By Eric Berger
NORTH JUDSON, Ind. — The Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum has been preserving rail history in Northwest Indiana for more than 30 years and 2021 is turning into a particularly notable one with the arrival of two historic BL2 locomotives as well as three pieces of equipment from hometown favorite, the Monon Railroad.
While the Monon has been gone for half a century, the volunteers of the Hoosier Valley are working hard to keep it from being forgotten and they’ve gotten an assist from one longtime supporter who has helped bring a number of pieces of equipment to North Judson this year.
Officially named Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville, the Monon was Indiana’s railroad, operating 792 miles of track almost entirely within the state with two mainlines crossing each other at Monon, Indiana. After John W. Barriger III became its president in 1946, the railroad was modernized. By the end of 1949, there were 46 diesels on the roster, mostly F3A and B-units, but also nine BL2 and a handful of SW1 and NW2 switchers. Some of those diesels were still in service when Monon was merged into Louisville & Nashville in 1971, including DS-50, the SW1 that was Monon’s first diesel in early 1942.
That SW1 ended up at Indiana Transportation Museum, where it became a local favorite during several decades of operation. When the City of Noblesville evicted ITM and threatened to scrap any equipment not removed from the city-owned site, lifelong Monon fan Ken Davenport stepped up with the cash to purchase the switcher and arranged to move it by truck in 2018. But disaster struck when the flatbed truck carrying the locomotive went under a low bridge, shearing off the top of the SW1’s cab.
After a protracted ordeal involving the insurance settlement, Davenport found a new home for the old warrior at HVRM, which has made its repair and restoration a major priority. A replacement SW1 cab was located earlier this year and arrived in April. Works sessions to prepare for its installation were ongoing through the summer.
Another piece of Monon equipment rescued from the ITM collection by Davenport is a steel transfer caboose, 81551. It was delivered earlier this year and will also be restored by HVRM volunteers.
Davenport also purchased a 40-foot steel boxcar built for Monon by Pullman-Standard in 1941. With that, Davenport became the proud owner of a complete, if short, Monon freight train, and HVRM President Todd Flanagan said he is equally proud to host the equipment.
While both men spoke with excitement about restoring the three Monon pieces, they spoke with perhaps even more enthusiasm of ex-Bangor & Aroostook 52 and 56, the BL2s that Davenport bought from the bankrupt Iowa Pacific Holdings earlier this year. These engines were last used on New York’s Saratoga & North Creek, and they still wear that short lived road’s blue, gray and yellow paint.. Davenport told Railfan & Railroad that acquiring the engines was a “dream come true.” They arrived at HVRM in June.
The only Monon BL2 to survive is 32, which has been in use at the Kentucky Railway Museum in New Haven, Kentucky, since its donation by L&N in 1972. Many have implored both Davenport and Flanagan to apply the gold and black Monon paint scheme to the BAR units, but that is not being contemplated.
Flanagan complimented the condition of the S&NC paint when they arrived and said the only work that will be done in the short term will be mechanical in nature.
“The 52 was fired up on July 14 and ran amazingly well, but still needs a few water leaks fixed, thanks to sitting dead for three years,” Davenport said.
He said the 56 is in similar condition but has an electrical problem that must be addressed. Work on 56 will not begin until 52 is operating and has an FRA blue card, he added.
As to the paint?
“The only paint job that will ever be applied to either of these locomotives will be a Bangor & Aroostook paint scheme so that they may be returned to their original configuration and look. I’m a strong believer in historical accuracy,” Davenport commented. “They are in capable hands at the HVRM and they will be taken care of. I have stepped back from them now because my role was to buy them and save them from being scrapped and pay to have them shipped.”
That said, he admitted he might take a trip to North Judson now and then to take a look. They are, after all, his dream come true.
For information on volunteering for upcoming work sessions, contact Flanigan at toddfcn@gmail.com.
