2008 Convention

Official 2008 Convention Wrap-Up

Another one bites the dust. A big "thank you' to all who attended this year's convention. A splendid time was had by all. Additional photos and stories to be added soon. A special thanks to Joseph Novosel Jr. for providing the Live Pictures during the weekend.

New Unionville & Western Railroad

(aka Pete's Playland.)

Tom Kepshire Photographs

Left: Panoramic view of some Monon rolling stock. Oh yes, and a Pluto car. Right: Joe Land and wife check out the yard and the Monon consist that waits for motive power.

Left and Right: Van Bree's favorite car.

Left: Monon steam power getting ready at the roundhouse. Right: Mike Albert checks out a string of hopper cars. He was the first to nit pick about rivets or something like that.

Left: Dead Eye Steve Stafford arrives at Pete's. He heard Heggi was expected, so he had the Hovercraft locked down tight. Right: Pete Pedigo gets ready to move out some clean motive power in anticipation of the group's arrival.

Left: Pluto Water car, Monon Box car 1 and caboose await motive power. Right: Society members arrive.

Justin Asbery Photographs

Left: Steam locomotive 561 passes with a freight. Right: Another group pulling out of the station.

Tour guide telling the history of the quarry and general instructions..

Joe Land Photographs

Left: Pete communicates with all the trains prior to the arrival of the tour. Right: Pete explains the history of his empire and gives instructions.

Left: "Okay, if we are all clear on how we operate, lets have some people get on board." Right: One of the freights pass in review.

Left: Cameras click off picture after picture as the train passes. Right: Pete's railroad is just like a real railroad. Passenger trains take the hole and wait for freights.

Left: A Monon steam powered freight passes in review. That is real limestone in the gons people. Right: The guest are thrilled as the Monon freight passes.

Left: A Nickel Plate ballast train passes. Right: Short coal drag also.

Stew Winstandley Photographs

Left: 1/8 scale model of Coach #43, Louisville, New Albany and Chicago. Right: Eric Powell, Bob Wheeler and El President get ready to depart.

Eric Powell Photographs

Tim Swan Photographs

Left: Dispatcher Pedigo gives orders to a passenger train ready to move. Right: Louisville, New Albany and Chicago coach. Great work.

Left: Taking the siding for the passenger train. Right: "So that is where you keep the refreshments. How clever."

Yep, just what every model railroader needs, a 1/8th scale boxcar cooler.

Former Monon workers pose with the memorial.

A rock cutting thingie in the quarry. (Any know the official name?)

David Longest Photographs

Equipment in the Elliott Stone underground quarry.

Kam Miller Photographs NEW PHOTOS

Left: "A vote for me means beer in every fridge. Heil Van Bree." Right: Construction progress on the new walking train on the former Monon right of way.

Left: Construction progress on the new walking train on the former Monon right of way. Right: End of the line.

Left: Touring the underground quarry at Elliott Stone. Right: Finished products.

Left and Right: Outside the quarry.

Left: Outside the quarry. Right: Inside, looking at work in progress.

Kevin Heggi Photographs

Left: Wow, a refer that doubles as a cooler. What will they think of next. Right: Inside the earth at Elliott.

Left and Right: Inside the earth at Elliott.

Left and Right: More pictures from inside Elliott.

Jim Davis Photographs

Left: "My fellow Americans....." President Van Bree always ready to deliver a speech. Right: Society members gather Saturday morning for the dedication of the Bloomington Monon Memorial.

Left: "Okay, who left this tarp here? Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, I declare this bridge open." George Carpenter unveils the memorial. Right: Tom Rankin returns George's wallet after the official dedication.

Left: Former Monon employees in attendance pose with the memorial. Right" The crowd awaits the free beer that Van Bree promised.

Left: The group is addressed at the Federal Cut Stone Company. Right: "Welcome to our little mill. Hope you enjoy the tour."

Left: "Okay, can Kevin Heggi please step forward. We have been already briefed about you. Come on now, step forward." Right: Stone slabs at the mill await the next step.

Left: Finished slabs wait. Right: Their pet hawk.

Left: Radial saw makes short work of cutting the slab. Right: Nice statue. I wonder what a Frankie Monon would cost?

Left: An employee works on a piece. Right: "Okay, that about does it. Okay guys, you can take the shackles off Mr. Heggi."

Geoff Burns Photographs

Left: George Carpenter explains it all. Right: Ron Marquardt spinning some Monon stories.

Left: Frank about to speak to the crowd. Right: The entrance to the Elliott underground quarry.

Right: The unveiling of the memorial. Right: Inside the quarry.

Right: "This place is BIG." Another shot inside the quarry. Right: After hearing about Heggi's reputation, the finishing mill hired a hawk to watch Heggi, like a hawk.

Banquet Photos

Warren Mitchell Photographs

Left: Webmaster Tom Kepshire sitting among his many friends. Right: Joseph Novosel checks to make sure he captured the moment.

Left: "Okay people, what is my opening bid on this reproduction Monon switch lock?" Right: Singing, or torture. It was a fine line. We all learned just what Fingers Marquardt and his piano means to Up and Down The Monon. L-R, Geoff Burns, Eric Powell, Frankie Monon and Ken Weller.

Left: "Pam honey. Next year at Crawfordsville, lets spend the extra money and get the piano. My ears hurt." Right: By the seriousness on faces, must be Wheeler's Quiz From Hell time. Dan Seldin contemplates the questions.

Left: Webmaster Tom Kepshire reacts to Mike Albert's comment. Mike was the 2008 winner of the Spike Award. Mike was chosen for being the first List Serve member to use a naughty word on the list, a REAL NAUGHTY "F" WORD. Rick Berg and Steve Moiser were presented the Golden Spike Award for their work on the Monon Route in Train Simulator. Neither was able to attend. Montford Switzer also received a Golden Spike Award for his work in modeling the Monon. Right: Time to play Stump The Former Monon Employees. When the scheduled guest speaker was unable to go due to an illness, several former Monon employees in attendance pitched in, stepped up and helped out. L-R, Ron Marquardt, Robert Wheeler, Robert Schultz, Dick Cantwell and Rick Driestadt.

Left: Former Monon employee Frank Van Bree reminds the speakers that the Statute Of Limitations have expired, so go ahead tell all. Right: "You know, I really wanted to hit those cars. I've have said it was his fault, but I swerved the locomotive at the last second and got all of them. Just kidding."

Left: "I am sorry, I refuse to answer that question on the grounds that it may incriminate me. Does anyone else have car repair questions?" Right: Some of the many items up for auction.

Bruce Wolfe looks over some of the auction items.

October 03-05, 2008 Convention Photos

Joseph Novosel Jr. Photographs

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and the Monon Railroad Historical Technical Society, Inc.

Convention Headquarters, Bloomington Indiana

Kick-Off at the Crazy Horse.

HEY! I Captured the Elusive Black-Ops Staff Car!

The R.O.W. is now Under Construction for the New Trail.

Bridge over 3rd Street

Former speeder shed.

From 3rd Street bridge looking North. �

Looking North from Kirkwood heading out of downtown.

Saturday Morning Memorial Dedication.

Members gather just prior to the dedication.

President Van Bree delivers the dedication.

The Employee memorial plaque.

Committee member Pedigo explains the history of building the memorial plaque.

Some additional discussion about the plaque. Notice Black-Ops lurking in the background. We think he was trying to figure out how to appropriate the genuine Monon platform bricks below the pavement)