North of Lafayette. This picture, taken May 1960, shows a southbound train 73 with a A-B-A set of F3's coming up on the Wabash River bridge. The span of the bridge is 600 feet. J. Parker Lamb Jr. photo. Right: The Wabash River bridge, spring 2003. After record rainfalls the river is coming close to the tracks. -Courtesy Gene Cassman-

April 19, 1924. A derailment of a freight train caused the collapse of the north end of the Wabash River bridge. A new pier and two new spans were built to replace those damaged.

Jim Bennett took this photo of the Wabash River bridge. You are looking toward the north. Date of the photo unknown.

The Wabash River is over 500 miles in length and flows from the state of Ohio to the Ohio River south west of Mount Vernon, Indiana. The name is a contraction of Miami and Algonquian Indian words for the river. The first bridge was completed July 1, 1853. It was a covered bridge. The current bridge has 6 spans and has a total length of 620 feet.

Left and Right: Looking across the Wabash River north of Lafayette, Indiana. Exact date unknown. Looks like it may be in the middle of the rainy season.

Left and Right. The Wabash River bridge. These pictures were taken in 2005 from the south bank of the river.

Wabash River bridge, early 1960's. Noticed A-B-A consist of F units on the freight.

MP 117.4. This location is just north of the north lead for the Shops Yard. The siding leads off to industries once served by the Monon. The tracks were taken out years ago. The BL2 is more than likely working a local freight and is southbound. -Dave Ritenour Photograph-

Looking south, towards Shops Yard, from the north yard lead. This location was also known as the "Gaza Strip" to Monon Railroad workers. -Dick Fontaine Photograph-

North of Lafayette. This northbound passenger has just passed under the U.S. 52 overpass and is heading towards the Wabash River bridge. Picture is circa 1964 and the train is #6 with a newly painted RPO-baggage car on the end. The tracks to the left of the train is the yard lead for Lafayette and the shops.

Left: Leaving shops. Northbound freight leaving the shops. Right: Same train meets a southbound coming into Shops, 1971

The mainline north of the Lafayette yard. Southbound Monon steam locomotive coming into the yard. The wide water bridge is also pictured. In the distance is the Highway 52 overpass.

Southbound passenger stopped at the north end of the Shops Yard. The Wide Water Canal bridge is also pictured. Highway 52 overpass in the distance.

Two shots of the Widewater Bridge, north end of the Shops Yard. Left: Northbound passenger crosses the bridge over the old Wabash and Erie Canal. This photo is circa mid-1950's. Highway 52 overpass can be seen in the background. Right: Another view of the bridge, 1960's with a southbound local freight arriving at the Shops Yard.

After crossing the canal bridge, the first structure encountered in the Shops Yard, the Yard Office. -MRHTS Archive Collection-

Amtrak Era. Good shot of an Amtrak crossing the Wabash River on the former Hoosier Line.

CSX activity on the former Monon mainline, circa 2006. Northbound freight sits north of the Wabash River near the start of the Brookston Block. In the distance you can see the Wabash River bridge.

MP 120.0 - 1st Subdivision - AD

Lafayette is a highly urbanized area with a city population of around 45,000. In early times the city was a meat packing center and the city is surrounded by farmland. Founded near the head of the navigation for the Wabash River, it was chosen as the county seat of Tippecanoe County in 1826. The city was named in 1824 by its founder William Digby for the Marquis de la Fayette. It was often spelled with two words until the last half of the 1800's. The Wabash and Erie Canal opened in 1843 connecting Lafayette and Toledo, Ohio. The first railroad was the Lafayette and Indianapolis (NYC) and was completed in 1852. The New Albany and Salem was second to arrive and demanded to run down any street it chose. They were finally given the green light to put track down 5th Street. Trains continued to use 5th Street until July 22, 1994 when a new railroad relocation was completed.

North side of Lafayette. In 1959 the Monon stopped using the depot, built in 1902, in downtown Lafayette. Until another brick structure could be built, the railroad used a retired grill-coach car #67 as a temporary depot. You are looking north. Station was located at the north end of the street running section through downtown. Right: A color look at the temporary depot which by the time this picture was taken was no longer being used.

Steam, street running in Lafayette, September 1938. Steam locomotive #229 running down 5th Street.

Street running in Lafayette. Steam locomotive makes its way down 5th Street in Lafayette. Date unknown.

Not sure why this image was not posted before this. This picture, circa early 1900's shows a passenger train making a stop in Lafayette.

The year is 1925. Pictured is the special arriving in Lafayette with the IU football team and fans. Unknown original photographer.

The year is 1967. The last Monon football special loads up on 5th Street prior to heading south to Bloomington for the IU - Purdue Oaken Bucket Game. The Hoosiers won 19-14 and represented the Big 10 in the 1968 Rose Bowl.

More street running in Lafayette. Left: The Thoroughbred making its way through the streets of Lafayette, August 1958. Right: C-628 #400 pulling a freight slowly through the streets of Lafayette.

Lafayette, Indiana 2003. Left: One of the unique features of the former Monon was the love affair with street running. Pictured is the former depot on 5th Street, now a civic playhouse or theater. Right: At least they left part of the old track still in the street. This section is in front of the former depot.

Lafayette, Indiana the way it was. Left: Built in 1902, using Indiana Limestone, the Lafayette depot was a classic and was used until 1959. Right: Monon C420 in the lead of the Throughbred northbound at Lafayette, September 1967. The last Monon passenger train. J. Anthony Koster photo.

Lafayette 1947. Train Number 6, with F3 #84 in the lead is making a station stop. Louis A Marre photo.

Southbound freight at Main Street. With U23B #605 in the lead, this southbond leaves the yard, June 1971. It's destination, Louisville. Mike Schafer photo.

What a difference a few months make. Left: Mikado 510 with southbound Day Express down 5th Street. Right: Later that same year F381 A&B on southbound Train 5 at the same location.

May 26, 1947. General Motors Train Of Tomorrow arrives on 5th Street in Lafayette. The E7 leads the chair car Star Dust, diner Sky View, sleeper Dream Cloud and lounge-observation Moon Glow through the streets of Lafayette. Right: July 27, 1947 and the new Hoosier is rolling down 5th Street.

Right: May 22, 1948. Black and Gold F3 draws freight down 5th Street.

Lafayette, Indiana 1965. NW2 14 awaits its next assignment.

Lafayette, Indiana April 8, 1950. Budd railcar operating on the Monon. The Monon ran this car between Bloomington and Monon. The experiment wasn't seriously considered.

Left: Passenger train making its way down 5th Street. Unknown date. Courtesy John Eagan. Right: Alco C-420's #510, 504 and 506 sit at the Shops. Courtesy Don Christensen and John Strombeck.

Northbound Train #6 coming into the Salem Street depot.

Left and Right: The last Monon Depot at Lafayette, at Salem Street. -Charles Huffer Collection-

Left and Right: Director's Inspection Special sits at the Salem Street depot. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-

Left and Right: Director's Special passing through the Shops Yard. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-

Lafayette, Indiana Freight House. Left: Side view of the Freight House. Right: Looking south at the Freight House. Note High Speed Merchandise box cars spotted. Both pictures circa 1950's.

Left and Right: Two more views of the former downtown Lafayette freight house.

MP 121.0 - 1st Subdivision -

Lafayette Junction is where the Monon met and crossed the Big Four on the south side of Lafayette. The Monon also crossed the Wabash furthur south of the Big Four crossing.

The Hoosier moving north through Lafayette Junction, July 27, 1947. The train was running as a extra that day. The train consisted of Baggage-Mail 11, Coaches 21, 22, 23, Dining Bar Lounge 51 and Parlor-Observation 71. The two unit diesel train made an exhibition tour in August of 1947.

New York Central Pax Train with flexivan on rear with mail crossing the Monon diamond at Lafayette Junction. The Wabash line is to the right of the image. Unknown date.

C628 402 crossing the NYC/NKP diamond at Lafayette Junction on a freight going south. The caboose of the train is still coming down the street in Lafayette. Right: Alco C-628 on the point of a southbound freight at Lafayette Junction.

November 1979. Lafayette Junction. Looking north along the former Monon. Ex-NYC is to the left.

Left: Cab View of Lafayette Junction. Looking southbound through Lafayette Junction, 1971. Right: Lafayette Junction Tower. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-

Left and Right: Indside the Lafayette Junction Tower. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-

Left: Lafayette Junction Tower, circa 1979. Right: Another look at the tower and signal maintenance shed.

Lafayette Junction. Left: April 1967, C-420 #502 on the lead of a passenger at Lafayette Junction. Right: May 1967, #502 again passing through Lafayette Junction on the lead of a passenger.

RS-2 #54, April 1967, seen from Lafayette Junction tower. It has come through town and across the NYC/NKP diamond on is going to the bean plant in the background.

Southbound freight crossing through Lafayette Junction, circa 1971.

Ballast Switch

MP 125.0 - 1st Subdivision -

NEW 06-17-2008 Left and Right, Above and Below: Wreck near Lilly, at Ballast. -Dick Fontaine Photographs-

Left and Right: Monon wreck train works to clear the mainline near the Lilly Plant south of Lafayette.

Left: Monon derricks clean up a derailment at the Eli Lilly Company switch (MP 122.6) south of Lafayette Junction. Right: Ten years later and two of the cars are still there along the right of way. The two cars pictured had a substance like cement inside them. Today the area is the 231 Bypass.

NEW 06-16-2008 Freight action south of Lafayette, at Ballast Switch. Left: Train #73, circa 1969. Right: Train #72 at Ballast, August of 1970. -Dave Ritenour Photographs-

South of Lafayette. Passenger train #5 heading south from Lafayette. This train is climbing out of the river valley and headed towards Bloomington. It was just cleared Lafayette Junction where the Monon crossed the Big Four and Nickle Plate minline.

NEW 06-16-2008 Southbound Football Special, passing near Ballast, 1967.

NEW 06-16-2008 Northbound NIPSCO Special at Ballast, November 1969. -Dave Ritenour Photograph-