A website based on the Monon (monon.monon.org) has a great listing of locations up and down the Hoosier Line. It is quite a site with numerous photos of locations, both past and present.
As enjoyable as it was, it became obvious that I really missed out on a great opportunity back in the late 70’s to capture the operations, but also the flavor of a number of small towns in Northwest Indiana that the Monon (actually L&N) served.
How could I have possibly ignored South Hammond Yard? Or the Michigan City complex? Alida? Lacrosse? and other small towns? Easy…I was much more interested in the bigtime mainline movements on the Conrail lines, B&O, GTW and others.
What did you miss? What are your biggest regrets of this hobby?
Ed, there are lots of things I missed. But in order for me to have caught them, I would have had to have been a different age, and in a different location. There are many things I wish I had discovered sooner than I did, but I can’t say I wish I’d done things or gone places that would have involved pestering my parents.
If I saw a website like that, I’d be fascinated with the old pictures. And maybe I’d go look to see what was still there, and look for evidence of what once was. But there wouldn’t be any frustration or longing–just the fascination of knowing about something that was in this locale’s past.
I’ve had my experiences over now-gone rail lines with a folksy local flavor, and I’ve been the only passenger on some scheduled runs of pre-Amtrak trains. Saw steam in service in my hometown, watched BL2s switch out local industries, got cab rides in everything from NW2s and RS-1s to nearly-new GP30s, all before going to work for a railroad in a completely different locale. I was at the proper age to be one of the founding members of two historical groups–one local and one more or less national. I got to Chicago in time to visit all of the major stations downtown (oh, okay–my parents took me to Grand Central), and took trains into or out of most of them. I was here in time for EMD’s first open-house, and went to all of them, I hope. Saw the stateroom of a Lake Michigan ferry that no longer offered passenger service, and crossed the Lake on another one. Got into some interlocking towers that are nowhere to be found now, including a few with the Armstrong levers and pipe-controlled switches. Watched semaphores and CPLs (among other things) change from the top of a dome car. I’ve seen Shays, Heislers, Super-power, and articulated steam locomotives in operation–really working, not just “chuffing” along. I’ve copied a train order, and snagged dozens of them. I’ve been on 60-mph freights, and broke three figures on passenger trains in three distinct places not on the Northeast
Had I been a railfan (or had a father who was) as a youngster, I might have experienced some NYC and Grand Trunk action that I missed completely, possibly including some late steam on GT. I do have some memories of C&O in Michigan, fortunately.
I had started to really notice trains while I was in California, so I did see some SP, but I wasn’t watching yet while I was in Oklahoma City, so missed CRIP, ATSF, and some of the other roads in that area. I spent several weeks in El Reno while I was there, but it was during the strike that signalled the beginning of the end for the Rock.
Carl…That statement reminds me of an experience I had on public transp. Back in 1969 I was one of 7 people {including stewardesses on a 4 engine jet from Chicago {ord}, to McCaran field at Las Vegas. Of course not counting the cock pit crew. Trying to remember, think it was TWA.
Well said. As much as the seeing the photos of the trains what was striking was how the small towns and communities had changed. We dont have many factories anymore. That was what really hit me as much as anything. They are gone, or at least abandoned.
There are still some remnants of the railroads, an old signal or switch stand still in place, perhaps a section of rail, or perhaps the right of way is still visable. No doubt it was the mood I was in yesterday, but the past 30 years have really seen huge changes in our lives.
Ed, Pat looked at your comments last night, and said, “I see where he’s coming from–you’re just not coming from the same place.”
I remember factories, too–my home town (Grand Haven, Michigan) used to have quite a few factories, some of which dated from early in the 20th century (and before). It’s probably safe to say that most of the ones that are still standing are either vacant or seeing uses for which they were never intended. There used to be a long railroad spur that serviced all of these industries (it was actually the remnant of a failed railroad intended to go to the southeast), and I was fortunate enough to get a ride with the local crew switching the deep recesses of the tannery at the end of the spur (they had quite a complex of tracks in there!). The tannery’s still there, but only a couple hundred feet of this spur remain, if that.
Around here, I’ve seen large factory complexes come down–along our line it’s been the American Can Company complex in Maywood (we used to have a “Can Job” at Proviso to take care of them), and Brach’s Candy in the city (part of that was dynamited for a scene in the most recent Batman movie). And poor McCook–most of the EMD factory, and all of Reynolds Metals, were leveled. And, in most cases, not much has replaced them.
In fact, since your were last out our way, two or three of the more modern factory buildings around Proviso have been leveled (including a fairly modern bakery complex in Northlake that used to have a couple of spurs into it). From the way they’ve been removing the plastic pellet storage tanks adjacent to another factory, I think it will go, too. The grounds of two of these plants appear to have been converted to a lighted parking lot (Heaven only knows for what!). Where that bakery was, there is a complex of “Will build to suit” signs.
Yes, a lot has changed in the past thirty years (it really is impossible to “go home again”). But even though I may miss the presence of these factories, and remember w
Oh, good grief ! It’s good thing this isn’t a forum about chickens and other fowl (well, maybe except for Mr. mudchicken [surveyor] out in Colorado] ) - how on earth could they ever have a technical discussion ? I know others have found a work-around so as to be able to use the correct technical name for the shut-off valve at the end of each piece of rolling stock - the angle c*ck - so it’s not a huge problem here, but this seems to be a little overboard.
I missed not asking my dad to take me through Decatur, IN for a day to snap photos of trains during trips to visit my grandparents. We had one busy main (EL), one reasonably active branch (the PC’s former PRR Ft. Wayne - Richmond line), and one lightly used branch (NW’s former NKP Clover Leaf division). Decatur was a small-town cornucopia of railroad activity and sights to see, and I saw everything I could from the corner of 10th & Jefferson, but it sure would’ve been great to drive around that area and snap pictures of all three depots, the tower at the EL-PC crossing, PC’s operations at the Central Soya plant, EL freights and the Lake Cities passenger train blasting through town.
Yes, Entenmann’s, originally Burny Brothers. I think their retail shop was there for a while after the plant was vacated, but they recently leveled the whole thing. The smell of baked-goods (usually sweet ones) would often head over toward the hump. I don’t particularly miss that!
Carl - Thanks for your check and demonstration of what’s acceptable (above) - now we know!
Also for your thoughts from your 1st post to this thread (above) - nicely said:
“Yes, I’ve probably missed a lot. But I doubt that you’ll ever catch me bemoaning any of it because I have seen–and done–so much more. I could wish I had asked to visit Penn Station while in New York, instead of Grand Central, but I was just as happy with the one as I would have been with the other. I’ll continue to go through life seeing what I can, and hoping for bigger, and better things to see (and ride!). If there are locales I’ve missed (and there are!), I’ll take a trip and miss them no more–as long as I’m able. When I’m no longer able, that might be the time for regrets. But no regrets now, or for the foreseeable future.”
I recall the Entenmann’s factory there. I never stopped in the outlet store, as I prefer smaller Italian, Polish, or Mexican bakeries. In a completely non related subject, Sara Lee just closed their Best Kosher plant on Pershing Avenue. That was the site of the best hot dogs in Chicago, there outlet store was always packed at noon as you could buy a huge hot dog for $2.75 that was a meal by itself…and I have a big appetite.
One other thing that is catching my eye these days are the old water towers on top of buildings. Not so many left anymore.
Regarding Decatur, In…back in 1976 just before the Conrail startup day, I had five day break from college. My plans were to drive up from Southern Indiana to Huntington and capture the EL and the NW, particularly the EL before they switched to Conrail.
Well, my mom caught wind of the time off and she just anticipated I was coming home…of course I did go home the entire five days, missing out on the EL. I did get some decent shots of the IC/PC action at Effingham and IC/Sou/BN at Centralia, but it sure wasnt the EL. The coconut cream pie was sure good…and the memories of mom and dad…
Most of the major things that I would have liked to have seen were gone before I had a real chance to go see them. By the time I had a license and real independence to go see such things, sadly, most of them were gone.
However, I still am shaking my head about a steam excursion that Nordique described to me by Frisco’s 1552 (I think the number is right) on the Nickle Plate line from Saint Louis to Coffeen. Also, I don’t know when they stopped running trains east of Coffeen, Illinois, but I would have liked to have seen a few trains on some of those impressive bridges.
Upon reflection, I wish I would have made more of an effort to see steam excursions in the late 80s. At the time, you thought they would be there forever, and there was no need to hurry. Boy, was that faulty thinking.