On October 9, 2004, I traveled to Lafayette Indiana for the dedication of the Monon Memorial at 18th and McDoel Avenue. The Memorial honors of the men and women who worked at the shops and is at the site of the old entrance to the Monon Shops. The shops did everything from locomotive repair to the conversion of WW II troop cars into modern passenger cars.
It was short ceremony without tons of rhetoric and fanfare. The real highlight for me was when Mayor Roswarski asked all those who had worked there to come up and stand behind the ribbon cutters as the ribbon was cut. Here were folks who had been there when the Shops were a going concern. Some old and some older, but all who could stepped up to be there when their memorial was dedicated. The only thing missing was the sound of a locomotive whistle at that moment.
Photos may be found on my Railroads of Madison County web site at:
http://madisonrails.railfan.net/photo2004.html
and on the Monon Historical Society site at:
http://www.monon.org/smdedication.html
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It was short ceremony without tons of rhetoric and fanfare. The real highlight for me was when Mayor Roswarski asked all those who had worked there to come up and stand behind the ribbon cutters as the ribbon was cut. Here were folks who had been there when the Shops were a going concern. Some old and some older, but all who could stepped up to be there when their memorial was dedicated. The only thing missing was the sound of a locomotive whistle at that moment.
Photos may be found on my Railroads of Madison County web site at:
http://madisonrails.railfan.net/photo2004.html
and on the Monon Historical Society site at:
http://www.monon.org/smdedication.html
