HISTORY OF LOCATION
"As early as 1882 there was talk of building a new shops complex because the Louisville, New Albany & Chicago was outgrowing their modest New Albany shops. Lafayette became a popular site because of land that was might be granted for the privilege of becoming the new home to the railroad's shops. There was competition between Lafayette and Monon and many railroad trade publications of the day had all but confirmed that either Lafayette or Monon would get the complex. In 1892 the voters of Tippecanoe County's Fairfield Township voted to donate $100,000.00 and 45 acres of land to the railroad if they moved the shops complex to their township. Lafayette had won. Construction of the new complex began in 1894 and in October of 1895 the railroad began use of its new complex.
The shops stood on a hill, perched above the mainline. It's buildings, red brick capped with stone trimmings stood tall and proud north of Lafayette. There were two main structures. One building held a 210 foot long machine shop and 90 foot boiler shop, with adjoining blacksmith shop, engine and dyno room, and boiler room. The second building was a car shop, 90 x 300 feet in size. The shops, over the years, changed with the times and needs of the railroad. Quality work was their hallmark and they met every challenge or need with the same level of workmanship. Time and time again the shops proved that they could perform unconventional tasks and succeed. Some of the more cherished feats accomplished at the shops: the rebuilding ex-Army streamlined passenger cars of 1947-1948. The unique "bay window cupola" cabooses built new in 1956-1957. Repowering the Fairbanks Morse diesels of 1960-1961 and the rebuilding of the Alco RS-2s in 1965-1966. Of course there was also many less notable examples of the skill of the shops. The hundreds of freight cars rebuilt, from hopper cars rebuilt to flatcars turned into piggyback service cars. In short the shops did the job of keeping the Monon running. Not much remains of the shops complex today." http://www.monon.monon.org/bygone/lafayette2.html
