The photo you see above is one of the most fascinating pictures in our archive. It captures something special from the bygone era of French Lick Springs Hotel: when train service literally took you to the front door of the hotel, and traveling via passenger car was an experience worth dressing up for.
The Monon Railroad specifically was the line responsible for bringing guests from near and far to experience French Lick and West Baden Springs Hotels. The passenger trains were a big piece in how the hotels expanded and evolved into the great structures we know today. We’re paying tribute with 10 things to know about the Monon:
All Aboard for the First Time in 1887
Service to our Springs Valley area started in 1887, and it was crucial to the growth of the hotels in French Lick and West Baden, because this was the time before hard-surface roads and automobiles. Prior to this, the main way to reach the hotels was on horseback, and the hotels were only open seasonally when it was conducive for travel. With rail service now available, 1888 was the first year both hotels were open year-round.
As Many as 9 Trains Daily
At the peak of the hotels’ popularity from roughly 1890 through 1930, as many as nine regularly scheduled passenger trains arrived at the hotel every day. And with as many as 150 or even 200 passengers per train, that added up to potentially 1,000+ visitors every day as the hotels were able to expand their reach to large cities in the Midwest and East Coast. In addition to the Monon, the Southern Railroad began offering passenger service to French Lick and West Baden in 1907.
Curbside Service
Each hotel had a train station located in its front lawn, essentially dropping off guests right at the front door. It was a common sight to see guests unloading enormous trunks containing everything they needed for an extended stay. Back then, staying for a couple weeks (or even more) was common, as folks truly made the most of their resort excursion.
Ride the “Red Devil Express”
A nod to French Lick Springs Hotel’s famed red devil mascot, the Monon offered a special “Red Devil Express.” Catering to guests from the big city, the Red Devil Express offered nonstop service from Chicago to French Lick for guests wanting to visit the hotel as it had become nationally renowned. In 1948, a round-trip ride on the Red Devil Express was $12.10 for coach class and $18.80 for first class.
Just Off the Main Line
The railroad trains didn’t actually reach Springs Valley via their main lines. Instead, they served French Lick and West Baden thanks to a short line branching off from the main line that ran through nearby Orleans. The Monon was also known as the Chicago, Indianapolis and Louisville Railway as it operated mostly in Indiana and those major surrounding cities.
Key in the Rebuild of West Baden Springs Hotel
The Monon Railroad was a big reason why West Baden Springs Hotel was rebuilt so quickly following a fire in 1902. Most of the materials used in the construction were hauled in via a railroad spur about one-third of a mile long that was built off the main Monon line. In the upper left corner of the photo above, you can see this railroad spur used to deliver materials to the construction site.
Temporary Home for Festival Goers
During the Jazz Festival of 1958 and '59 that brought famous jazz artists and thousands of guests to French Lick, people who were unable to get a room in the hotel were allowed to camp out in tents on the hotel grounds. The hotel even made a deal with the Monon Railroad to bring in a couple rail cars to set up as impromptu living quarters for the weekend.
Ride a “Thoroughbred”
The railroad offered a special “Thoroughbred” ride every year associated with the Kentucky Derby. Hundreds of visitors would stay at the hotels at French Lick and West Baden, then ride the train into Louisville to enjoy Derby Day. It was the perfect way to get all the Derby experience without having to deal with all the Derby crowds.
The Train of Tomorrow
Another unique ride rolled into town in 1949 when the Train of Tomorrow made a stop in French Lick. This was the first new train to consist entirely of sleek, stainless steel dome cars. It was also the biggest diesel locomotive of the time, initiating the dawn of the diesel era as steam engines were being phased out. French Lick was one of the stops on the train’s barnstorming tour, which covered 65,000 miles and was ridden by nearly 6 million people.
End of the Line
With cars and buses having emerged as an easy travel option, scheduled rail passenger service to French Lick and West Baden ended in 1949. Still, the Monon continued offering special rail passenger charters and Kentucky Derby trains for decades afterward, with the last Derby train running in 1971. That same year, the Monon merged with Louisville & Nashville Railroad — the end of the Monon’s 124-year era as its first train ran in 1847.
