Steam & Excursion > NKP 759 - The Blue Train

IT's May 4, 1969, and NKP 759 is heading west over the N&W (ex-NKP) trestle that is east of Conneaut, Ohio. She's pulling the Golden Spike Centennial Limited special with its blue cars shining in the sun. For some in the image, it is their first glimpse of the beauty of a steam locomotive. For others, it brings back treasured memories. What a beauty this train was!
Bob

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Nice shot. I enjoy the cars in the photo line. Thanks for putting it up. I'm sure some crew members here will appreciate.

And this is what planted the seed for the American Freedom Train ....

Regards,
Burlington John

My memory and some background on this event....

We had departed Buffalo on -time early that day.
While departing, we we on a little upgrade. At the top we went over a diamond (another rail line crossed at grade). While traversing the change in grade, the pilot truck dropped away from the frame..... Thus activating "Wright's little watchman". This was a trip (safety) valve in the trainline brake pipe. It was intended to stop a train if the pilot truck on a Berk derailed. But our event only cocked the valve open---- setting up a strong leak. We stopped, I yanked on the reset lanyard, stopped the leak and we were off for Conneaut!

Later, continuing W' bound paralleling the old NYC RR. We caught up with a westbound Flexi-Van trailer train. We dusted off those early GP40s. At a break -neck speed. The Big Berk romped!!.

Before we got to Conneaut for coal an water, we got approach signals and were stopped before that bridge in the picture. We sat while the Conneaut yard switcher finished making up trains. Ross got hot as a clinker hook! We had N&W high Brass on board. We were stabbed for over an hour --- destination Cleveland.

Finally we were allowed into Conneaut Yard. The picture catches us as we approached at a slow speed.

That Flexi Van race was wonderful to watch!

Thanks for the memory!
You're RIGHT! That trip lit Ross's imagination-- Eventually realized as the AFT. The overnight at Cleveland was an all-nighter, with long crowds waiting to visit the 759's cab and to go though the 3 display cars. every city we stayed at was filled with wondrous crowds -- TV stories, lots of press coverage, too..


Wes C.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/25/15 19:33 by wcamp1472.

Glad Wes's memory is much better than mine although I do recall how angry our ranking N&W VIP was that we got stabbed for nearly an hour while they did some yard shifting fouling the main. IIRC he was a Sr.VP and had been assigned to represent the N&W at the welcoming ceremonies for us at Cleveland as Mr. Bob Claytor was unable to attend. We had been given advance word that the Cleveland press had give the GSCL a lot of coverage and that all 3 TV networks ( CBS,NBC,ABC) would be at the Terminal Tower Station to cover our arrival and thus it was important to do all possible to arrive on time.

As I recall we did our best after leaving Conneaut to make up time and got to Cleveland pretty close to the advertised. There was a huge crowd waiting to greet us and we had to keep the train open until 2am to get all the folks in line through the display.

Wes is correct in that the huge public interest shown for the GSCL gave me the idea that a first rate display train would be a great way to celebrate our 200th. birthday. The AFT proved that it was.

Thanks, Ross Rowland

Thanks for the comments. This slide brought back some great memories, and the personal comments from Ross and Wes bring the image to life in a way that the image itself could never do.
Bob

Thanks to both Wes and Ross for all that you have done to revive the preservation and steam operation that followed your pioneering excursions.

I hadn't known that this trip ran on the NKP west of Buffalo, after running on the Water Level Route through my neck of the woods.

Was there a reason for that, instead of staying on the former NYC?

Yes. It was partly because one of our strong supporters Mr. Robert Claytor was a senior executive of the N&W which by then owned the NKP and he wanted to see it run on his railroad and partly because Conneaut was where we restored her to life and the home town of our senior boiler maker Joe Karal ( retired NKP boiler maker) and Joe wanted to show her off to "his" town.

2 good reasons plus it was her old stomping grounds!! Total of 3 good reasons.

Ross Rowland

Thank you Ross, for all the fun we had seeing 759.

The Blue Train was THE catalyst for the formation of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. 3 Fort Wayne residents saw the 759 on her westward journey to Kansas City. On her way back, the 759 came through St. Louis and western Ohio on the way to an overnight stop at Lima, Ohio. I saw the 759 go through Celina, Ohio, the month I graduated from high school and another fellow I didn't know yet saw it 10 miles east at St. Marys, Ohio. Having seen it was possible to bring one of these Berkshires back from the dead, these people formed the FWRHS in 1972. The rest is history for the 765. Ross Rowland, Wes Camp, NKP boilermaker Joe Karal, NKP roundhouse foreman Dale Moses, a young Doyle McCormack and many others showed how it was done. Thank you all!

INDEED!

It was the folks like you, and others ---- who were later inspired by the AFT, that The HICO folks are proud of & encouraged by.

I am deeply enjoying the many successes that have been brought back-to-life by SO MANY self-inspired groups -- and its STILL going on!

I know Ross is deeply rewarded by seeing the other's successes. Your efforts are part of what makes all the hard work that Ross had put into the fruition of his dreams.


I call that expanding number of locos; Expanding, like RIPPLES IN THE POND. The 'High Iron Years' were the boulder that started the ripples.

I hope others post more 'Ripples' on T.O. for us all to enjoy!

Wes C.