Monon Passenger Equipment

[Ryan Rybarczyk]

After the end of passenger service on Sept 30, 1967, how many times did the Monon lease out their remaining passenger equipment? Which railroads did the Monon typically lease out their cars to?

[George Lortz]

Ryan,

Thanks for the question.  By 1967, the Monon probably didn't have many operating passenger cars left in the stable.  For sure, all of the older coach cars had already been converted to MoW (80000-series) cars, pictures of which we see frequently.  We know that the business cars were all sold by then - #1, #2, #3, #90.  Probably the only cars left were the ones purchased last during the Barriger era.  Except for the business cars, I've never seen a photo of a former Monon passenger car on another railroad.

George L.

[Ryan Rybarczyk]

There is a picture of at least one (bar-grill upgraded coach) on a 1968 GTW excursion train in the 2018 Passenger Train Journal. I am positive I have seen others but that was the picture that motivated the question.

[Rick Berg]

The only other ones I know of are in videos of KRM excursions like this one from Herron:



http://www.herronrail.com/ln3.html
L&N E6 diesel 770 at Bowling Green, KY, 1970. Note the Monon coach behind the locomotive on this excursion for the Kentucky Railway Museum. This diesel was donated to the museum and is part of their collection today.
E. G. Baker photo. Jim Herron collection.

[Ryan Rybarczyk]

That seems to say that as of 1970 they still had at least a few well maintained coaches on the roster.

[Ryan Rybarczyk]

Here is the picture in question - GTW excursion 7/1968.