The railroad -- the one many of us call The Monon -- was formed in 1847 when a group of Salem and New Albany businessmen met at what is now Borden. The Salem businessmen were interested in finding a better way to haul goods into Washington County, and to ship items from here to the river.
James Brooks of New Albany, who for several years had dreamed of building a railroad the full length of the state, was elected president of the new railroad.
January 14, 1851, the first passenger train rolled into Salem. Thousands flocked along South Main Street to get their first glimpse of this unusual piece of equipment that was to bring prosperity to Washington County.
By the time that first train reached Salem, James Brooks' plan to push on to Lake Michigan was already well in motion. The right-of-way was acquired along much of the line using, in some places, the right-of-way of a proposed, but failed, road that was to reach from New Albany to Crawfordsville.
On June 24, 1854, the last spike in the 288-mile line was driven seven miles north of Greencastle. The railroad had been constructed at a cost of $6 million. July 3, 1854, the first through-train left Michigan City at 5 a.m. and averaging 16 miles per hour headed south. It reached New Albany at 10p.m.
For four years trains along the line would carry the name "New Albany and Salem Railroad." Then financial disaster struck the railroad and following reorganization in 1858, it emerged as the Louisville, New Albany, and Chicago Railroad, a name that more appropriately described the cities it served.
Monon Daily train (Train 14 and 15) operating Chicago-Indianapolis. Usual consist was baggage, mail/express, reclining seat coaches, observation, lounge-parlor car, dining-bar car. This train was discontinued in 1959.
Monon Daily train (Train 11 and 12) operating Chicago-Indianapolis. Usual consist was baggage, mail/express, reclining seat coaches, dining/parlor car. This train was discontinued in 1959.
Sometimes known as The Night Express, Train 3-4. This overnight train operated Chicago to Louisville and carried Pullman cars bound for the hotels at French Lick and West Baden, Indiana. The usual consist included a baggage, express, coaches and Pullman coaches. This train disappeared after 1949.
Monon Train 5-6. Operating Chicago to Louisville, this was the longest lived of the Monon's passenger trains, lasting until September, 1967. Usual consist was baggage, RPO, coach, cafe-lounge, parlor car. Monon management retired this train in style, behind new high hood steam generator equipped Alco C- 420's.
In 1847 James Brooks met with six associates and organized the New Albany and Salem Railroad. Brooks was the first President of the New Albany and Salem Railroad, later the Monon Railroad. The railroad was conceived originally to link New Albany on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan at Michigan City, Indiana. At the founding of the railroad, Michigan City was considered the the better location on Lake Michigan.
Barriger became President of the Monon in 1946 and is credited with changes to the Monon Railroad. Barriger advocated Super Railroading and did his best to bring this concept to the Monon. Barriger dieselized the railroad and supervised the conversion of surplus U.S. Army hospital cars into a fleet of streamlined passenger cars. Barriger also engineered a public relations campaign to celebrate the railroad's 100th birthday in 1947. He resigned in 1952.
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