Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 August 1909 — Three New Engines Arrive For the Monon. [ARTICLE]

Three New Engines Arrive For the Monon.

Lafayette Courier. Three handsome new Pacific type passenger locomotives arrived at the Monon shops early this morning from the Brooks plant of the American Locomotive works at Dunkirk, N. Y. The , new motive power equipment will be put into service as soon as the engines are limbered up, having been secured for the fast runs on the Air line, between Chicago and Indianapolis. The locomotives are the fastest and best ever purchased by the Monon. They are built for speed and strength and will draw the heaviest passenger trains at a speed of a mile a minute. Superintendent of Motive Power John Gill and Assistant W. J. Bennett, visited Dunkirk several time and superintended the construction of the engines. The locomotives were a week on the road, coming by way of the Lake Shore to Otis and Monon to this city. Eddie Byers and Burt Thomas of the Brooks works had charge of the engines. W. T. Rupert, expert inspector of the American Locomotive company, arrived yesterday to superintend the assemblying of the three engines and their trial runs. Mr. Rupert is one of the best-known locomotive experts in the United States, and a great globe trotter. He returned only three weeks ago from a notable trip for the locomotive company, being absent nearly three years. He delivered 290 locomotives to foreign railroads. The order was the largest ever obtained by an American factory from abroad. The 290 engines represented a valuation of over five million dollars. One hundred and eighty-two of them were delivered to the Southern Manchurian railroad, owned by Japan. Others went to the Canton & Hangkow railroad in China, and the remainder to the Argentine railroad. Mr. Rupert accompanied by his wife and son, went first to Dalny, Manchuria. From there he went to Hangkow, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Canton. He then went to Singapore, Ceylon, Colombo, Aden, through the Suez canal and the Mediterranean, up to England fend then to Buenos Ayres. He will remain here a week or ten days setting up the new engines.