The Interurban and Railroads in the Anderson Area

A year or so ago, I found a great web site that documents the history of the interurban in Indiana, and Madison County in particular.

The interurban was an electric-powered train that ran throughout central Indiana. Anderson played a big part in one of the biggest interurban companies, the Union Traction Company. The interurban operated until 1941. My dad clearly rememberd it, but I'm not sure if he ever rode on the interurban. I'm sure you couldn't miss it if you lived in Anderson. The interurban died in part because of a bad wreck... still the most deadly transportation accident in Madison County history... as 23 people died in a crash and derailment. I wonder if the interurban was similar to the electric trolleys in New Orleans?

I asked Curt if his mom Wilma ever talked about riding on the interurban. I got this interesting email from Curt in response:

Mom has talked a few times about she and Wanda (then Butler) Thacker taking the train on a day-trip to Indy to shop when they were in high school but I don't recall her ever talking about riding the interurban.

Imagine letting your high schooler and her friend take the train to a major city today for a little shopping!

A fellow named Roger Hensley put together a web site to document the history of railroading in Madison County and central Indiana. The Union Traction Company had several major buildings in Anderson, including a power plant near Killbuck Creek. Remember the old buildings north of Frisch's on Broadway? They were the railyards, "car barns" and repair shops of Union Traction... clear to and including the old site of Browns Bowling Alley and Best Ever Dairy!

There were several traditional railroads that once serviced the Anderson area, including two of the largest of the postwar era, the New York Central and the Pennsylvania Railroad. Both had depots in Anderson. One was lost, but the other has been renovated and is used as a dance studio!

My mom and dad took us on a train trip when I was 10 (making it 1964!) from downtown Anderson to California and back! We stopped at the Grand Canyon, saw LA, went to visit my mom's aunt near San Francisco (my first visit to Fisherman's Wharf, but not my last!), and back across the mountains and prairie states. We had a sleeper cabin, and spent several nights on the train. Mom and dad told us at the time that passenger trains might not be around much longer and they wanted us to have the experience of train travel. Teri and I took Sarah and Randy on a train trip to Washington, D.C. when I had a business conference there, but we didn't have a sleeper car. Still, it wasn't too bad. I also took the train from Okeechobee... yes, it still stops there for a town the size of Alexandria... to Jacksonville for a couple of conferences. It was actually cheaper than driving, almost as quick, and I could read along the way (and have lunch).

Train travel isn't necessarily cheaper than air travel today. I did, however, find a $20 fare to NYC from Florida a couple of years ago.