General Discussion (Classic Trains)

I have an old B&O map from the 1940's and it shows a branch to French lick Indiana. I would like any information about this branch,what it served and so forth. Thanks

Mr. Flora:

According to the January, 1941 Official Guide of the Railways, the B&O map shows a line dropping from Mitchell to French Lick.

However, Table 47 shows service to French Lick via "Motor Coach Connection".  There was bus connections between French Lick and Mitchell to meet the WB Diplomat at 1145am and also the EB National Limited at 156pm.

Thus a person could make connections to and from St. Louis from the west and Cincinnati, Washington, Baltimore, and NYC from the east.  Transit time from Mitchell to French Lick was 50 minutes for the 22.8 miles.

ed

waltersrails:

I have an old B&O map from the 1940's and it shows a branch to French lick Indiana. I would like any information about this branch,what it served and so forth. Thanks

In November of 1937, there was still an overnight sleeper between Chicago and French Lick Springs, which was the only passenger train the CI&L still operated into this resort town.

In June of 1930, however, there was much more: not only was the sleeper noted above operated, but there was also a connection, at Orleans, to the morning train from Louisville to Chicago, a connection, at Orleans, from the morning train out of Chicago--and a through train, via the PRR and Gosport Jct., to and from Indianapolis which not only carried coaches, but also carried an observation-parlor car. Since this train left Indiandapolis after breakfast, arrived in French Lick Springs at noon, and left for Indianapolis at one-ten in the afternoon, and arrived before supper, it did not have a diner. There may have been some grill service in the parlor, but that is not mentioned.

French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs (1.1 miles from French Lick) were both highly esteemed watering places.

Johnny

St. Louis and Evansville to French Lick and West Baden on the Southern Railway.

As Johnny noted, the sulphur waters at both French Lick and nearby West Baden Springs attracted many visitors and made them a resort destination for the more affluent much like Hot Springs in Arkansas. Even today there are large hotels offering upscale resort amenities at both locations. I dare say the B&O branch was originally built to tap the passenger market of travelers headed to the springs from eastern cities.

Mark

wanswheel:

St. Louis and Evansville to French Lick and West Baden on the Southern Railway.

In 1916, the Southern had three trains each way between Huntingburg and West Baden. One was a through train from and to Princeton, Indiana; one connected with the Evansville-Louisville train; the third made connections to and from St. Louis. In 1930, the Princeton-West Baden train was gone, and by 1950 (I do not have any Guide between June, 1930, and February, 1950, near my computer), the line was freight service only. Wheteher it was location, or a lack of desire to promote the line, the Southern did not have the business to the resorts that the Monon had. Perhaps the people in St. Louis were not interested in through overnight service, which was possible.

Johnny

French Lick was guaranteed to be famous forever when Governor Roosevelt of New York announced he was running for President at the hotel there. 

http://www.usgennet.org/usa/in/county/orange/taggart1.htm

Mike

Sounds like it was a scenic branch

 

Deggesty:

In November of 1937, there was still an overnight sleeper between Chicago and French Lick Springs, which was the only passenger train the CI&L still operated into this resort town.

In June of 1930, however, there was much more: not only was the sleeper noted above operated, but there was also a connection, at Orleans, to the morning train from Louisville to Chicago, a connection, at Orleans, from the morning train out of Chicago--and a through train, via the PRR and Gosport Jct., to and from Indianapolis which not only carried coaches, but also carried an observation-parlor car. Since this train left Indiandapolis after breakfast, arrived in French Lick Springs at noon, and left for Indianapolis at one-ten in the afternoon, and arrived before supper, it did not have a diner. There may have been some grill service in the parlor, but that is not mentioned.

French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs (1.1 miles from French Lick) were both highly esteemed watering places.

Johnny

The Indianapolis-French Lick train was called the French Lick-New Yorker.  There was also a train named the Red Devil on the Monon, which operated between Chicago and French Lick.

 

More info about Red Devil train at book link:

http://books.google.com/books?id=X9IoXE2tSK0C&pg=PA29#v=onepage&q=&f=true

What no one has said yet is that the B&O did not really have a branch that ran to French Lick.  The Monon ran from the B&O's St. Louis Division at Mitchell to French Lick and the B&O probably had a through ticketing arrangement with the Monon.  And as noted by another message, this was later replaced by a bus connection.  The Monon even had a small yard near the French Lick Hotel where the rich could have their private cars set-out while they visited the resort.