Caboose in Monon

[Stew Winstandley]

I found a photo of Monon 81579 in Monon.  Am I correct that the car is not a Monon caboose?

[Tom Kepshire]

Yes. The caboose on display in Monon is not original Monon. Not sure what railroad, but I am sure someone will know.

[Jim Wolfe]

I seem to recall that we decided it was from the EJ&E and was on the Monon for a while. Of course you know how long ago we talked about this??

Jim

[Tom Kepshire]

Here is the caboose on static display. This was before the crew from the Monon Connection Museum gave the car a facelift and makeover.

[Mark Baker]

The caboose is originally a Reading northeastern style car. It came from the EJ&E. It was brought from Dyer to Monon and left on a siding near the depot.
John Keys, Roy Jones and possibly Denny Loval built the track it sets on. I was working on the Monon section when it came in and also when it was moved to where it sets.. It was painted orange with EJ&E lettering in green and was that way for a few months. That was some time in the late 70s, early 80s.

[Tom Kepshire]

Here are two more shots of the caboose at Monon. These look to be from around the time it was moved to town.

[James W Smith]

The 5 and 79 in its number may refer to its purchase date by the Monon.  That is about the time it appeared in Monon (the town).  This was during the time you could purchase a northeastern caboose for $5 -- providing you could find transportation to your location. 
Doc Bug

[Tom Kepshire]

The Hine Family from Lowell purchased a N&W caboose that they intended to use at the Livery Stable at Lowell as an ice cream shop/ hot dog stand. Town of Lowell would not give the proper zoning and approval, so the caboose sat for many years. It became a safety liability, they sold it.

[Ron Marquardt]

The 5 and 79 in its number may refer to its purchase date by the Monon.  That is about the time it appeared in Monon (the town).  This was during the time you could purchase a northeastern caboose for $5 -- providing you could find transportation to your location. 
Doc Bug

Jim, you did mean it's purchase date "by Monon" the town, didn't you?  That caboose was never purchased by the Monon Railroad, was it?  Certainly not in 1979.  / Ron 

[Mark Baker]

Ron,
You are correct. The car was never on the Monon. The car went from the Reading to an equipment dealer to the EJ&E. There is an equipment dealer north of Joliet that has alot of old EJ&E cabooses and big hooks and such. It probably came from there to the town of Monon. It was still painted EJ&E when it came in to town.
Mark