Thursday, May 01, 2008

Nickel Plate Road # 765 on a September 7th 1985 fantrip. Sterling Illinois USA.

It was a very hot day on September 7th 1985, the hottest of the year in Illinois. Despite outside temperatures at the 100 degree mark that day, the Fort Rayne Railroad Historical Society ( Indiana.) The 20th Century Railroad Club, and the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad did a fine job together and ran a steam powered fantrip from Chicago to Sterling Illinois. Here was our Star performer, New York, Chicago & St Louis Railroad -AKA Nickel Plate Road 1943 buillt Lima Locomotive Works 2-8-4 Berkshire type steam locomotive. The Nickel Plate Road used these locomotives from the 1940's, untill the official end of steam on the NKP in July of 1958. The NKP was one of the last U.S railroads to use steam locomotives in daily mainline freight service. After a lenghty overhaul began in 1993, the NKP # 765 now steams again today thanks to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society.

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