1900's. This depot is the the original wooden depot after a second story was added. Exact date unknown. Locomotive pictured is on the Indianapolis line. This depot was replaced with a limestone one during the McDoel presidency.

Monon Indiana depot. Two story wood structure which was replaced with a limestone depot, which was leveled in the 1951 accident. Train pictured is on the Indianapolis line.

Monon Indiana depot, circa 1922. The town was the meeting point for the the different branches. The northern division rounded a nine degree curve before heading south to Layafette and eventually Louisville. The Indianapolis line headed east and the Michigan City line headed north. This building was reduced to rubble on September 17, 1951, when Train 5, the Thoroughbred derailed rounding the curve. F3A units 85A and 85B, with additional units 82A and 81B behind being taken to Lafayette. The accident occured at 3:18 pm. The depot was replaced and officially opened June 10, 1953. Image courtsey of Mike Aufderheide.

Limestone depot at Monon, Indiana. This was the depot that was destroyed. -MRHTS Photo Archives-

Left: Experimental Budd Rail Diesel Car (RDC) at Monon. The car was an idea of the late 1940's, an attempt by the Budd Company and General Motors to put the gas-electric rail motor cars of earlier decades into modern guise. For two weeks, between April 1, 1950 and April 15, 1950, RDC-1 worked in revenue service on the Monon. At 6:40 it left Bloomington and arrived at 9:30 at Monon, where it connected with the northbound Tippecanoe. Then, at 11:05 it returned south arriving at Bedford at 2:40. Then it started iits second leg, leaving Bedford at 3:30 and arriving at Monon 7:05 to connect with the northbound Hoosier. Right: Train #11 at Monon. Note RDC on the Michigan City track. -Photos: Left MRHTS Collection. Right: Sandy Goodrick Photograph-

Another photo of The Hoosier, Train #12 arriving at Monon to meet the Budd RDC. -Malcomb McCarter Photograph-

January 1947. Brand new EMD F3s on display in Monon, Indiana. Showing off the new diesel power was a big deal, as witnessed by the band on the platform near the depot. -Mike Aufderheide/ Indiana Historical Society Collection-

The replacement depot. Opened in 1953. this photo appears to show the depot during the late 1950's or early 1960's based on the vehicles in the picture. The exact date is unknow. Image courtsey of Mike Aufderheide.

Northbound Train #6. Left: Crossing Monon Creek approaching the depot. Right: Gliding around the curve slowing for their stop. Date unknown.

May 25, 1963, a Monon passenger pay a call on its namesake. Picture also shows hotel in the background. E. Strombeck photo, obtained through the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum, North Judson, Indiana.

Monon employees picnic special northbound on the Michigan City branch. This group is headed for an outing at Michigan City. The Indianapolis Branch runs left to right.

Front of the limestone storage building on the Michigan City Branch at Monon. It was used as a temporary yard office after the 1951 wreck.

Left: Ice house at Monon. Locomotive crews would pick up ice here. Right: Another shot of the limestone storage building.

Local action in the North Yard. Left: BL2 on local coming off the enginehouse lead. Right: Local turning onto the Wye which leads to the Michigan City Branch.

Main Street, Monon, Indiana. Exact date is unknown, but it appears to be the early 1900's.

Monon School, circa 1930's.

Monon Town Hall. Exact date unknown. Most likely this image dates from the 1950's.

There were two yards at Monon. The main yard, called the West Yard, was 11 tracks wide (including the mainline) and about 2,500 feet long with a 270 car capacity in 1948. The other, the South Yard, ran parallel to the Louisville main and began immediately south of the Monon Creek bridge. It was only 5 tracks wide but had a 278 car capacity because it was 4,200 feet long. Pictured is the West Yard and engine facillity that was west of the depot. Date of the picture is unknown. In 1926 a huge fire destroyed the enginehouse and machine shop. They were replaced in 1928. Image courtsey of Mike Aufderheide.

Monon Indiana coal dock. Date unknown.

Left: Panoramic view of the Monon enginehouse and West Yard. Right: Nice shot of the enginehouse. Mahlon Eberhard collection.

The Monon, Indiana West Yard and enginehouse, circa 1967. You are looking northwest. Image courtsey of Tim Swan.

Another look at the enginehouse at Monon, Indiana. Note the BL2 indside the building. Photo was also taken in 1967. Image courtsey of Tim Swan.

Turntable at Monon. The turntable was located west of the depot, about 100 feet south of the mainline and about 700 feet east of the enginehouse. The enginehouse was not a roundhouse. It was rectangular with all four stalls accessed by switches (points facing east) off the enginehouse lead. The turntable, only about a sixty-footer, was at the end of its own spur that ran from the enginehouse lead. The enginehouse lead was near and parallel to the yard's east-end ladder track. Picture circa 1967. Image courtsey of Tim Swan.

The West, or North Yard, at Monon was also the home of the Rail Plant. Left and Right: Pictures of the Rail Plant.

Left: Southbound train #73 passing through the West, or North Yard, circa late 1950's. Right: Southbound approaching the depot and the curve to continue its journey to south.

Left: Southbound local west, railroad north, of the depot has just passed through the north yard. Right: Northbound local heading towards the west yard.

Southbound #73 crossing Highway 421 coming up on the depot.

Southbound Train #5 passing through South Yard. Next stop Reynolds.

The south yard at Monon. Left: Local working in the south yard, heading north. Right: Southbound Train #5 passing through the south yard.

Left: Train #6 northbound through the south yards. Right: Freight #73 has already crossed Monon Creek and is passing through the south yard.

Left: Great shot of the south yard and train #73 passing through. Highway 421 is to the right side of the image. Right: Another view of southbound Train #73 passing.

Switchman signaling the locomotive. South yard at Monon. Again, that is Highway 421 over to the right.

Monon Crushed Stone Company. Date of picture unknown.

Left and Right: Derailment in the southyard. Northbound freight has a little mishap coming through the yard. The Monon Stone Crusher is pictured in the photo to the left. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-

Another view of the derailment, southyard, Monon. -Dick Fontaine Photograph-

Mile Post 91. Note the telegraph pole to the right. Pictured is mile post #91. On the quarter mile increments they used one, two, and three white bands around the posts. This location is 2.6 miles south of the curve at Monon, Indiana. Highway 421 is pictured to the left of the image. Date unknown.

Monon, Indiana area 2020

Pictures by Nathan Miles
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