2005 French Lick, Indiana

2005 Pictures And Wrap Up

Ken Weller and Kevin Heggi hard at work relaxing on the porch at the hotel

Friday evening and caboose 81532 is looking good. Ready to ride the rails once again with passengers from the MRHTS.

What's this? At breakfast Saturday morning, we all noticed Steve Long's pickup truck's bed is EMPTY! (Well sort of.) Must have clean it out in order to bring home all his purchases at the swap meet Sunday?

Saturday Morning Excursion

Your engineer, George I Carpenter III, aka Casey G3.

Left: What do you mean, REAL TRAINMEN DID NOT WEAR PINK HATS! Webmaster Tom Kepshire poses with his newest hat.

Right: Convention Chairman Tom Rankin and Co-Chairman (Who did 99%of the work) Pam Kut, drawing raffle tickets for the locomotive and caboose seats.

Left: Member Tim Swan picks his own name. Hey, is that fair?

Right: President Frank Van Bree attempts to secure himself a caboose ride ticket. Lucky Andrew enlisted a local guard dog to protect his winning ticket.

"You really traded your winning locomotive ride ticket Tim? Just to ride back here with me? I'm flattered." Society Members Tim Swan and Steve Long look contented and happy.

Left: Gee, who said the elected officers don't get perks? President Van Bree waves to his adoring fan. Time to get this train moving. I wonder if anyone checked his winning ticket?

Right: Here we go, heading off for a day of excitement.

Additional Train Excursion Pictures

West Baden Tour (Need WB Pictures...If Anyone Will Share.)

Left: We're off to West Baden! Maybe

Right: Hey, nobody said my picture would be taken.

Left: Why do we always seem to be waiting on Van Bree? He should have thought about that earlier.

Right: The gateway at the West Baden Springs, from inside the grounds.

Left: Tour participants looking down the roadway towards the West Baden Springs Hotel.

Inside the West Baden. At one time considered the Eighth Wonder Of The World. Great picture.

Left: ASCE Plaque recognizing the West Baden Springs as a "Historic Civil Engineering Landmark"

Right: Fireplace in dome

Up close detail of the statues inside the dome at West Baden. This building will be completely restored and will once again play host to visitors to the area..

Additional West Baden Pictures

Saturday Evening Dinner

Left: Black Ops Committee Kevin Heggi discusses events and plans his next operation.

Right: "Come on Max, think bigger. You , me and Kepshire together, beating Frank in 2006 would be a lock. At least think about it."

Left: "Nine Joints" Marquardt ponders what his next selection will be. Ronnie Had A Little Goat was suggested, but he claims there is no such song. People even tipped him.

Right: The New "Monon 5" give their rendition of Up And Down The Monon. They riveted the crowd with their rendition of the song, or, maybe the crowd was looking at the deserts?

The Monon 5 finishing their tribute to the Monon. "I suggest that next year the packet we receive contain ear plugs." -Warren Mitchell- (Post convention side note: Warren will soon be appointed the new Chairman of the Convention Musical Entertainment Committee.)

Left: The performance was so good, Dan Seldin had to leave the room.

Right: Who said that bad deeds and humor never go un rewarded? President Frank Van Bree presents the First Annual National Spike Museum's Monon Man Of The Year Award to Webmaster Tom Kepshire and Acting Treasurer Max Foltz at the dinner. Now we know where some of the stuff from Steve's pick up went. No expense was spared. Are those smug looks, or what?

President Frank Van Bree introduces the Guest Speaker, Alfred Popp.

Left: After dinner, Alfred Popp entertains the guess with his experiences on the southern end section gangs of the Monon Railroad. He shared many stories of how well the tracks were maintained. He also provided some "behind the scenes" information on how things were really done back then. Cecil Smith from the Depot Museum in Salem provided several track tools similar to those that Alfred had used many times over the years.

Right: After the dinner and guest speaker, Ken Weller entertained with his Power Point presentations.

Swap Meet & Clinics

Left: Dealers set up their wares, including the Company Store. Right: A fully stocked Company Store await shoppers.

Left and Right: Ron "Nine Joints" Marquardt conducts a clinic on Operating Rules, or the care a feeding of goats. Whatever one, we hear from those in attendance it was very informative and entertaining.

Right: Lyle Key conducting a clinic on railroad photography.

Annual Business Meeting

Left: Okay you guys, who hide my beer?

Right: "Come on people, let's sing Happy Birthday to Jim Davis."

Left: Well, another Convention down. Are you looking forward to 2006?

Right: Your humble Webmaster meets Pluto. He always wanted to thank the person behind many of his Frankie Monon pictures.

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