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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society

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Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society
Founded1972
TypeNon-Profit
FocusTo provide outstanding, hands-on, educational experiences with Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765.
Location
Coordinates41°04′44.0″N 84°56′11.2″W / 41.078889°N 84.936444°W / 41.078889; -84.936444
Area served
Eastern United States
ProductsVintage Steam-Era Railroad Equipment
Members400+
Volunteers70
Websitehttp://fortwaynerailroad.org/

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.

History

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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.

Equipment

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Locomotives

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Source:[12]

Passenger Cars

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  • Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Dining Car #194 Silver Diner: Built by the Budd Company in 1948. Sold to Amtrak in 1971, renumbered 8051. Donated to the FWRHS by Amtrak in 2019, Restored by FWRHS in 2022. Currently in service.
  • Fort Wayne Railroad Tool Car #701: Built by St. Louis Car Company for US Army as a kitchen car in 1953 & Numbered 89665. Sold to the Kentucky Railway Museum & used as a concessions car. Sold by KRM to FWRHS in 1979. Converted into tool car for NKP 765 in 1981-82. Used by NKP 765, C&O 2716 & Milwaukee Road 261. Currently in service.
  • Southern Railway Combine #702: Built by Pullman Standard in 1941, Named Delaware. Donated to FWRHS by Stanley G. Nylen in 1978, converted into tool car for NKP 765. Used as 765's original tool car from 1979 to 1980. Stored by FWRHS from 1981 until 2008. Burned by vandals in 2008 & scrapped on site.
  • Canadian Pacific Observation car #15412: Built by the Budd Company in 1954, Named Riding Mountain Park. Sold by VIA Rail to private owner in 2005. Sold to FWRHS in 2022.[17] Currently awaiting restoration to operating condition in New Haven, Indiana.
  • US Army Hospital Car #89552: Built by St. Louis Car Company in 1952. Sold to Amtrak in the 1970s and renumbered 1614. Sold to Steam Railroading Institute. Sold by Steam Railroading Institute to FWRHS in 2011. Currently on static display at Pufferbelly Junction in downtown Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Freight Cars

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  • Baltimore & Ohio gondola #485797: Built in the 1960s, Donated to FWRHS by CSX in 2021. Used to transport coal for NKP 765, awaiting cosmetic restoration. Currently in service.
  • Nickel Plate Road caboose #141: Built in 1901 for the Lake Erie & Western as a 4 wheel bobber caboose, rebuilt by NKP into 2 truck 8 wheel caboose. Purchased by John Keller in the 1960s, donated by John Keller to FWRHS in 1975. Currently in service.
  • Nickel Plate Road caboose #451: Built by International Car Company in 1962 for the Nickel Plate Road. Purchased by private owner in the 1980s, moved to FWRHS. Currently in service.
  • Wabash Railroad caboose #2543: Built for the Wabash in the early 1900s. Retired by the Wabash in 1957, placed on static display with Wabash 0-6-0 no. 534 in Sweeney Park in downtown Fort Wayne. Donated by City of Fort Wayne to FWRHS in 1984, along with 534. Restored by FWRHS in 2021.[18] Currently in service.

Special Use

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About the 765

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Main article: Nickel Plate Road 765

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.[20]

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 2001 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.[21] This rebuild included adding an MU stand and in-cab signalling[22] 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"[23] 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"[24] with CBS Pittsburgh describing it as "400 tons of Americana".[25] 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

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From 2012 to 2015, the FWRHS 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, operated 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 was working with the city of Fort Wayne to develop a downtown riverfront property that would have housed the NKP 765 and the FWRHS as well as being a centerpiece for walking & biking trails and a park. The project, originally known as Headwaters Junction, was in the planning phase, but if approved could have boosted the popularity and recognition of the FWRHS by making it a prominent attraction in the city.[26][27] The project did not pan out as originally intended, with a variety of factors limiting efforts to expand.[28] A down-sized version of the concept, using elements from the Headwaters Junction project, called Pufferbelly Junction Inc. was established in downtown Fort Wayne.[28] The Society shifted their focus to moving their original Headwaters Junction project to north east Indiana. Since 2022, the FWRHS has operated the Indiana Rail Experience, A multi-year partnership with the Indiana Northeastern Railroad to operate excursions, host educational programs & special events on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad.[29]

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See also

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References

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  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. ^ "TRAINS 1997 (Grand Canyon) | Curt Bianchi". Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  6. ^ "Why wasn't C&O 2700 restored in the 1990s?". Trainorders.com Discussion. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  7. ^ "Chesapeake & Ohio 2-8-4 "Berkshire" Locomotives in the USA". www.steamlocomotive.com. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  8. ^ "Kentucky Steam Heritage Corp". Kentucky Steam. Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  9. ^ Franz, Justin (2024-10-09). "New York Central 4-8-2 'Mohawk' to be Restored to Operation". Railfan & Railroad Magazine. Retrieved 2024-10-09.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g "Collaboration Between Indiana Communities and Fort Wayne Railroad Saves Historic Artifacts". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. March 13, 2022. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Rolling Stock". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  12. ^ "About – Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society". Retrieved 2021-03-27.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g "New York Central Passenger Car Fleet Acquired for Excursion Service". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. August 28, 2023. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  14. ^ a b "New first-class, open-window cars join Indiana Rail Experience". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. June 4, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  15. ^ "Collaboration Between Indiana Communities and Fort Wayne Railroad Saves Historic Artifacts". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. March 13, 2022. Archived from the original on March 15, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Fort Wayne railroad organization acquires two historic Pennsylvania Railroad passenger cars". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. June 19, 2022. Archived from the original on June 22, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  17. ^ "Rail excursion company acquires first-class car for Indiana Rail Experience". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. November 15, 2022. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  18. ^ "Restoration of historic Wabash caboose completed". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. January 31, 2021. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved October 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "Board of Public Works 9-5-23". City of Elkhart. September 5, 2023. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  20. ^ "American Railroad Steam Locomotives | Nickel Plate Road - ms 978 mf". Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  21. ^ "New Haven, Indiana | Preserving and Making Railroad History". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  22. ^ "Steam Central | FWRHS". Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  23. ^ "Toledo Blade | Dozen's Gather to see Piece of Region's Railroad History". Retrieved November 11, 2013.
  24. ^ "FWRHS Press Coverage". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  25. ^ "CBS Pittsburgh". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  26. ^ "Headwaters Junction | All Tracks Lead to Downtown". Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  27. ^ "Fort Wayne News-Sentinel". Retrieved 2013-11-11.
  28. ^ a b "Rail Tourism Effort Acquires Historic Train Station". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. August 8, 2023. Archived from the original on August 14, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2024.
  29. ^ "Regional Short Line and Fort Wayne Railroad Partner for Indiana Rail Experience". Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. May 5, 2022. Archived from the original on May 5, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2024.
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