I just got in an email from Indy TCA about their making a custom run of an MTH F-3 AA Monon passenger set, with
RPO and other cars that once did the Chicago to Louisville run, hitting a lot of university towns. Being done by MrMuffin's Trains of Carmel, Ind., so I'd guess if interested, you should contact one or the other....cars and engines appear to be also available separately.
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Rattler: TCAIndy@aol.com is the guy to ask.
I thought these were only going to be a one hundred set run and only offered through Mr. Muffin's Train of Carmel.
I wonder for how many TCA has committed.
John
"TCA Indy" is a guy like on the State Farm commercials. Can't imagine the TCA itself would buy any.
Mr Muffin (Steve Nelson) (317) 569-1999
Are they Premier or Rail King?
Man, I'd love one of those sets. I road my bicycle to school in the am, and would pass by the K&I Terminal Railroad Coach Yard in the West end of Louisville. This was where the Southern/Monon/B&O, kept their Passenger cars. I saw the Monon/B&O on a daily basis. Monon Passenger departed Louisville from Union Station, then across the Ohio River, into New Albany,In. Then on to Chicago. Those were the days, good health, good memory, and Young!...................Mr. Muffin, I'm gonna start on my wife tonight to let me get one of these sets!.......Brings back a lot of childhood memories.....Brandy!
Roy - they are Premier. We had a lot of help from several groups getting these right, right down the the drumhead and kick plates.
Brandy - that's the train. Number 5 south and then number 6 back to Chicago.
Steve......
I CANNOT WAIT to get these on my layout! THANK YOU STEVE AND LIZ (Mr. and Mrs. Muffin) for bringing these to life, and for working with the Monon Society and others to perfect the details!
Scott
They're gorgeous! Will have to hope for a Railking set in the future. The Premier cars are just too big for my layout.
Very sharp looking......just not my road name.
Peter
You and me both! This is the railroad of my formative years! I remember lots of times being 7 years old, sitting on my bike by the Monon station in Mitchell, Indiana watching the Monon Thoroughbred come thundering into the station for a quick stop. I would look up into the windows of the coaches, just staring in awe at all the people inside the train. Where were they all going? Why couldn't I go too?
When I was in the 5th grade, I got to ride on the Monon Thoroughbred from Mitchell up to Chicago alone, met there by my Grandpa. Dearborn Station was "BIG TIME" to a kid from a small Indiana town of 2500 folks. I was there to take my Mom and my new baby sister back home to Mitchell on the same train three days later.
Many times the Monon hired a snack caterer who would walk up and down the train with a cart full of sandwiches, soft drinks, and coffee. He would make up chanting rhymes as he went through the car; things like.....
"Hurry up and get your fill before we get to Louisville!"
"Everything be "Okeedola" 'you buy an ice cold "Coke-e-Cola!"
Things like that stuck in the mind of a 5th grade kid, dressed up in his suit and a fedora hat, riding the Monon Thoroughbred taking his Mom and his new baby sister home.
For all of you who missed the chance to ride the rails in the golden age, I feel sorry for you. You missed some wonderful memories.
Jim Barrett, those are GREAT memories!
Too bad you weren't involved in the planning, maybe they could have put those rhymes in the Proto 3 package LOL! Could you imagine hitting the button on your transformer and hearing them. How fun!
Now that I know your authentic story, I might get creative with an old, small, iPod with those rhymes on my layout ;-)
FWI Department....
In this latest issue of Classic Trains magazine....
...is a great article w/photos recalling the author's adolescent encounter with Monon's Thoroughbred.
I just finished reading it while on duty at our LHS. Great read. Since I attended Purdue U. (Lafayette, IN)...but never rode the Monon railroad...I found it to be a great bit of recall.
BTW...for those into trivia.... The Purdue mascot moniker is 'The Boilermakers'. Why? Because in the VERY early days of football...think early 1900's...the teams were not made up necessarily of students. Rather, they recruited football hunks from wherever they could find them. In this case, the Monon railroad shops located in Lafayette!!! Yepper, my alma mater's venture into foo-ball was born of the railroads!
Of course, lately there's not much to brag about in that spectrum.....!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
KD
Are they Premier or Rail King?
They are Premier with proto 3.0. Should be totally awesome.
Marx Tin Man,
I just wish I could remember MORE of the chants and rhymes he made up. It was entertaining all the time he was on the train. Going south, I think he got on in Lafayette and then rode to Salem and got off. That way he could restock, then board the northbound #6 Thoroughbred. I'd have to see a schedule for the two trains back in the mid '50s so I could better guess where he got off the #5 train going south to get on the #6 for the northbound run.
There was one chant that went something about getting some snack that would
"make ya' doggone prettah
by tha "thame' we get ya to the Winda City".
Fun......
FWI Department....
In this latest issue of Classic Trains magazine....
...is a great article w/photos recalling the author's adolescent encounter with Monon's Thoroughbred.
I just finished reading it while on duty at our LHS. Great read. Since I attended Purdue U. (Lafayette, IN)...but never rode the Monon railroad...I found it to be a great bit of recall.
BTW...for those into trivia.... The Purdue mascot moniker is 'The Boilermakers'. Why? Because in the VERY early days of football...think early 1900's...the teams were not made up necessarily of students. Rather, they recruited football hunks from wherever they could find them. In this case, the Monon railroad shops located in Lafayette!!! Yepper, my alma mater's venture into foo-ball was born of the railroads!
Of course, lately there's not much to brag about in that spectrum.....!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
KD
I'm a Boiler myself!
You nailed the story!
And, you are correct about recent years-not much to brag about either. The good thing is the 'other school in Bloomington' hasn't been great either...HAHA.
My Mom used to take me for drives down to the old Monon shops. Been years since I've been in that neck of the woods, wonder if there is much left? CSX made some large changes last time I was in the area.
Would like to have this set, just not what I model. I know it is going to be great set!
Jim Barrett and everyone else - Keep Those Memories Coming! I LOVE IT!
The Monons are being package at the factory and coming to America, They should be available by November one
You guys are killing me!
Beautiful, knew I'd regret not buying this!
You and me both! This is the railroad of my formative years! I remember lots of times being 7 years old, sitting on my bike by the Monon station in Mitchell, Indiana watching the Monon Thoroughbred come thundering into the station for a quick stop. I would look up into the windows of the coaches, just staring in awe at all the people inside the train. Where were they all going? Why couldn't I go too?
When I was in the 5th grade, I got to ride on the Monon Thoroughbred from Mitchell up to Chicago alone, met there by my Grandpa. Dearborn Station was "BIG TIME" to a kid from a small Indiana town of 2500 folks. I was there to take my Mom and my new baby sister back home to Mitchell on the same train three days later.
Many times the Monon hired a snack caterer who would walk up and down the train with a cart full of sandwiches, soft drinks, and coffee. He would make up chanting rhymes as he went through the car; things like.....
"Hurry up and get your fill before we get to Louisville!"
"Everything be "Okeedola" 'you buy an ice cold "Coke-e-Cola!"
Things like that stuck in the mind of a 5th grade kid, dressed up in his suit and a fedora hat, riding the Monon Thoroughbred taking his Mom and his new baby sister home.
For all of you who missed the chance to ride the rails in the golden age, I feel sorry for you. You missed some wonderful memories.
Driving down to pick mine up on Saturday.
Beautiful! What a bright and shiny red nose!
Congrats to all that purchased this beautiful train! Thanks for posting the pics and video Bill! Wish I could have ordered one, but too many great offerings going on at the same time! Enjoy!
Stack
Missed the open house last night at Mr. Muffin's, but I will be there this weekend to pick up my Monon F3s with Thoroughbred consist! I can't wait to get her running on my layout. Christmas comes a few days early for me this year!
Long before LIONEL, MTH, Williams, et al. began making F units in liveries other than Santa Fe, NYC and such, the late Rich Sherry was repainting customers' PW F units in other liveries. I recall spending Wednesday train nights in his basement with other guys, and watching Rich work. I recall he did at least several sets of the F units in the Monon livery used by MTH and pictured above. I don't recall him ever doing passenger cars.
Glad to see you Midwest guys, primarily, get a modern Monon version with the passenger cars. Very attractive train set and it brings back fond memories for me of Rich.
I am so happy with these models - thank you MTH... Here's the video, a short one, we shot last night. The Monon comes into view after the two steamers...
Thanks!....
They're absolutely beautiful!
Thank you for your effort to get these models for everyone to enjoy.
JOB WELL DONE 
Steve they are really nice. You really did a service for the collectors that love the Monon. I especially liked the Mars headlight. I had thought you were not going to be able to get the dual headlights. As expected nice job. Sorry I missed last night. You and Liz have brought a new level of fun to train stores.
Buzz
Just got home from picking up my MTH MONON Set from Mr. Muffins. Nice place with a friendly staff and a great looking layout. We plan on going back with the grandson in the spring. Was worth the 6 hour round trip drive.
Thank you Steve and Liz (Mr. and Mrs. Muffin) of Mr. Muffin's Trains in Carmel, IN, for working so hard with the Monon groups and MTH to brings these amazing trains to life again.
Got mine today BEAUTIFUL set Steve Thanks Now when are the add-ons coming!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great - Thank you so much. You should've seen the semi back up to our place and help us unload seven pallets. Not for the faint of heart - that was a lot of purple boxes. We had a couple of customers in the store that came back and helped. Mrs Muffin wrapped them in large red bows for the pickups. I've had about 80 sets out the door already. Still have a few left to sell. We sold two to folks that had come in and saw ours running. Trying to decide how many to keep just for me. Two?
Steve.....
A guy in our club picked his up last week and ran it on our layout Saturday & Sunday.
It is Drop-Dead GORGEOUS.
Since our layout has a permanent home in Indiana it is very fitting. All the locals that stopped by had stories to tell about the MONON.
Going to be a unique sight to see both versions of Mr. Muffins Monon passenger train sets running on the Muffins' "factory" layout. Kudos for the effort to produce them. 20-20436-1
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