My wife was watching some house-hunting show, when something caught my attention. The home that some goobers were looking at in Indianapolis was located right next door to, what they called “The Monon Trail”. It appeared to be rails>trails type thing. The thing that caught my attention, was the way they pronounced Monon. I’ve heard it on train videos pronounced ma-nun. These folks called it MOE-non, with such emphasis on the first sylable that I immediately thought of Larry and Curly. Which is it? Is there a rai>trail made out of a Monon line in Indianapolis?
MOE-non, accented on the first syllable, is the correct pronunciation.
My dad was a graduate of Depauw University in Greencastle, IN (he left school in 1941 to join the Marines after Pearl Harbor, then returned to school after his hitch was up). He played football for Depauw and they played another school every year for a trophy called, “The Monon Bell”, which was a bell off a Monon steam engine. Both schools were along/near the Monon. I’ve never heard it pronounced any other way than, “MOE-non”.
I’m not familiar with the rail-trail, but it wouldn’t surprise me: the MOE-nahn used to serve Indianapolis, but CSX abandoned the line from Indy to Monticello. The railroad would have come into Indianapolis from due north.
Here is a link to a map of the Monon trail.
It is MOE-NON.The Monon trail is row that was on the Monon to Indianapolis route. I don`t know the distance the trail runs but do know from Carmel it runs to I think to the fairgrounds. The fairgrounds being on 38th street and Carmel around 155st and I think a walking trail only. Also the Monon Bell was was played for by Wabash College and Depaw University.
I live very close to the MOE-non trail. It goes well south of the fair grounds–at least to 25th street or so. Lately, there has been a problem with crime on this south side (unfortunately, closer to where I live). It is a nice little trail, as there are some sincere efforts to preserve some of the rail aspects of it. I like to walk it often in the summer.
Incidentally, I only realized I was pronouncing it wrong after I moved to Indianapolis.
Also, never have I witnessed a state so in love with a railroad like Indiana loves the Monon. There are a lot of Joe-citizens here who know nothing about trains but refer to the Monon with affection.
Gabe
The Monon Trail in Indy is a rather nice path, particularly thru Broad Ripple area and the White River bridge.
The Monon was (is) the state railroad. There is a passion for it that is approached only by the Nickle Plate, in my opinion, but make no mistake the Monon is more popular.
Semaphore signals still provide protection in locations, but those are being replaced between Lafayette and Crawfordsville, perhaps as this is written. There are a few down by Orleans.
The town of Monon did quite well, with a creek, railroad, and trailer manufacturing company named after it. Not bad for a small town of about 3000.
ed
I go to the Casino in French Lick just so I can see the semiphore signals at Orleans . . . . I caught an Indiana Rail Road train stopped by one this summer. What a treat. It only could have been better had there been a meet with a CSX train (I think it was just there for a crew change). I think it was the first time I really noticed, if not saw, semiphore signals.
I agree that the Nickle Plate is a distant second for most beloved Hoosier line. However, you would think it would be the Wabash, as it was also named after a small Indiana town and had the second most popular train song named after a passenger train (in my opinion).
Gabe
“Up and down the Monon everything is fine. Cause that rooting tooting Monon is a Hoosier line”. I remember when this little ditty was played in Dearborn Station prior to the departure of the Hoosier, Tippecanoe or Thoroughbred.
Mark
There is a very good book by George W. Hilton titled “Monon Route”. It covers “The Hoosier Line” from start to L&N.
Do any of you Hoosiers know what “Hoosier” means?
Now that question opens up a whole new discussion. Having been born and raised in the state of Indiana (graduated from Purdue University), I can tell you there is no single, universally accepted definition of exactly what the term Hoosier means or of its origin.
Rather than trying to explain something here, I am including the following link written by Indiana University professor Jeffrey Graf to whom I’m more than happy to defer.
I hope that your fellow Boilermakers don’t find out that you made a positive reference to somebody from Indiana University[(-D]
If the Monon had decided to paint all of its engines in IU school colors rather than Perdue, it would have been the acquiring railroad.
Gabe
In Hoosier land there are other fine bike and walking trails and one of the better ones {Cardinal Greenway}, are right here {Trail Head location}, in Muncie…60 some miles north of Indy. 30 some miles of smooth paved walkway on ex C&O RR. It increases in length as money is available to do so.
For those who have not seen our converted depot…stop and take a look if passing thru…A renovated jewel. Located at Broadway / Wysor.
Monon’s passenger cars and power were originally painted in IU colors, although the gray made it look more like Ohio State than IU.
The love affair with the MONON was due in-part, to the fact that it was the only Class 1 railroad was completely inside the state of Indiana. (into Chicago and Louisville, it was trackage rights). The railroad made a rough “X” through the state with the intersection at Monon, IN.
Here’s how Lambert, Hendricks, & Ross pronounce it:
Ahh yes, I wonder what happened to old Gabe? Always enjoyed his posts. Last I recall it was like right at the crux of the 2008 economic melt down, and he was asking about locations where he could take a 4 day hike, to “get away, and think about things”.
Never heard from him how that turned out.
Just saw this thread and then found this PR video on the MONON TRAIL. Looks likr a first class trail. Neat mural @ 2:05 for fans.