Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 August 1911 — NEW TRAIN ON MONON [ARTICLE]

NEW TRAIN ON MONON

Traffic Ties to be Severed With C., H. & D. on Daylight Trains. The fact that the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railroad, which is better known as the Monon, will sever traffic ties August 27 on daylight trains so far as the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad is concerned, became known in Cincinnati yesterday. The Monon will put on a new train, to be known as the “Hoosier Special,”, between Indianapolis and Chicago, and will not make connection? with C. 11. & D. trains 30 and 33 after the final Sunday of this month. Cars for the new train are now being built in the plant of the Barney & Smith Car Company, Dayton, Ohio, and railroad men who have inspected them declare they are the latest and most up-to-date equipment that will be seen in the middle west. The two roads have been discussing the matter for about two months, and up to yesterday managed to keep thp fact a secret. When C„ H. & D. officials learned that the news had leaked out and that it.had been confirmed by the Monon they admitted that the break was due to come. The C., H. & D. made every effort to maintain the traffic ties, but the Monon decided that it would sever them on the date mentioned.

The Monon seems determined to start a war with the Big Four on Chicago business out of Indianapolis, but why the step will be taken has not been revealed. The “Hoosier Special” will leave Indianapoljs a few minutes before Big Four Train Nca 21, which leaves Cincinnati daily at 12:20 p. m. arrives in Indianapolis at 2:25 p. m. This will be done with the expectation of getting business that now goes to the Big Four, but railroad men who have - kept figures on the traffic out of Indianapolis declare that there will not be enough traffic to justify the running of the train, this_heing due primarily to the fact" that the Chicago business originating in Indianapolis will not be heavy enough to pay operating costs of the train. The C., H. & D. has been a good feeder for the Monon on Chicago business, as travel out of here over that road to the Windy City has always been heavy. It has not been determined by

trre C.. H. D. how it will handle Chicago business, but as it is controlled by the Baltimore and Ohio connection will be made with that road at Deshle'r, Ohio, a junction point of the two lines.

The C., •*!.- & D. has a train Out of Cincinnati at 1 p. m., which arrives at Deshler at 5 :34 p. m., and the B. and O. could run a train over its tracks from Deshler to make connections for the run to Chicago. It is ejected that the Big Four will get into the game by having train No. 21 leave Cincinnati at noon, instead of 12:20

p. m., which would necessitate a change of time in the “Hoosier Special,” which the Big Four would again meet. Contant changes in time would baffle the traveling- public, and other roads will get the benefit of the “war.” Cincinnati railroad men yesterday declared that the act of the Monon is beyond comprehension, as it will not get any lasting benefit from the new train, and it is predicted that within three months it will beg the C., H. & D. to renew the traffic ties. What the C., H. & D. will then do is a matter of conjecture.

Beyond admitting that the break was due for August 27, C.. H. & D. officials declined to discuss it, stating that there was a possibility of averting the trouble, and that they had hopes of seeing the Monon reconsider the matter. At the present time, however, there seems very little prospect of it. The present plans of the Monon do not contemplate any change in night service with the C., H. & D.—Cincinnati Enquirer.