May 21, 2010

Char, my brother Bob, my Uncle Russell and I went to the Monon Connection Museum today. This is a wonderful place for railroad enthusiasts to visit. This private collection contains thousands of items and many are from the mid to late 1800s.

These three lanterns from the 1800s still have the original dirt on them from when they were found.

Here Uncle Russell, Char and Bob are looking at some of the over 300 lanterns on display. This room also exhibits fine china and silver from dining cars, padlocks, brass bells and whistles, safes and much more that were used on various rail lines.

Almost every inch of this 8,000 square foot museum was filled with memorabilia.

Here our tour guide, David Ward, explains some of the items in this enclosed case.

We ate lunch in the Whistle Stop Restaurant adjacent to the museum, there are four model trains traveling on suspended tracks from the ceiling.

Between rain showers, we went through this restored caboose on the grounds surrounding the museum.

Uncle Russell checking the view from the observation area in the top of the caboose.

This heating system kept the caboose warm in the coldest weather.

If you have the opportunity to travel through Northern Indiana plan a stop at this fantastic museum. You won’t be disappointed. It is 1½ miles north of Monon, Indiana on Hwy 421.