Nostalgia & History > Monon IN 1992 – Site of Infamous Event in 1951

Attached photos were taken on Sep 04 1992 at the CSX crossing in Monon IN where the ex Monon’s Louisville-Chicago Line crossed their Indianapolis-Michigan City Line. By this time, a segment of the Louisville Line was out between Bloomington and Bedford, and most of the Indianapolis line had been abandoned.
Photo 1 – The depot dates to 1951 when it was built to replace an older limestone structure that was demolished by a suicidal engineer who plowed his almost new F3As on the Louisville bound Thoroughbred into the structure. The engineer was the only fatality. Several crewmen were injured but all recovered. Two girls waiting on the platform and the telegrapher were also injured but recovered. No train passengers were injured.
Photo 2 – A fake Monon caboose displayed near the depot. I do not know its heritage, but it is obviously northeastern.
ALLEN



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/22 13:49 by krm152.

It is a 15 mph curve on the right side of the photo, used by Amtrak & CSX.

The telegrapher's nickname was Cookie.  I've long forgotten his actual name.  I believe the injury caused him to lose one of his legs, and he had a prosthetic one.  Part of his settlement with Monon was a job for life, and I remember him coming out to meet The Cardinal as it passed through town in the 1980'a.  

Mahlon Eberhard and he did have a job for life. Worked as a yardmaster at Lafayette in my time.http://monon.org/cookie/06-15monon-depot.jpg



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/16 13:06 by AmHog.

Nice photos and history.  Not near enough Monon shown.
Brian Stevens

knotch8 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The telegrapher's nickname was Cookie.  I've long
> forgotten his actual name.  I believe the injury
> caused him to lose one of his legs, and he had a
> prosthetic one.  Part of his settlement with
> Monon was a job for life, and I remember him
> coming out to meet The Cardinal as it passed
> through town in the 1980'a.

I never got to meet Cookie, and I don't know what year he retired, but sadly I do know
that he passed away in 2012 if I recall correctly.  Got that news from one of the Monon crews
in Lafayette when I dispatched that line. 

AmHog Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mahlon Eberhard and he did have a job for life.
> Worked as a yardmaster at Lafayette in my
> time.http://monon.org/cookie/06-15monon-depot.jpg

Thanks, amhog, that brings the name back to me.  Always enjoyed seeing his smling face when we came through.