Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad facts for kids
Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad Depot
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Lebanon, Ohio |
| Reporting mark | CRC |
| Locale | Warren County, Ohio, USA |
| Dates of operation | 1985–present |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge |
The Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad (LM&M Railroad) is a fun train ride located in downtown Lebanon, Ohio. This city is between Dayton and Cincinnati. The LM&M offers exciting train trips that often have special themes. You might find rides like the Easter Bunny Express or the North Pole Express. They also have rides with popular characters such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Clifford the Big Red Dog.
Contents
Journey on the Tracks: Route History
The LM&M train travels about 25 miles of track. This track connects the cities of Lebanon, Mason, and Monroe in southwestern Ohio. For most trips, the train goes 4.4 miles south. It starts from Lebanon Station in historic downtown Lebanon. The journey ends at a place called Hageman Junction.
The train uses tracks that were once part of the Cincinnati, Lebanon and Northern Railway (CL&N). This was a historic line for both people and goods. It started running in 1881. Back then, it used "narrow gauge" tracks, which means the rails were closer together (3 feet apart). Just three years later, the tracks were rebuilt to "standard gauge," making them wider.
Later, the Pennsylvania Railroad (PRR) took over the CL&N line. The PRR ran both freight (goods) and passenger trains. These trains traveled between Dayton and Cincinnati. Many passengers were commuters from Warren County, Ohio. They used the train to get to jobs in places like Blue Ash, Norwood, Cincinnati, and Dayton. Passenger service on this line stopped in 1931. This happened after the new Cincinnati Union Terminal opened.
A part of the original track between Lebanon and Cincinnati was removed. This happened when the I-71 highway was built in the 1960s. But some parts of the old CL&N/PRR track are still used today. The LM&M's track from Lebanon to Hageman Junction is owned by the city of Lebanon. The company Genesee & Wyoming owns the rest of the track. They also own the Indiana and Ohio Railway (I&O). The I&O still uses the line for freight trains. The LM&M has special permission to run its passenger trains on these tracks.
Meet the Engines: Motive Power
The LM&M Railroad has a special locomotive named CRC 55. This engine is the oldest GP7 diesel locomotive that has been running continuously in the United States. It was ordered in 1947 from General Motors Electro-Motive Diesel (EMD). The engine was built for the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O). It worked on the former Pere Marquette Railway lines in Michigan.
The locomotive's first number was 5704. It carried freight all over the C&O network. Later, it worked for the Chessie System. It was retired around 1987. Then, the Indiana and Ohio Railway (I&O) bought it. In 1996, the I&O was bought by RailTex. That's when ownership of CRC 55 went to what is now the LM&M.
This powerful engine was built in May 1950. It has 1500 horsepower. It weighed 248,000 pounds, making it one of the heaviest GP7s on the C&O. Experts believe the CRC 55 has traveled over 3 million miles! In 2018, the CRC 55 was painted again. It now looks like it did when it was first delivered to the Chesapeake and Ohio, with blue and yellow colors.
Passenger Cars: Coaches
The LM&M uses four special passenger cars. These are called CRC 101, 102, 103, and 104.
Historic Coaches: CRC 101 - 104
These four coaches were built in 1930. The Pullman Company in Chicago and Harlan and Hollingsworth built them. They were made for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad (DL&W). These coaches were unique because they didn't need a separate locomotive. Each car could move itself! They had four electric motors, each with 230 horsepower. These motors got electricity from overhead wires.
Even though each car had its own controls, two or more cars could link up. Then, one engineer could drive the whole train from the front car. These coaches carried commuters in New Jersey, near New York City. They worked for the DL&W until 1960. Then, the Lackawanna Railroad joined with the Erie Railroad to form the Erie Lackawanna (EL). The coaches kept running until 1976. Finally, they served New Jersey Transit (NJT) until 1984.
In 1984, the coaches were bought for use in Lebanon. They were named after important places along the LM&M line. Car 101 is "Mason." Car 102 is "Hageman." Car 103 is "Turtle Creek." These three cars can each hold 72 passengers. Car 104 is named "Lebanon." It holds 54 passengers and has a snack bar!
Lebanon Railroad Station
The Lebanon railroad station was built in 1972. It looks like the original Victorian-style passenger station. The Lebanon Council of Garden Clubs owns and takes care of it. They bought the land from the Penn Central Railroad. The garden club members raised money to build a place for their group. They use the station as a library, meeting rooms, and for workshops. They also display old railroad items there. The LM&M ticket office and gift shop are across the street. You can find them at the corner of South and Mechanic.
Crossing Watchman’s Tower
The Lebanon Council of Garden Clubs also got a special tower. This tower used to be at Reading and Columbia Roads in Reading, Ohio. Before automatic gates, a crossing guard would operate the gates by hand. The guard sat in a tower. This gave them a better view of trains and cars. The tower had a coal stove, a chair, and controls for the crossing gates.
Semaphore Signal
There is a semaphore signal in the Lebanon Station parking lot. We don't know where it originally came from. However, it shows what a typical "train order semaphore" looked like. These signals sent messages to trains by changing the position of an arm.
A train order signal had three positions and colors:
- Green (vertical): This meant "no orders." The train could continue.
- Yellow (diagonal 45 degrees): This meant "pick up orders while moving." The train needed to get new instructions.
- Red (horizontal): This meant "stop and sign for orders." The train had to stop and confirm it received the orders.
This signal was built by Union Switch and Signal. This company was in Swissvale, Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. The Lebanon Kiwanis Club donated the signal.
