Detours on the Monon

[Ken Weller]

There was a Southern detour train on the Monon on June 29, 1952 (there are eight photographs at the Indiana Historical Society).
Does anyone have more info about this detour?  Was it a freight train, or passenger?

Thanks - Ken Weller

[Ron Marquardt]

Ken, is that the detour train that wrecked on the FLB?  If it is, we have several photos of the wreck in our archives.  Detours weren't all that unusual.  We had them occasionally, and they would call an engineer and conductor to pilot the crew on the detour train.  The last one I worked was a S/B Milwaukee train from Midland to McDoel in the late 1960's.  / Ron

PS, I even detoured over the NKP from Lafayette Jct. to Frankfort and back to Linden one time because of a derailment out by Ely Lilly switch. 

[Rick Dreistadt]

I can remember at least two trains, including a passenger, detouring down the I&L to Midland, then on the Milw to Bedford.  A passenger train through Clay City was something you remember for a lifetime. LOL.
Rick

[Tom Pinnick]

Ron - is this the one you were on?

[Ron Marquardt]

No, mine was in warmer weather.  I don't remember the date.  / Ron

[Rick Dreistadt]

Tom. that wasn't a detour train.  It was a regular run.  Part of the governments agreement to allow the L&N to take over the Monon was to give the Milw trackage rights between Bedford and Louisville to allow the Milw to remain competitive.
Rick

[Tom Pinnick]

Rick, this was in Trains magazine. The caption is all I had to go by.

[Rick Dreistadt]

I understand. Thanks.
Rick

[Mike Albert]

I've heard that if there was a derailment between Monon and Soth Hammond, they would detour #6 up the Michigan City Branch to Wilders and run the Erie to Hammond.  The opposite was true for #5.

[Rick Dreistadt]

I believe you're right, Mike.  Seems that it happened once or twice.
Rick

[Tom Kepshire]

I believe that is where they re-routed traffic in 1952 when they were dealing with the clean up of the Lowell wreck.

[Mark Baker]

I caught a MILW detour in Lafayette. I had an instamatic camera so the quality is poor, but it shows the train on 5th street crossing Union St. and approaching Salem St.