2005 Convention

2005 Pictures And Wrap Up

Ken Weller and Kevin Heggi hard at work relaxing on the porch at the hotel

Friday evening and caboose 81532 is looking good.
Ready to ride the rails once again with passengers from the MRHTS.

What's this? At breakfast Saturday morning, we all noticed Steve Long's pickup truck's bed is EMPTY!
(Well sort of.) Must have clean it out in order to bring home all his purchases at the swap meet Sunday?

Saturday Morning Excursion

Your engineer, George I Carpenter III, aka Casey G3.

Left: What do you mean, REAL TRAINMEN DID NOT WEAR PINK HATS!
Webmaster Tom Kepshire poses with his newest hat.

Right: Convention Chairman Tom Rankin and Co-Chairman
(Who did 99%of the work) Pam Kut, drawing raffle tickets
for the locomotive and caboose seats.

Left: Member Tim Swan picks his own name. Hey, is that fair?

Right: President Frank Van Bree attempts to secure himself a caboose ride ticket.
Lucky Andrew enlisted a local guard dog to protect his winning ticket.

"You really traded your winning locomotive ride ticket Tim?
Just to ride back here with me? I'm flattered."
Society Members Tim Swan and Steve Long look contented and happy.

Left: Gee, who said the elected officers don't get perks?
President Van Bree waves to his adoring fan. Time to get this train moving.
I wonder if anyone checked his winning ticket?

Right: Here we go, heading off for a day of excitement.

Left: We're off to West Baden! Maybe

Right: Hey, nobody said my picture would be taken.

Left: Why do we always seem to be waiting on Van Bree?
He should have thought about that earlier.

Inside the West Baden. At one time considered the Eighth Wonder Of The World.
Great picture.

Up close detail of the statues inside the dome at West Baden.
This building will be completely restored and will once again play host to visitors to the area..

Saturday Evening Dinner

Left: Black Ops Committee Kevin Heggi discusses events and plans his next operation.

Right: "Come on Max, think bigger.
You , me and Kepshire together, beating Frank
in 2006 would be a lock. At least think about it."

Left: "Nine Joints" Marquardt ponders what his next selection will be.
Ronnie Had A Little Goat was suggested, but he claims
there is no such song. People even tipped him.

Right: The New "Monon 5" give their rendition of
Up And Down The Monon.
They riveted the crowd with their rendition of the
song,or, maybe the crowd was looking at the
deserts?

The Monon 5 finishing their tribute to the Monon. "I suggest that next year the packet we receive contain ear plugs." -Warren Mitchell- (Post convention side note: Warren will soon be appointed the new Chairman of the Convention Musical Entertainment Committee.)

Left: The performance was so good, Dan Seldin had to leave the room.

Right: Who said that bad deeds and humor never go un rewarded? President
Frank Van Bree presents the First Annual National Spike Museum's Monon Man Of The
Year Award to Webmaster Tom Kepshire and Acting Treasurer Max Foltz at the dinner.
Now we know where some of the stuff from Steve's pick up went. No expense was
spared. Are those smug looks, or what?

President Frank Van Bree introduces the Guest Speaker, Alfred Popp.

Left: After dinner, Alfred Popp entertains the guess with his experiences on the southern
end section gangs of the Monon Railroad. He shared many stories of how well the tracks
were maintained. He also provided some "behind the scenes" information on how things
were really done back then. Cecil Smith from the Depot Museum in Salem provided several
track tools similar to those that Alfred had used many times over the years.

Right: After the dinner and guest speaker, Ken Weller entertained
with his Power Point presentations.

Swap Meet & Clinics

Left: Dealers set up their wares, including the Company Store. Right: A fully stocked Company Store await shoppers.

Left and Right: Ron "Nine Joints" Marquardt conducts a clinic on Operating Rules
, or the care a feeding of goats. Whatever one, we hear from those in attendance
it was very informative and entertaining.

Right: Lyle Key conducting a clinic on railroad photography.

Annual Business Meeting

Left: Okay you guys, who hide my beer?

Right: "Come on people, let's sing Happy Birthday to Jim Davis."

Left: Well, another Convention down. Are you looking forward to 2006?

Right: Your humble Webmaster meets Pluto.
He always wanted to thank the person
behind many of his Frankie Monon pictures.

Here are pictures from Monon Railroad Historical-Technical Society Inc.
members who wanted to share their pictures from the French Lick Convention.

Left: Jim Dumbsky of Crown Point shares this picture of his son Andrew
getting ready to ride the caboose back to French Lick.

Right: The south portal of the tunnel. Both Jim and son Andrew
had a great time.

Left: Andrew Dumbsky getting ready for the excursion.
Note the guy in the pink hat lurking. I'd watch this character.

Right: Andrew on the steps of caboose 81532.

Left: Front steps leading up to the West Baden hotel.

Right: Lovely gardens and grounds at West Baden.

Left: Inside the dinning room.

Right: Former French Lick branch bridge at Abydell.

Jim Davis shares some of his pictures. Left: Yep, it sure is dark inside this here tunnel

Right: Ah yes, much better. Hope nobody was scared in the darkness.

Left and Right: Panoramic view of the West Baden Springs from south of the grounds.
Up in the high country.

Left: Inside the Springs. Tour guest are awe struck by the renovations.

Right: Model railroad layout at West Baden...na, just kidding.
This layout is at the Depot Museum In Salem.
There Cecil, you got another plug. Happy?

More of Warren Mitchell's pictures.
Left: Warren rides the cupola. Looks like he's have a blast.

Right: "Okay people, lets all remember where we parked.
Please keep a straight and orderly line. No cuts Long!"
Tour guests get ready to enter the grounds of the West Baden Springs.

Left: "Yes, we have lots of flowers here sir and no you can't take anything with you. Is Heggi in this group? Now
please follow me." The Tour Guide explains the details of the grounds.

Right: The impressive fountain. Beautiful.

Left: Yes sir, the ground are really beautiful.

Right: "You've been a really great bunch of guest.
Oh yea, Mr. Heggi, we have been asked to search you.
One of our statues is missing. Just kidding. Thanks for coming."

Left: Poor old Steve is plum tuckered out. Or, thinking about dinner.

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