Bedford, Indiana

June 2007

Bedford -247.2 5th Subdivision-Fd

Bedford Indiana stand on top of the limestone hills of Southern Indiana. Bedford, the Seat of Justice of Lawrence County, sits on the high ground between the East Fork of White River and Salt Creek three miles from the former and two miles from the latter. Lawrence County was founded in 1818 and Bedford was laid out in 1826 by John Lowry, S. F. Irwin, Jos. Glover and John Owen. The area surrounding this city once prospered along with the many Stone Mills. The city is bordered by valleys to the north and south, which meant that the railroad had to deal with steep grades coming in and leaving the community. Bedford is known as the "Limestone Capital of the World", and rightly so. Bedford Limestone is world renowned, favored by architects because of its beauty and durability. Bedford Limestone is found in many of the principal buildings of the world, including the Pentagon, the Empire State Building and the National Cathedral.

Bedford, Indiana, circa 1914. Passengers board, or depart from passenger train as horse drawn carriages await. This is the second of three depots at Bedford. This depot was gutted by fire in 1903 when the freight house burnt down.

The year is 1946. The Monon's train #5 brakes for its stop at Bedford, with a 4-6-2 K-6 Pacific on the point. In less than a year diesels would take over and many of the old steam engines would be retired.

Left Milepost 245.8, Bedford, Indiana. Train #6, the northbound Thoroughbred arrives at the limestone depot. Right: Bedford depot, exact date unknown.

Looking north along the mainline at Bedford. Great shot of what it would look like from the cab.

The Bedford Depot. Former Monon depot on J Street, May 2004. Despite the current state of disrepair, the old sturdy building is home to a Lawrence County Solid Waste District recycling station. The Bedford Urban Enterprise Association had been renting the building and recently closed on a deal with CSX to purchase it. The BUEA has allocated funds for repairs. which will prevent further damage. See what the inside of the depot looks like in 2007, Visit Inside A Depot, Bedford.

Bedford Freight House. Left: Freight house as seen from the northeast. Right: South side of the freight house.

Local action at Bedford, circa 1969. RS2 #59 operating north of the depot. -Courtesy Steve Dolzall-

Looking south along the Monon and CTSE crossing, before 1949. Note the steel water tank pictured. It was on the north side of 13th St., several hundred feet southwest west of the freighthouse and west of the mainline. It had two water plugs adjacent to the mainline, one north and one south of the depot. -Courtesy Tim Swan-

Looking north along the Monon from the Milwaukee Road diamond. Bedford Yard facillities was north of this location.

Right: Two employees pose for the camera on the Bedford turntable. This picture is from the early 1900's. Left: Monon Steam Locomotive #108 at the Bedford roundhouse, February 1937.

Left: November 28, 1962 Northbound Thoroughbred street running at Bedford. Right: Approaching the station.

Street running in Bedford. Monon President John Barriger re-established "double-daily" passenger service on the mainline, the French Lick local was also restored. It handled the Chicago - French Lick Pullman off of the Louisville night train. Left: Mainline track J Street, date uknown. Right: Southbound local street running. Later, after the L&N merger and track usage rights were granted to the Milwaukee Road, up to ten trains daily would pass through the town square in Bedford.

Left: Northbound Thoroughbred, April 1967, moving through the rain soaked streets of Bedford. Right: A trio of RS2's, numbers 55, 56 and 57 working the streets of Bedford, circa 1967.

South of Bedford. Northbound freight with 504 on the point.

Left and Right, Above and Below. White River Bridge, south of Bedford. These photographs are of the bridge, circa 2006. The mile post for this bridge is 250.0.

To learn more about Bedford and other Monon locations, check out Bygone Places Along The Monon.

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