Steam & Excursion > Nickel Plate Road 759

I was watching a youtube video on Ross Rowland and the High Iron Enterprises and saw in part 1 how they got Nickel Plate Road 759 was rebuilt in the late 1960's. The last bit of info on it in the vid was about 1975-77 they tried to return it to service after being in mothballs for a few years, but it blew one of the tubes I believe during it's hydrostatic test. Steamtown I believe decided after that to let it remain on display rather than continue with the rebuild. Does anyone have any updated info on what's happened to it since that time? Is there any chance it may make a return, possibly with 765?

apollo17 Wrote:
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> I was watching a youtube video on Ross Rowland and
> the High Iron Enterprises and saw in part 1 how
> they got Nickel Plate Road 759 was rebuilt in the
> late 1960's. The last bit of info on it in the vid
> was about 1975-77 they tried to return it to
> service after being in mothballs for a few years,
> but it blew one of the tubes I believe during it's
> hydrostatic test. Steamtown I believe decided
> after that to let it remain on display rather than
> continue with the rebuild. Does anyone have any
> updated info on what's happened to it since that
> time? Is there any chance it may make a return,
> possibly with 765?
I say 763 has a better chance of running before the 759. The owner of 763 loves NKP berks and he has the money to rebuild it.

Posted from Android

Can't we work on a NEW locomotive rather than 759. Maybe a Grand Trunk 4-8-2 or a Frisco blue 4-8-4. They would be nice...and NEW for the railfan community to enjoy. Sister 765 is running all lover the place, but NO EXAMPLES of the locomotives that I've stated above. And there are scores of others.....how Pennsy about the M-1b with the coast to coast tender. Would that excite you? It certainly does me.

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> Can't we work on a NEW locomotive rather than 759.
> Maybe a Grand Trunk 4-8-2 or a Frisco blue 4-8-4.
> They would be nice...and NEW for the railfan
> community to enjoy. Sister 765 is running all
> lover the place, but NO EXAMPLES of the
> locomotives that I've stated above. And there are
> scores of others.....how Pennsy about the M-1b
> with the coast to coast tender. Would that excite
> you? It certainly does me.


Please try to remember that ONLY steam locomotives with roller bearings on all axles stand ANY chance of "new operations" in the future!

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keystone1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Can't we work on a NEW locomotive rather than
> 759.
> > Maybe a Grand Trunk 4-8-2 or a Frisco blue
> 4-8-4.
> > They would be nice...and NEW for the railfan
> > community to enjoy. Sister 765 is running all
> > lover the place, but NO EXAMPLES of the
> > locomotives that I've stated above. And there
> are
> > scores of others.....how Pennsy about the M-1b
> > with the coast to coast tender. Would that
> excite
> > you? It certainly does me.
>
>
> Please try to remember that ONLY steam locomotives
> with roller bearings on all axles stand ANY chance
> of "new operations" in the future!

Does the 759 still have it's old friction bearings or was it converted when Ross had it?

I'd like to see the list of steamers that have ALL roller bearing axles?

Posted from Android

Keystone1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Can't we work on a NEW locomotive rather than 759.
> Maybe a Grand Trunk 4-8-2 or a Frisco blue 4-8-4.
> They would be nice...and NEW for the railfan
> community to enjoy. Sister 765 is running all
> lover the place, but NO EXAMPLES of the
> locomotives that I've stated above. And there are
> scores of others.....how Pennsy about the M-1b
> with the coast to coast tender. Would that excite
> you? It certainly does me.

Lol - but, we hear ya.

I'd bet most steam engine restoration picks are based
less on what's new and more on what's practical - ie,
nearby, viable and attainable.

Back to the thread - what was the deal with NKP #759
that caused the cessation of excursions?


/Mitch

---

Remaining NKP S-2 (755, 757, 759, 763 and 765) and S-3 (779) locomotives were built with roller bearings on the drivers and the pony axle. 763 has roller bearings on the tender (but they are the old style non-rotating end caps). The 765 has roller bearings on its tender (the new style rotating end caps). All of the trailing trucks on the S-2 and S-3 survivors have plain (solid) bearings but look for the 765 to be upgraded within the next year or so. Then it will be all roller bearings from one end to the other.

MJV1988 Wrote:
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> Does the 759 still have it's old friction bearings
> or was it converted when Ross had it?

The NKP Berks, had roller bearings on the driver axle and the pony truck.

> I'd like to see the list of steamers that have ALL
> roller bearing axles?

I'll bet you would. But instead, you com up with a list of those locomotives that YOU would like restored/rebuilt, and we will then tell you whether they have roller bearings on the axles or not.

> Posted from Android

I wish they'd fire up the GENERAL again, but on the
other hand, I've seen it before and photographed it,
so the rest of you are just out of luck because I want
something new to ME!!!!!!!!

And that's all that really matters. Isn't it?

Full history of #759 from Steamtown NPS

http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/steamtown/shs2o.htm

We have 765 and we have 1225. Two Berks that look almost exactly alike. We don't need another one.

Variety is the spice of life.

If there is any new steam, I'd prefer to see it come from a lesser known/underrepresented road. Like D&H or M&StL. Wishful thinking, I know...

---

---

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keystone1 Wrote:
>
> Please try to remember that ONLY steam locomotives
> with roller bearings on all axles stand ANY chance
> of "new operations" in the future!
Then let's rebuild the Reading T-1 #2124 which is completely roller bearing I do believe.

ClubCar Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Keystone1 Wrote:
> >
> > Please try to remember that ONLY steam
> locomotives
> > with roller bearings on all axles stand ANY
> chance
> > of "new operations" in the future!
> Then let's rebuild the Reading T-1 #2124 which is
> completely roller bearing I do believe.

A good example of a proven excursion winner. But then, I've already seen, photographed, ridden behind, and even got a cab ride in 2124, so I'm not interested anymore, either.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keystone1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Can't we work on a NEW locomotive rather than
> 759.
> > Maybe a Grand Trunk 4-8-2 or a Frisco blue
> 4-8-4.
> > They would be nice...and NEW for the railfan
> > community to enjoy. Sister 765 is running all
> > lover the place, but NO EXAMPLES of the
> > locomotives that I've stated above. And there
> are
> > scores of others.....how Pennsy about the M-1b
> > with the coast to coast tender. Would that
> excite
> > you? It certainly does me.
>
>
> Please try to remember that ONLY steam locomotives
> with roller bearings on all axles stand ANY chance
> of "new operations" in the future!

Sorry Jack, but that's not true. It's up to individual railroads and individual operators to decide what runs and what doesn't. Case in point - SOU 630 and 4501 do not have roller bearings on all axles. There is no hard and fast rule that says rollers are a must.

Keystone - please try to understand that the rest of us do not share in your steam locomotive ADHD.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/14 06:45 by TimBo611.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MJV1988 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
>
> > Does the 759 still have it's old friction
> bearings
> > or was it converted when Ross had it?
>
> The NKP Berks, had roller bearings on the driver
> axle and the pony truck.
>
> > I'd like to see the list of steamers that have
> ALL
> > roller bearing axles?
>
> I'll bet you would. But instead, you com up with a
> list of those locomotives that YOU would like
> restored/rebuilt, and we will then tell you
> whether they have roller bearings on the axles or
> not.
>
> > Posted from Android

Well Since I'm from the Chicago area like yourself. I'd love to see anything Chicago related. But I def. Know all the C&NW survivors were all friction bearing. So next would be a CB&Q hudson or northern. Ex. the 3006 or 3007 at IRM or what I'd really like, the 5631 or 5633 in WY. But then again I'm sure a few ppl. here have seen the 5632. I didn't though.

TimBo611 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Keystone1 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > Can't we work on a NEW locomotive rather than
> > 759.
> > > Maybe a Grand Trunk 4-8-2 or a Frisco blue
> > 4-8-4.
> > > They would be nice...and NEW for the railfan
> > > community to enjoy. Sister 765 is running all
> > > lover the place, but NO EXAMPLES of the
> > > locomotives that I've stated above. And there
> > are
> > > scores of others.....how Pennsy about the
> M-1b
> > > with the coast to coast tender. Would that
> > excite
> > > you? It certainly does me.
> >
> >
> > Please try to remember that ONLY steam
> locomotives
> > with roller bearings on all axles stand ANY
> chance
> > of "new operations" in the future!
>
> Sorry Jack, but that's not true. It's up to
> individual railroads and individual operators to
> decide what runs and what doesn't. Case in point
> - SOU 630 and 4501 do not have roller bearings on
> all axles. There is no hard and fast rule that
> says rollers are a must.

Obviously the NS case is different on two accounts, i.e. first steam locomotives are restricted to 40 MPH speeds, and second, both 630 and 4501 have a "Southern Rwy heritage" for SOU/N&W/NS steam programs but also had to be up-graded to pressure feed oil lubrication since the available grease cakes couldn't cut the mustard even at 40 MPH.

Ermm...Jack, 4449 is solid bearing and BNSF and UP is ok with that, so that makes 3 class 1s...
And Keystone, they are trying to build a Pennsylvania T1, isn't that exciting enough for you?

unseenthings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ermm...Jack, 4449 is solid bearing and BNSF and UP
> is ok with that, so that makes 3 class 1s...

Much, much different situation. SP4449 and her crew, are a long proven operation, plus the oil lubricator crown bearings on the 4 drive axles are fitted with an electronic temperature sensing system (which, by the way, the Fort Wayne folks had to do for the plain bearings on 765's trailing truck axles).

unseenthings Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Ermm...Jack, 4449 is solid bearing and BNSF and UP
> is ok with that, so that makes 3 class 1s...
> And Keystone, they are trying to build a
> Pennsylvania T1, isn't that exciting enough for
> you?

Keystone would not be happy with just the T1, he would require a era correct train behind it with all original PRR cars, and all personnel involved to be wearing era correct clothing.

Once the first excursion is done, the T1 can be scrapped as Keystone will have seen it and have photographs of it.

MilwMike

OK guys...so what gets restored next if you have already photographed running, the General, 759, 2124, and 5632? Can't we pick a NEW engine? Not for me, but for folks that haven't seen different types? The CB&Q 4-6-4 sounds good. I could list a dozen beautiful locomotives going begging for restoration.