Two Floridians Meet, Harrodsburg
These two images were made in Harrodsburg, Indiana, on the L&N (former Monon)—
two Amtrak Floridians are making an awkward meet. With the northbound train on
the main, headed by number 424 (E9A UP 947A), the southbound will pull into the
siding, let the northbound go, and then back out onto the main before continuing
on its way. The southbound train is headed up by number 430 (E9A UP 957A).
The last car on that train is an elderly baggage car of the Southern Pacific.
July 4th, 1977
Southbound Floridian, Harrodsburg Siding (see text below)
Amtrak’s Floridian at Harrodsburg Siding
These images, taken on different days, both show a southbound Amtrak Floridian
at Harrodsburg Siding. This is along the Louisville and Nashville, former Monon,
between Bloomington and Bedford. The first image was taken at the north end of
the siding—the train is being powered by an ex-Union Pacific E9A. The second
image was taken in the middle of the siding while aboard the train.
Taken August 25th 1977 and November 5th 1977 respectively.
On the Former Monon
This image has a southbound L&N freight entering the sweeping curve just
north of Harrodsburg, Indiana. Several promotional shots for the railroad were
made on this piece of track (with curve and/or historical 37 Highway bridge).
March 14th 1976
Amtrak’s Floridian at Hunter Siding
This southbound train, on the L&N (former Monon), was photographed
northwest of Bloomington, Indiana. The train will roll down the hill
and make its station stop in the center of town.
Taken 1976 or 1977
Ketchams, Indiana
This southbound Floridian is traveling on the Louisville and Nashville line,
which is the former Monon between Louisville and Chicago. The location was once
called Kethams, milepost 227.8, and is just south of Bloomington, Indiana.
The Illinois Central had a branch line reaching down (from Bloomington) into
these parts—to terminate very close to this locale. Both roads, the IC and Monon,
were looking to transport the wonderful limestone the earth serves up here.
7 January 1977
Abandoned Tower at La Crosse
I read that this diminutive Indiana town once boasted five railroads crossing
one another. But, looking now at a USGS topographic map (of 1958), I see only
the Chesapeake & Ohio, the Pennsylvania, and the Monon—although the Erie
Railroad is nearby, just to the south. I imagine that the fifth comes from a
road that is no longer in existence.
The still active track one sees here is of the CSX, once the C&O. Monon’s
line, from its namesake town up to Michigan City crossed near where the tower
still stands as an empty shell. This is just northwest of the small burg itself—
while there were other diamonds located near the center of La Crosse.
August 18th 2017
Ladoga, Indiana
A southbound Amtrak Floridian has just rolled through the small town of Ladogo,
Indiana; this is along the L&N, former Monon. The E-unit, number 427 was
formerly Union Pacific number 953A. The semaphore post shows the mile marker
158.2—which is the distance from Chicago.
July 30th 1977
Limedale, Indiana
Limedale is a spot just south of Greencastle, Indiana, and is 180 miles south
of Chicago along the L&N, former Monon Railroad; an east/west line of the
Pennsylvania crossed here. (At that point in history, the Monon was owned by
the Louisville & Nashville, while the Pennsy had been folded into the
Penn Central and then part of the newly formed Conrail.)
This image shows an eastbound Conrail freight ready to cross over the former Monon
at the tower. At this point in time, CSX still runs trains north and south over
where the diamond once existed, but the tower is long gone and the signals rusted
shells. The Pennsylvania is non-existent with very few traces of it to be found.
October 15th 1977
Elegy for McDoel Yard
This is an image of the area that once was McDoel Yard. This was on the former
Monon, on the south side of Bloomington, Indiana, where Grimes Lane crossed over
the rails. It looks like the rails had been pulled up a couple of years prior
to this image being made.
Taken 2008
The L&N in Southern Indiana
A local job can be seen here working in Mitchell, Indiana. L&N GP7 number 417
is moving southward across the B&O diamond—note that an eastbound train has
just cleared the crossing and sits before the yard office. This portion of the
L&N is the former Monon mainline between Louisville and Chicago.
Taken in the mid- to late-1970s