Mainline steam, tomorrow

[nkp_174]

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.