Monon She’s a Hoosier Line
SKU: DVD-PNX-MONONOriginal price was: $29.95.$9.95Current price is: $9.95.
If there ever was a Midwestern railroad that achieved storybook charisma, it was the “Hoosier Line”, Indiana’s own railroad.
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| Producer | Pentrex |
|---|---|
| Run Time | 57 minutes |
| Narration | Yes |
| Shrink Wrap | Yes, Brand New |
| Technical Details | NTSC, Region Free, View Worldwide on Computer |
During its long reign, the Monon Railroad reached beyond its modest size to play a major role in the lives of the people it served. If there ever was a Midwestern railroad that achieved storybook charisma, it was the “Hoosier Line”, Indiana’s own railroad. Noted railroad historian Bill Warrick has assembled an amazing collection of vintage footage to bring you a thoroughly entertaining retrospective of the Monon from its humble beginnings in 1847 to its classic period a century later under the direction of fabled railroader John W. Barriger, and then to its takeover in 1971 by the L&N.
The Monon provided north-south transportation of people and goods from the Great Lakes to the Ohio River. Lines from Chicago and Michigan City at the north to Indianapolis and Louisville at the south transected at the town of Monon, giving the railroad first its nickname and later its corporate identity. Through an assortment of rare color and black and white films and photos, you will be led back in time to see the many stops, such as New Albany, Delphi, Lafayette, Bloomington, and others that lined the Monon route.
Fascinating footage details how Army hospital cars were converted into sparkling red-and-crimson streamlined passenger cars led by brand new F-3s as the Monon retired its steam fleet and became one of the first Class 1 railroads to convert entirely to diesel power. You’ll see how the Monon provided transportation to generations of students attending the six colleges along its route, earning it the title “The College Railroad”. Highlights feature the popular Chicago-Louisville “Thoroughbred” train and the 100th Anniversary “Centennial Train”.
Yet, as popular as passenger travel was on the Monon it was freight traffic that provided the profit. There are many scenes of RS2 and BL2 locomotives hauling the freights that served the limestone industry of southern Indiana and switched with many east-west railroads. The Monon Railroad comes alive again in this delightful presentation – here’s your opportunity to relive life aboard the Hoosier Line.
rickyfreni –
Made by Interurban Press in 1990, this program not only features the Monon with several steam engines from 4-6-2s & 2-8-2s, to early diesels like Alco’s RS2s & C-630s, with EMD F-7’s, & BL-2s (including lone survivor: number 32), but also other road names like Santa Fe, New York Central, Baltimore & Ohio, Louisville & Nashville with 152 in Kentucky, the Pennsylvania, the Pere Marquette with 1225 in Michigan, Wabash, Western & Atlantic with 4-4-0 number 3 the General, a 4-2-0 named the Pioneer, Southern with The Best Friend of Charleston, Great Northern with number 400 behind the BL-2, South Shore Line, CSX, Nickel Plate Road with a Hudson & a Berkshire Double-Heading on a Freight, N&W, NS, C&NW, Amtrak, BN, Reading, EMD with it’s FT in 1989, Former Milwaukee Road F-Units painted in Monon colors while pulling little red caboose 204, & even the US Army’s own railroad.
There are also songs about the Monon itself.
Locations include Monon IN which was originally named New Bradford, Indianapolis, Louisville, McDole Yard in Bloomington, the hot spot of Lafayette, Chicago, Michigan City, Harrodsburg, New Albany during the railroad’s 100th Birthday in 1946 or 1947, French Lick, Ash Grove with a wreck in June of 1947, Lowell, Rensselaer, & so much more.
Did you know that there were plans to create a 4-10-4 steam engine known as the Monon Type Locomotive but was cancelled, as well as the Monon being one of the very first railroads to update from steam to diesel?
Lloyd –
Interesting video. In it’s hay day, the Monon was classified as a Class 1. Today, if still around it would be a short line, as it was more just a state railroad. There are some interesting locomotives owned by the company, seen working, like the Alco RS2, and the EMD failure…. the BL2. While interesting, I was not overly thrilled by this video. It seems to me that there was much more info on the railroad that was never covered in the video. It was not to expectations.
Rick Chandler –
very informative, great video for the Indy line , if your a Monon fan this is a must have! the shots of the Hooiser in the 50s are neat, they even have the Monon station by fairgrounds