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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society

April 09, 2024

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) is a non-profit group in New Haven, Indiana that is dedicated to the restoration and operation of the ex-Nickel Plate Railroad's steam locomotive no. 765 and other vintage railroad equipment. Since restoration, the 765 was added to the National Register of Historic Places as no. 96001010 on September 12, 1996[1] and has operated excursion trains across the Eastern United States. In 2012, the FWRHS's steam locomotive no. 765 was added to the Norfolk Southern's 21st Century Steam program.

Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society
TypeNon-Profit
FocusTo provide outstanding, hands-on, educational experiences with Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765.
Location
Area served
Eastern United States
ProductsVintage Steam-Era Railroad Equipment
Members
400+
Volunteers
70

History edit

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society was formed in 1972 and currently has over 400 members and over 70 volunteers. The group was formed with one purpose in mind: to restore an old steam locomotive to operational use and see it running down the tracks again. The history of the group actually begins before the FWRHS was formally conceived.

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society's story began with a series of events that began long before anyone had the idea to form a preservation group. In the mid-1950s, diesel locomotives began replacing steam locomotives for mainline freight and passenger service due to the cheaper operating costs of the diesels. With many of its steam locomotives retired or otherwise not in service by 1958, the New York, Chicago, & St. Louis Railroad, also known as the Nickel Plate Road, classified many of its steam locomotives in non-operating "stored-serviceable" condition. In 1958, the 765 was fired up as a stationary steam generating boiler in the Nickel Plate Road's New Haven, IN shops. Following a few short years in this role, the railroad officially retired the locomotive in 1963 and offered it to the city of Fort Wayne, IN as a static monument.

The city was eager to accept the railroad's offer, however, they wanted to receive locomotive 767 rather than the 765. They wanted the alternative locomotive because in October 1955 the city, in conjunction with the railroad, built an elevated railroad line through the city to eliminate railroad grade crossings that tied up traffic between the North and South ends of town, and the 767 was used to pull the ceremonial train across the newly constructed bridge.[2] Due to a grade crossing accident and being stored outdoors afterwards, the 767 was much more deteriorated than the 765, which had been stored indoors. The city accepted the 765 and had its numbers repainted to 767. The steam engine was then pushed into Fort Wayne's Lawton Park, where it remained as a monument and a reminder of steam for the next 12 years.[3]

In September 1971, at a convention for the Nickel Plate Railroad Historical & Technical Society, a group of individuals decided they wanted to discuss the possibility of restoring the 765, the 767, and a Wabash Railroad locomotive (no.534) cosmetically. By November of the next year, four individuals, Wayne York, Glenn Brendel, Walter Sassmannshausen, and John Eichman drafted incorporation paperwork with Allen County and the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, INC. was born.[2]

In 1973, the new group worked out a deal with the city of Fort Wayne to acquire the locomotive in Lawton Park under a 25-year lease. They then began looking at the locomotive on a more in-depth level and decided that the necessary repairs could not be done at the Lawton Park site. On September 6, 1974 the FWRHS built temporary tracks.[4] through the city to connect to the existing railroad tracks and they pulled the 765 from the park to the FWRHS property in New Haven. From 1975-1979, a group of unpaid volunteers completely rebuilt the 765 and in September 1979, the NKP 765 was fired and ran under its own steam for the first time for testing since 1963[4] Along with operating NKP 765, from 1994 to 2001, the facilities also housed another Berkshire locomotive, the Chesapeake and Ohio 2716 and operated it in 1996 on short excursions.

Locomotives edit

Source:[5]

About the 765 edit

Railroads commonly relied on drag freights with engines that could pull heavy tonnage, but at low speeds. Following experiments with existing designs, Lima Locomotive Works developed a new wheel arrangement, the 2-8-4, to accommodate an increase in the size of the locomotive's firebox. An increase in the firebox size allowed more coal combustion and subsequent heat output, improving the amount of steam developed and increasing horsepower. These and other modifications created the concept of "horsepower at speed."

The NKP 765 is a steam locomotive built for the Nickel Plate Road in 1944 by the Lima Locomotive Works. Classified as an "S-2" Berkshire-type steam locomotive, the locomotive is based on a 2-8-4 wheel arrangement. It operated freight and passenger trains until retirement in 1963. The Berkshire locomotives earned their name from the Berkshire Mountains in Southwest Massachusetts.

The Berkshire class of locomotives was not the heaviest, fastest, or most powerful, but was a popular all-around type intended for fast freight service. It survived in regular use until 1958, between Chicago, Fort Wayne, Cleveland, and Buffalo. The Nickel Plate was one of the last Class I railroads to regularly use steam locomotives, only the Illinois Central, Norfolk & Western, Colorado & Southern, Fort Worth & Denver, and Grand Trunk Western were to continue longer, until spring 1960.

The Nickel Plate Road had a fleet of 112 of the 2-8-4 Berkshire type steam locomotives. After retirement, most obsolete locomotives were cut up for scrap and melted down. A total of six were saved by various means. Five survivors were from the second batch of the S-2 Class, 755-769, which were built at the height of World War II in summer and fall 1944. The sixth survivor was from the S-3 Class, 770-779, built in spring 1949. The 779 was requested to be saved because it was the last steam locomotive of any type built by the Lima Locomotive Works, Lima, Ohio, the third largest commercial builder of steam locomotives in the United States.[10]

The 765 was on display from 1963-1974[2] in Fort Wayne, Indiana's Lawton Park before being leased by the FWRHS. From 1975 to 1979, 765 was restored to operating condition at the corner of Ryan and Edgerton Roads in New Haven, IN. The restoration site lacked conventional shop facilities and protection from the elements, but on September 1, 1979 the 765 made its first move under its own power.

Later that winter it ran under its own power to Bellevue and Sandusky, Ohio for heated, indoor winter storage. In spring of 1980, 765 underwent a series of break-in runs followed by its first public excursion, making 765 the first mainline steam locomotive to be restored and operated by an all volunteer non-profit organization.

From 1993 to 2005, the 765 was completely rebuilt at a total cost of $750,000, which involved over 13,000 volunteer hours. The Society has an outstanding safety record and a professional, experienced crew of determined volunteers, several of whom have been with the Society since its inception.[11] This rebuild included adding an MU stand and in-cab signalling[12] to allow the crew to know what the line-side signal aspect says before it comes into view.

On average, the locomotive experiences 3,000 visitors a day when operating, with visitor and passenger numbers running between 40,000 and 60,000 ticket buyers in 2009 and 2011 in less than 30 days, respectively. Typical passenger trains carry anywhere from 600-1,000 people at a time with tickets for many trips selling out in 24 hours.

Press reports indicate the continuous presence of large crowds of "locals and out of towners"[13] and on 765's ability to boost tourism in the towns that it travels through. In 2012, the Pittsburgh Tribune's headline photo proclaimed that the 765 was the "engine that still can"[14] with CBS Pittsburgh describing it as "400 tons of Americana".[15] When not operating excursions, 765 is maintained in a restoration shop in New Haven and maintained by a crew of 70-100 volunteers throughout the year. The shop is open to the public and houses a variety of other railroad equipment including vintage steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars, cabooses, and more.

Future Plans edit

Since 2012, the FWRHS has worked alongside the Norfolk Southern Railroad as a part of the 21st Century Steam Program. In this program, the 765, along with other historic steam locomotives in the Eastern United States, operate excursion trains for tourists and company employees & VIP's over the railroad's trackage. As well as being a part of the 21st Century Steam Program, the FWRHS is working with the city of Fort Wayne to develop a downtown riverfront property that will house the NKP 765 and the FWRHS as well as being a centerpiece for walking & biking trails and a park. The project, known as Headwaters Junction, is still in the planning phase, but if approved could boost the popularity and recognition of the FWRHS by making it a prominent attraction in the city.[16][17]

External links edit

References edit

  1. ^ Hayes, Holly. "Go Historic". Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  2. ^ a b c "Fort Wayne Speaks Podcast". Retrieved November 1, 2013.
  3. ^ "American Railroad Steam Locomotives | Nickel Plate Road - MS 978 mf". Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  4. ^ a b ""TRAINS" Magazine; The Life and Times of Nickel Plate Road no.765". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  5. ^ "About – Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society". Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "TRAINS 1997 (Grand Canyon) | Curt Bianchi". Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  7. ^ "Why wasn't C&O 2700 restored in the 1990s?". Trainorders.com Discussion. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  8. ^ "Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 "Berkshire" Locomotives in the USA". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  9. ^ "Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp". Kentucky Steam. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  10. ^ "American Railroad Steam Locomotives | Nickel Plate Road - ms 978 mf". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  11. ^ "New Haven, Indiana | Preserving and Making Railroad History". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  12. ^ "Steam Central | FWRHS". Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  13. ^ "Toledo Blade | Dozen's Gather to see Piece of Region's Railroad History". Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  14. ^ "FWRHS Press Coverage". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  15. ^ "CBS Pittsburgh". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  16. ^ "Headwaters Junction | All Tracks Lead to Downtown". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  17. ^ "Fort Wayne News-Sentinel". Retrieved 2013-11-11.

April 09, 2024
fort, wayne, railroad, historical, society, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books,. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society news newspapers books scholar JSTOR August 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society FWRHS is a non profit group in New Haven Indiana that is dedicated to the restoration and operation of the ex Nickel Plate Railroad s steam locomotive no 765 and other vintage railroad equipment Since restoration the 765 was added to the National Register of Historic Places as no 96001010 on September 12 1996 1 and has operated excursion trains across the Eastern United States In 2012 the FWRHS s steam locomotive no 765 was added to the Norfolk Southern s 21st Century Steam program Fort Wayne Railroad Historical SocietyTypeNon ProfitFocusTo provide outstanding hands on educational experiences with Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no 765 LocationNew Haven INArea servedEastern United StatesProductsVintage Steam Era Railroad EquipmentMembers400 Volunteers70 Contents 1 History 2 Locomotives 3 About the 765 4 Future Plans 5 External links 6 ReferencesHistory editThe Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society was formed in 1972 and currently has over 400 members and over 70 volunteers The group was formed with one purpose in mind to restore an old steam locomotive to operational use and see it running down the tracks again The history of the group actually begins before the FWRHS was formally conceived The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society s story began with a series of events that began long before anyone had the idea to form a preservation group In the mid 1950s diesel locomotives began replacing steam locomotives for mainline freight and passenger service due to the cheaper operating costs of the diesels With many of its steam locomotives retired or otherwise not in service by 1958 the New York Chicago amp St Louis Railroad also known as the Nickel Plate Road classified many of its steam locomotives in non operating stored serviceable condition In 1958 the 765 was fired up as a stationary steam generating boiler in the Nickel Plate Road s New Haven IN shops Following a few short years in this role the railroad officially retired the locomotive in 1963 and offered it to the city of Fort Wayne IN as a static monument The city was eager to accept the railroad s offer however they wanted to receive locomotive 767 rather than the 765 They wanted the alternative locomotive because in October 1955 the city in conjunction with the railroad built an elevated railroad line through the city to eliminate railroad grade crossings that tied up traffic between the North and South ends of town and the 767 was used to pull the ceremonial train across the newly constructed bridge 2 Due to a grade crossing accident and being stored outdoors afterwards the 767 was much more deteriorated than the 765 which had been stored indoors The city accepted the 765 and had its numbers repainted to 767 The steam engine was then pushed into Fort Wayne s Lawton Park where it remained as a monument and a reminder of steam for the next 12 years 3 In September 1971 at a convention for the Nickel Plate Railroad Historical amp Technical Society a group of individuals decided they wanted to discuss the possibility of restoring the 765 the 767 and a Wabash Railroad locomotive no 534 cosmetically By November of the next year four individuals Wayne York Glenn Brendel Walter Sassmannshausen and John Eichman drafted incorporation paperwork with Allen County and the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society INC was born 2 In 1973 the new group worked out a deal with the city of Fort Wayne to acquire the locomotive in Lawton Park under a 25 year lease They then began looking at the locomotive on a more in depth level and decided that the necessary repairs could not be done at the Lawton Park site On September 6 1974 the FWRHS built temporary tracks 4 through the city to connect to the existing railroad tracks and they pulled the 765 from the park to the FWRHS property in New Haven From 1975 1979 a group of unpaid volunteers completely rebuilt the 765 and in September 1979 the NKP 765 was fired and ran under its own steam for the first time for testing since 1963 4 Along with operating NKP 765 from 1994 to 2001 the facilities also housed another Berkshire locomotive the Chesapeake and Ohio 2716 and operated it in 1996 on short excursions Locomotives editSource 5 Nickel Plate Road 2 8 4 765 1974 present Currently operational based in New Haven Indiana Wabash 0 6 0 534 1984 present Currently undergoing restoration to operating condition based in New Haven Indiana Chicago Burlington and Quincy 2 8 2 4960 Stored in Fort Wayne property 1985 1993 Now owned by Grand Canyon Railway Currently operational based in Williams Arizona 6 Chesapeake and Ohio 2 8 4 2700 1991 2001 Originally selected as a candidate for restoration but ended up as a spare parts provider for 2716 Currently on static display at the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum in Dennison Ohio 7 8 Chesapeake and Ohio 2 8 4 2716 1994 2001 Now leased by Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation Currently undergoing restoration to operating condition based in Ravenna Kentucky 9 Nickel Plate Road 2 8 2 624 2007 present Currently pending for either cosmetic or operational restoration based in Hammond Indiana Nickel Plate Road SD9 358 2010 present Currently undergoing restoration to operating condition based in New Haven Indiana About the 765 editRailroads commonly relied on drag freights with engines that could pull heavy tonnage but at low speeds Following experiments with existing designs Lima Locomotive Works developed a new wheel arrangement the 2 8 4 to accommodate an increase in the size of the locomotive s firebox An increase in the firebox size allowed more coal combustion and subsequent heat output improving the amount of steam developed and increasing horsepower These and other modifications created the concept of horsepower at speed The NKP 765 is a steam locomotive built for the Nickel Plate Road in 1944 by the Lima Locomotive Works Classified as an S 2 Berkshire type steam locomotive the locomotive is based on a 2 8 4 wheel arrangement It operated freight and passenger trains until retirement in 1963 The Berkshire locomotives earned their name from the Berkshire Mountains in Southwest Massachusetts The Berkshire class of locomotives was not the heaviest fastest or most powerful but was a popular all around type intended for fast freight service It survived in regular use until 1958 between Chicago Fort Wayne Cleveland and Buffalo The Nickel Plate was one of the last Class I railroads to regularly use steam locomotives only the Illinois Central Norfolk amp Western Colorado amp Southern Fort Worth amp Denver and Grand Trunk Western were to continue longer until spring 1960 The Nickel Plate Road had a fleet of 112 of the 2 8 4 Berkshire type steam locomotives After retirement most obsolete locomotives were cut up for scrap and melted down A total of six were saved by various means Five survivors were from the second batch of the S 2 Class 755 769 which were built at the height of World War II in summer and fall 1944 The sixth survivor was from the S 3 Class 770 779 built in spring 1949 The 779 was requested to be saved because it was the last steam locomotive of any type built by the Lima Locomotive Works Lima Ohio the third largest commercial builder of steam locomotives in the United States 10 The 765 was on display from 1963 1974 2 in Fort Wayne Indiana s Lawton Park before being leased by the FWRHS From 1975 to 1979 765 was restored to operating condition at the corner of Ryan and Edgerton Roads in New Haven IN The restoration site lacked conventional shop facilities and protection from the elements but on September 1 1979 the 765 made its first move under its own power Later that winter it ran under its own power to Bellevue and Sandusky Ohio for heated indoor winter storage In spring of 1980 765 underwent a series of break in runs followed by its first public excursion making 765 the first mainline steam locomotive to be restored and operated by an all volunteer non profit organization From 1993 to 2005 the 765 was completely rebuilt at a total cost of 750 000 which involved over 13 000 volunteer hours The Society has an outstanding safety record and a professional experienced crew of determined volunteers several of whom have been with the Society since its inception 11 This rebuild included adding an MU stand and in cab signalling 12 to allow the crew to know what the line side signal aspect says before it comes into view On average the locomotive experiences 3 000 visitors a day when operating with visitor and passenger numbers running between 40 000 and 60 000 ticket buyers in 2009 and 2011 in less than 30 days respectively Typical passenger trains carry anywhere from 600 1 000 people at a time with tickets for many trips selling out in 24 hours Press reports indicate the continuous presence of large crowds of locals and out of towners 13 and on 765 s ability to boost tourism in the towns that it travels through In 2012 the Pittsburgh Tribune s headline photo proclaimed that the 765 was the engine that still can 14 with CBS Pittsburgh describing it as 400 tons of Americana 15 When not operating excursions 765 is maintained in a restoration shop in New Haven and maintained by a crew of 70 100 volunteers throughout the year The shop is open to the public and houses a variety of other railroad equipment including vintage steam and diesel locomotives passenger cars cabooses and more Future Plans editSince 2012 the FWRHS has worked alongside the Norfolk Southern Railroad as a part of the 21st Century Steam Program In this program the 765 along with other historic steam locomotives in the Eastern United States operate excursion trains for tourists and company employees amp VIP s over the railroad s trackage As well as being a part of the 21st Century Steam Program the FWRHS is working with the city of Fort Wayne to develop a downtown riverfront property that will house the NKP 765 and the FWRHS as well as being a centerpiece for walking amp biking trails and a park The project known as Headwaters Junction is still in the planning phase but if approved could boost the popularity and recognition of the FWRHS by making it a prominent attraction in the city 16 17 External links edithttp fortwaynerailroad org http nkphts org References edit Hayes Holly Go Historic Retrieved November 7 2013 a b c Fort Wayne Speaks Podcast Retrieved November 1 2013 American Railroad Steam Locomotives Nickel Plate Road MS 978 mf Retrieved November 7 2013 a b TRAINS Magazine The Life and Times of Nickel Plate Road no 765 Retrieved 2013 11 11 About Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society Retrieved 2021 03 27 TRAINS 1997 Grand Canyon Curt Bianchi Retrieved 2021 03 27 Why wasn t C amp O 2700 restored in the 1990s Trainorders com Discussion Retrieved 2021 03 29 Chesapeake amp Ohio 2 8 4 Berkshire Locomotives in the USA www steamlocomotive com Retrieved 2021 03 29 Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp Kentucky Steam Retrieved 2021 03 27 American Railroad Steam Locomotives Nickel Plate Road ms 978 mf Retrieved November 11 2012 New Haven Indiana Preserving and Making Railroad History Retrieved November 5 2013 Steam Central FWRHS Retrieved November 11 2013 Toledo Blade Dozen s Gather to see Piece of Region s Railroad History Retrieved November 11 2013 FWRHS Press Coverage Retrieved 2013 11 11 CBS Pittsburgh Retrieved 2013 11 11 Headwaters Junction All Tracks Lead to Downtown Retrieved November 5 2013 Fort Wayne News Sentinel Retrieved 2013 11 11 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society amp oldid 1192751579, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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