Clear Creek, Harrodsburg

M.P. 224.6 - 5th Subdivision - Ck

Clear Creek, Indiana. On May 26, 1917 a tornado hit Clear Creek just 1/4 mile north of the Monon Station. The next day Frank Mathers took a series of pictures of the damage at what may be his home and property. It would appear that he has been transported back to his residence by a Monon Passenger train that is standing by, waiting for him to re-board the train. The train is stopped. The photographer is facing West. The house with white trim at the upper left is still in existence. The barn, however, to the left of the house has been replaced. This could be a special sight seeing train because of the tornado. There are 4 coaches with no combine for local freight or mail. There are also people between the destroyed home and buildings to the right of it. This photo is part of the Frank Mathers Collection at Indiana University. Used with their permission.

One of the more scenic locations along the former Monon. The Clear Creek was often photographed. In this picture, Monon J-1 2-8-2 #524 is about to cross Clear Creek. This portion of the railroad was built as the Indiana Stone Railroad. No date is listed.

One of the most time honored pictures of the Monon. Streamlined Hoosier crosses Clear Creek during the 1947 exhibition tour of the Monon. It was the embodiment of the railroad John Barriger dreamed of.

Left: One mile north of Harrodsburg was the most remote and yet the most beautiful portion of the railroad. Monon #551 pulls a local freight through a rock cut and accross Clear Creek, date unknown. Right: Monon #514 and crew pose on top the the bridge over Highway 37 at Clear Creek. The engine is sitting on the old Smithville line, which by the time this picture was taken was meerly a spur to a quarry.

Two more looks at the old Smithville line. Left: Another picture of #514. Great shot showing not only the railroad bridge, but also the underside of the Highway 37 bridge. Right: In 1970, the bridge proclaimed Monon ownership.

Clear Creek depot, circa 1950's.

Clear Creek Depot, date unknown.

Left: Buildings at Clear Creek. Monon crossing can be seen. Right: Crossing at Clear Creek. Both photos appear to be from the early 1900's, exact date unknown.

Another view of the crossing at Clear Creek. Exact date unknown.

May 1971. Coming up on the Clear Creek depot. View from the cab.

L&N 1602 splitting the signals at Clear Creek.

Left: Mainline at Clear Creek. Looking at the Cresol Plant. Right: April 1977. Another look at the Clear Creek depot and semaphores.

Clear Creek Depot, February 2005. The depot is on private property south of Bloomington. The same person also owns the former Elletsville Depot and it sits next to the Clear Creek depot pictured.

Another look at the former Clear Creek depot.

Clear Creek Area 2005

Former Triple Crossing Bridge near Clear Creek. This bridge was once part of the mainline and later the Smithville Branch line. Both pictures of of the RR south abutment.

Clear Creek 2005. Left: Looking to the RR north at tracks still visible. I wish I could find my notes as to what road is pictured. Right. Looking towards the RR south along the former right of way.

MP 226.9 5th Subdivision -

Diamond, Indiana. Left: Looking at the mainline near Diamond, circa 1979. (Photo does not identify either North or South.) Right: April 1977. Another view of the former Monon mainline at Diamond, Indiana.

Diamond Indiana 2005. Pictured is the bridge which is pictured on the left above. In this view you are looking towards the south. Right: Another look at the bridge. The road leading back to this bridge, has a county road number and a stop sign at the end of it. Iit actually was a driveway which goes under the bridge and followed the mainline north for a little ways before reaching the property owner's house. ALWAY GET PERMISSION FIRST.

MP 227.8 5th Subdivision -

Old Ketchams Depot. This station was located on the west side of the tracks between the Diamond siding and Fluckmill Road and Clear Creek bridge. The land is currently owned by the Travis family own the land where the old Ketcham farm was including the old right of way where the depot was located. The foundation is still there. There is a story that Colonel Ketcham would give the railroad an easement if they would locate a station on his farm, and they did. -Thanks to Steve Mosier for passing along the image.-

This shot is taken facing south and the old roadbed is to the left. You can see the three stone pilings the wood foundation of the depot once rested on and another stone to the right of the tree that seems to have had something to do with the station.

Bridge along the former Monon right of way. This bridge is located on Fluckmill Road about three miles south of Clear Creek near Ketchams. Although not seen in these pictures Justin advises that you can still see the word "Monon" on the bridge.

Close up of the "Monon" still visible on the bridge. The Fluckmill Road is extremely narrow.

Looking south towards Bedford from the old right of way.

1992 CSX action near Ketchams. Before the line was abandoned and taken up, southbound CSX freight crossing the bridge pictured above.

MP 227.2 5th Subdivision -

There was a passing track (called Victor) and a lead off to the west to the Victor-Oolitic quarries. More information coming soon.

M.P. 228.2 - 5nd Subdivision -

Originally part of the New Albany and Salem's mainline, the route through Smithsville was one of the most rugged and difficult portions. With grades in excess of 2% and prone to washouts. The best locomotive, at the time, could only handle 15 loaded cars over this part of the mainline. In January 1898 the CI&L chartered a new railroad, called the Indiana Stone Railroad. It was built to tap the limestone resources of the area. With grades of .57%, immediately the Indiana Stone Railroad became the CI&L's mainline and the old line through Smithsville became a double-ended branch. The line was abandoned in the winter of 1939-1940 after a major washout occurred.

Left: The depot at Smithsville, date unknown. Right: Monon passenger train at Smithsville, circa 1916. At one time five passenger trains ran on the Smithsville line. The Depression all but killed that traffic and by 1935 all passenger service was discontinued.

Smithsville, circa 1976. Not much evidence remained of the old right of way.

Smithsville Line 2005

These photos, courtesy of Pete Pedigo were taken March 19, 2005 while on an expedition hunting railroad spikes along the old Smithsville Line right of way. Pete's daughter Amanda is pictured in several shots.

Former Smithsville Line 2005. Left: Little Clear Creek. Looking at the south abutment on the former right of way. Right: The north bridge abutment. This location is about one and a half miles north of the former Harrodsburg depot location.

Left:Pictured is a 150 year old stacked stone drainage structure. The former line is on top of the culvert. Right: Looking along the former right of way. Some railroad ties still survive in the mud of a landslide.

Left: Another shot of the former right of way. Amanda is using a metal detector looking for spikes. Right: Looking at the former right of way. Evidence of an old landslide are to the right of Amanda.

Chiseled in this boulder are the initials E.H. and the date 9.15.07.

MP 233.7 5th Subdivision - Hd

The Harrodsburg depot (Built in 1898) and water station were on the banks of Clear Creek. This photo illustrates the rural flavor of Southern Indiana railroading. The depot was located east of Highway 37, south of Clear Creek on Depot Hill Road.

The year is 1948. Steam locomotive #445 on a local freight at the Highway 37 bridge.

The Highway 37 bridge was always a favorite spot to photograph the Monon. This photo, taken in May, 1970 has a brand new U23B #606 on the lead as a freight roars under the bridge. J.F. Bennett made this spot famous with his photography. The bridge pictured was replaced when the highway was widened and a new modern bridge built.

Train 6 northbound at Harrodsburg, August 5, 1949

Left: Freigh action near Harrodsburg. Southbound freight labors around curve. Highway 37 bridge in the distance. Right: The Highway 37 bridge was a popular location with Monon photographers. Here J.F. Bennett catches the Train Of Tomorrow.

Crossing one of the many bridges over Clear Creek near Harrodsburg, 1971.

Freight action at Harrodsburg, 1971.

NEW 06-22-2008 Southbound on the big curve at Harrodsburg, early 1970's. Also pictured is the construction work on the 4 lane Highway 37.

After the merger. L&N action at Harrodsburg.

Two looks at the mainline at Harrodsburg. Left: Rural grade crossing. Right: Sweeping curve at Harrodsburg with the Highway 37 bridge in the distance.

Old water tower foundation and pump house at Harrodsburg. Looking north along the mainline.

Southbound passenger captured at Harrodsburg crossing Clear Creek, exact date unknown. -Mahlon Eberhard Collection -

Flooding near Harrodsburg. Not sure of the exact date, but these shots were taken prior to 1964 when the Lake Monroe was formed to help with flood control. - Mahlon Eberhard Collection -

Looking across the Clear Creek bridge, pictured above. - Steve Stafford Collection -

Harrodsburg 2005

NEW 05-31-2005 Left: Downtown Harrodsburg. Right: Looking to the RR south down the former right of way near the new Highway 37 overpass. The former right of way is overgrown and may be hard to see.

Left: Looking back (RR north) towards the new Highway 37 bridge at Harrodsburg. Right: Some of the curves that were typical of the southern section of the Monon. Here you are looking towards the RR north and Bloomington.

Looking RR south along the right of way back towards town.

MP 236.7 5th Subdivision -

Guthrie, Indiana, circa October 1976.

Left and Right: Local freight northbound at Guthrie, Indiana. July 31, 1971. The gentleman standing by the tracks and waving is Mahlon "Cookie" Eberhard, longtime Monon employee and friend of this web site.

Looking north along the mainline at Guthrie, circa 1983.

CSX passing through Guthrie, circa 1992. Before this section of the mainline was abandoned and removed, J.E. Landrum captured a CSX freight.

Guthrie 2005

Guthrie. Left: Looking RR north along the mainline at Guthrie. Right: Looking RR south along the former mainline.

Old telegraph pole amoung the trees at Guthrie. All of the insullators are still attached.