I'm pretty excited. Tomorrow, my wife and son will experience their first ride behind a mainline steam locomotive. It'll be the NKP 765 along with a string of Jerry Jacobson's (Ohio Central) coaches and then Jerry's FP-40 (it will be a push-pull deal). Its in North Judson, IN...which is in north of Lafayette...between Chicago & Indy...there will be a couple weekends of excursions there...followed by the run to Train Festival. While I have seen the 765 run in the past few years, I haven't ridden behind her since before her big overhaul...I rode the tool car on her way back from Hunington, WV in the early '90s.

I'll post some photos...

Here's what's happened in the past 10 years...

Bye bye to the cab...from the ex-Virginian 200ton wrecker. It is a diesel...it was built as a steam crane.


The big lift


Look at those drivers! The most expensive part of the overhaul. The jacking pads were installed when the building was completed...1991(?)...and the 765 spent the previous two winters in the Lima Locomotive Works...I clearly remember Tom Stevens working on the boiler...he was engineer at least 50% of the time back there as well as CMO...he's a darn good guy.

Here are a few of the other special people whom have made it happen:

Glen Brendel is the current President...and he's been an active member since the founding. While most railfans have never heard of him, you could say that he managed the most recent overhaul.


That's Steve W. and Gary Bensman admiring the Syphons. If you've ever been up to the shop, you've seen Steve. He's there every week...despite the fact that he lives a couple hours away. And Gary was a volunteer many years ago. He grew up with the NKP's St. Marys, OH wye in his backyard. My father and him used to stay in the wooden NKP caboose 141 every weekend so that they had two full days to work on the 765 during the initial overhaul (the 1970s). Of course, he's now better known for his full time work...I can recall when he had the Burlington 2-8-2 #4960 outside the OLD 765 shop back in the 1980s.

I don't have anywhere close to enough photos of the many good people whom have helped on the locomotive...I've contributed very little (I also live 4 hours away...and get up there around once a year). A major overhaul of a mainline steam locomotive such as this requires excellent leadership, plenty of dependable volunteers, and a Brinks truck.


That's me...


after she was once more sitting on her own wheels


The glorious test run 3 years ago.

Soon, I'll post photos of tomorrow's excursion.

Sweet...that shot with the big hook popping that cab off is just begging to be a mini scene somewhere.

I can't imagine the number of man-hours that went into the refurb, but it sure looks like every hour was well spent. What a nice job!

I hope your family enjoys the ride as much as I enjoyed the photos. Thanks for posting them.

Loren

OK, I'm hooked on articulated steam, but I do have to state my own choice for best looking rigid frame locomotive, is, was, and will always be the Berkshire. There's just something in the balance of grace, and power with a 2-8-4, that can't be found in any other loco. There may be more graceful, there may be more powerful looking locos, but the berk' brings both together in just the right combination.(for me)
Hope your ride exceeds all your expectations.

Enjoy -- looks awesome, wish I could be there as well!

Rob

Where's the pics?
I can't hold my breath forever.

What a great opportunity! Looking forward to pics!
Ralph

We had a great time today!

It started off with a little dedication ceremony...the launch of her third career.

My dad is standing on the pilot and gave the short speech. Glen was honored for his instrumental role not only in the formation of the organization, but also for both getting and seeing through the grant which returned her to steam. (btw, the previous rebuild photos were at their shop facility east of Ft. Wayne, IN...the test run was on the PRR main (the Broadway Limited line) between Ft. Wayne and Van Wert, OH.

I'll upload the video of Glen breaking the champagne bottle once I figure out how to upload them. It'll be on my blog along with other clips of today's fun: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/">http://thesouthparkline.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m -->


In front of the North Judson depot.


There's the local group's 2-8-4.

Here's our crew

From L to R...my wife Lisa, yours truly, Liam, and my dad. He was able to hang out with us when he wasn't busy being a car attendant.

Here's a better look at Liam:

The open air car we road in was at one time owned by the FWRHS (the 765 group).


He enjoyed the seats. We road in the open car while the 765 was pulling...and then switched to one of the 1954 CN lightweights (read: air conditioned cars) after we'd reached the end of the line and the powered boxcar was leading on the return leg.

I like photo runbys...even if the mower failed to get the weeds hacked in time...



Back at North Judson

These are the ex-VIA CNR cars. While no where near as cool as some of the other cars I've ridden in, they are mechanically magnificent. Recently, their nice, modern brakes from VIA were backdated to their original 1950s variety...NY Airbrake discontinued supporting the product line.


And these are the two ex-FWRHS open air cars...#704 and #705.


Now, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing. I've read a few places on the internet of foamers complaining that the 765 doesn't look like a late 1950s berk anymore. Their ignorance is both humorous and annoying. Basically, my dad has long been a driving force in the appearance...and I don't like people criticizing his work...such as the number boards up front. And worst of all (which is also the most common complaint) is when they criticize the good taste of FWRHS crew in leaving the Mars light back at the shop. Look at the turbo generator...singular...the second was added with the ugly light midway through her career...and the third came with the radio. More than one style of numerals was used in the illuminated number boards...the current style is consistent with the lack of a mars light. And there are other details as well...


Here are three generations of our family in front of one of our greatest joys. It was a shame that my brother didn't bring up his son






She's moving there! She's moving away from me...


and here were the historic freight cars that she was pulling. The first car is a 1929 Wabash boxcar. Followed by an MDT reefer. Then, a 1959 N&W 3-bay (which was built after the 765 was retired in '58). The 1946 NKP gon looked pretty good too. The caboose was built for the NKP in 1962 by the International Car Co in Kenton, OH (not far from Lima...back in school, I played basketball against all the school districts of the Lima schools as well as Kenton).

I must say...while I've seen the 765 pull modern freight cars on a number of occasions, she looked so much better pulling a string of vintage freight cars. Very nice.

Our engineer for the day was Rich Melvin. Our fireman was Mark St. Aubin. towards the end of the day, Gary Bensman was at the throttle...perhaps he was there for more of the day...I'm not certain, but I think that Rich became an engineer of the 765 around the same time Gary left back in the 1980s.

A few things I notice:
-the original steel bell doesn't sound as bad as I'd have thought...but it is really quiet when compared to the GG-1 bell that was previously used courtesy of Tom Stevens. If at some point they decide to go back to a brass bell, my dad purchased one just for such a purpose a few years back.
-the stack talk sounded crisper to me than in 1993 (and how well can I remember something from when I was 10 years old???)
-the running gear is silent. I can see why it could be downright dangerous to be on a crossing...the locomotive was eerily quite when approaching...prior to the whistle blast. It was very noisy before the overhaul...as it had 110,000 miles on it (IIRC, 65k from the NKP, 55k from FWRHS)...its running gear was given the works.

Food for thought: I remember seeing Tom Stevens' hand after pulling 34 passenger cars behind the MLW 261 on a New River excursion back around 1995. He was in pain from working the throttle so much as the 261 slipped like crazy. It was barely able to handle that train (which was one of the largest passenger trains ever run...if not THE largest). Before the 765's overhaul, her and 1225 were on that same stretch of railroad when the 1225 had some serious problems. The 765 pulled the entire 34 car train, plus the dead 1225, over the C&O mainline at full speed without any trouble. So, what can she do now that she's had a complete overhaul?

That must have been a great day. The restoration was awesome and she looked great on the line.

Great work and great fun.

WOW! That is really a work of art. My hat's off to everyone who had a hand in that project. It is amazing just how powerful those engines are...what a design.

(Were you using your group's own rails or on a Class 1 line? Forgive my ignorance about these things...but do you have to schedule a section of track from companies like CSX or NS to run your train? Do you have to pay for the usage?)

Herc Driver Wrote:(Were you using your group's own rails or on a Class 1 line? Forgive my ignorance about these things...but do you have to schedule a section of track from companies like CSX or NS to run your train? Do you have to pay for the usage?)

First, I should state that I am a tag-along. I've just had the privilege of learning about it all from my dad and from being around the crew. I am not responsible for any of the successes.

The trips are in concert with the Hoosier Valley RR Museum. They have access (or own?) ten miles of the C&O's old mainline to Chicago. While physically much of it is capable of use at 40mph...it is only legal for 10mph (freight) and 15mph (passenger). That is due to legal hoops and $$$ involving the establishment of higher speeds. Still, a nice show was put on by using the dynamic brakes on the diesel...otherwise, the locomotive wouldn't have done any work with such a light train.

The deadhead from Ft. Wayne to North Judson was on NS...the old NKP. NS was good to work with. The standard practice is that if a mainline railroad will allow it, you pay for the cost of the crew (whether their crew is just in the cab or actually in the engineer's seat has varied over time...running a steam locomotive is not the same thing as a diesel...not at all) as well as freight rates for moving your train. At present, neither NS nor CSX is interested in the liability of passengers. The key is to either operate on smaller operations (such as short lines and regional railroads) or to become Amtrak certified and operate Amtrak specials...such as the 4449's trip from Portland, Oregon to Owosso, Michigan for Train Festival 2009.

EDIT: I've uploaded the video to the blog in my sig.

great pics man ,she is truly a B-E-A-utiful engine hock: .i hope to see her as soon as i can --josh