| Last updated on November 3, 2020
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s beloved Berkshire, Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 is on its way from northern Indiana to make a weekend of excursions in eastern Ohio today.
Excursions on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad begin Saturday, Sept. 16, and continue on Sept. 17, 23, and 24, with special throttle-time runs in Cleveland for would-be steam locomotive engineers on Sept. 18 and 25.
More information is available online.
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Mr. Perry,
I’m as baffled as Karl and Mike.
1) The Fort Wayne Historical Society DOES NOT OWN any trackage. That means mean to operate the engine they have to find a railroad willing to host it. NS has their own steam thing going going on, and CSX….well, I wouldn’t talk to CSX about steam passenger excursions right about now. The CVSR is a perfect venue, since they don’t have a steam engine, but they do specialize in running passenger trains. No freight interference, no liability issues. The nice folks in Indiana aren’t missing out on anything. If it wasn’t running in the Cuyahoga Valley, the 765 would be sitting in the engine house out of sight.
2) Check Google maps. Yes, Ohio shares a border with Michigan. It also shares a much longer border with Indiana. Fort Wayne is all of 20 miles from that border. In fact, it’s closer to Toledo than Indianapolis.
3) The Nickle Plate had extensive routes in both states. It’s just “at home” on either side of that invisible line.
4) If you feel the 765 should never leave Indiana, why on earth would you advocate the 1225 leaving Michigan? That seems rather hypocritical.
5) I’m sure the CSVR would be thrilled to run RDG 2100 or C&O 2700 (he posted on that thread too). Just send them a check for two million bucks and they’ll get right on it. Might take a couple of years, though.
Scot Perry, I don’t see your reasoning. 765 is a ‘hired gun’ putting on it’s spectacular show where ever invited and…paid. The more it gets out the better for everyone. Get out your wallet and get a whole lot of your fellow Hoosiers and raise the money so you can keep it “home”. I’d bet they’d even let someone play a recording of Jim Nabors singing “Back home again….in Indiana…”.
Mr Perry,
You do understand NKP765 is a guest whenever it gets to run on a mainline? Very few steam locomotive organizations own the tracks they run on. They have to be invited or pay to use the tracks. No one gets to run for free anymore.
Very disappointed to see this.This relic is on the tracks more time outside Indiana then outside.Hope they have enough common sense to go get the Reading 2100(thats actually inside Ohio) when its ready to have cvrs use it instead.Since Michigan borders Ohio let the crvs go get the 1225 Pere Marquette instead.Yanking the 765 out of Indiana is like the movie Groundhog Day on a yearly basis.This relic maybe be popular but not putting more time on the rails in Indiana.Certainly not between Huntington & Decatur
If there was a locomotive in front of it while in route,it could be for PTC or even add-on braking capability. Now if a diesel is put behind NKP 765,it is strictly braking power with a possible HEP need as well. Otherwise that big girl can handle herself just fine.
I herd they needed a locomotive up front because of ptc?