Santa Claus and the Monon

[Tom Pinnick]

Some years back I posted about Santa arriving at Bedford on the Monon (#6). It was on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The BHS band escorted him from the depot to the square playing several tunes in route.. Then we played about half dozen [not allowed]mas carols. My biggest memory was how cold it was, no balmy 50s back then. Does anyone else have a like memory at other towns?

Here is a link to INRD Santa train this year.

http://indianarailroads.org/board/index.php?topic=11439.0

[Tom Kepshire]

I wish I did. I can't recall any similar event happening at Lowell during my lifetime, or between say 1959-1971. I remember Santa coming in by fire truck to the American Legion or the local Sears store, but never by train.

Sounds like it was a big event in Bedford.

[Sharon Eberhard]

Many years ago - before the days of EMTS & 911 -- Santa Claus came to town on the back of the ambulance operated by the local funeral home.


Sharon

[Rick Dreistadt]

He always came to Clay City on the firetruck.  If he had come on the Monon, he would have arrived about January 5th.
Rick

[Joe Land]

Took my oldest grandson to meet the INRD Santa Train in Switz City when he was a toddler. INRD Santa Train no longer stops at Switz City.....
When I was a kid in Bloomington, Santa rode a firetruck. I have no Idea if he arrived by train or not.

[Tom Pinnick]

Thanks for the reminder Joe. Santa did ride the long fire truck (La France model) that bedford still has, after he got off the train. OK timetable wizards, what time was #6 scheduled in at Bedford? (1958-1962). Had to be around 8:30 or 9:00 since that was the approximate time I remember.

[Ron Marquardt]

In a 1958 timetable they left Louisville at 8:00 AM, and were due out of Bedford at 10:04 AM.  In a 1960 timetable they operated an hour later, 9:00 AM and 11:04 out of Bedford.  Of course, there may have been an hour time difference between RR time and people's time.  / Ron