Steam & Excursion > NKP 765 From Onboard: Big Talk

When it was announced that 765's trip to Janesville, WI two weeks ago would feature open vestibules, I was instantly sold on the prospect of riding versus chasing.  I've said for years that the prohibition of open windows or Dutch doors on steam excursions is tantamount to buying tickets to a concert and being seated in the restroom.  No other way will do if the steam locomotive is the reason you're on the train.

The attached video was taken from the vestibule of first-class car Berlin from which we were treated to a front-row seat of 765 performance, and I would be remiss if I failed to mention that the Berlin's owner -- who is a TO reader -- was a gracious host (the cookies were delicious!). In hindsight I wish I'd been better prepared to record that performance but I think that few people were expecting it to be as intense as it became, particularly during the return trip on Metra rails which the attached video focuses upon.  I thought I was being clever to have my iPhone held up against the door frame with the eye peering outside while the mic was (largely) sheltered from the wind, though as speed increased the effectiveness of that situation deteriorated.  Still, I think there is enough here with which I can best attempt to share the experience.  Not just in the sense of the audio -- which some TO readers may rejoice in its moderate whiste content -- but in the sights of the big Berk leaning into curves with rods failing and a tornado of smoke launching up the stack, of the subsequent rain of cinders which my safety glasses were not always able to deflect, and the reactions people lineside ranging from leaps of joy to backpedalling steps from intimidation to heads turning in amazement to watch her race past.

So raise a toast to 765's keepers and all who helped make this trip one that brought back the high-speed steam experience and broke some accepted compromises of steam in the 21st century by doing so!

~~ Pete

EDIT:  As a postscript I wanted to add something I've said to non-rail friends of mine about why a trip like this was so enjoyable:  You can ride a train on much of that route any day of the week and at higher speeds, but being able to see and hear 765 do what it's designed to do really makes one feel that they have a tiger by the tail!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/16 11:35 by PatternOfFailure.

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Ya gotta love that Baker-timed "Shotgun" exhaust...at 70 mph!

Zach had her hooked up just right.

Rich Melvin
Columbus, OH
My Web Site

That was great ! Cinders flying everywhere!

Rich_Melvin Wrote:
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> Ya gotta love that Baker-timed "Shotgun"
> exhaust...at 70 mph!
>
> Zach had her hooked up just right.

Crisp as an apple and square as a table!  I can only image what a hurricane ride it was up in the cab.

GREAT video!

The back lighted night shot was great!

I realize the maintenance curve rises when you run sustained speeds like that but its sure good to listen to and watch.  I had 1522 running 70 a couple of times and its damned exhilarating.  Needless to say, I miss doing that.

Super video, Pete, and it sure brought back great memories of riding behind the (2)765 on the New River Train in 1993.  Goggles saved my eyes, but the rest of me and my VHS-C camera had more than a few cinders to deal with.  Not quite so fast on that run, but great stack talk and a wonderful experience.

A couple of those green signals were very slow to drop and didn't in the video.

Fantastic!

I was so busy with everything that I didn't even have an opportunity to get into a group shot with the 765 crew.

Now I have a great way to relive the trip from a "fan" standpoint.

Thanks!!!

A wonderful video.  Watching it made me feel like I was riding that excursion.

RuleG Wrote:
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> A wonderful video.  Watching it made me feel like
> I was riding that excursion.

I second, third, and quadruple that. I about instinctively wanted to pull the brim of my hat down closer yet over the top of my goggles when watching it. There's just nothing like standing at the dutch door of an open vestibule behind mainline big steam. Those that never have can't imagine the thrill. At the risk of sounding cliche' when someone asks me why I like this: "If I have to explain, you wouldn't understand".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/26/16 21:30 by NYC_L4a.

Great video.  I had the opportunity to ride behind it many years ago in the old Southern Steam Program days.  I won't say that we were doing 80 MPH because I no GPS or anhything else to verify it back in those days but I will say that a mile post went by about every 45 seconds.  That was between Lexington and Danville, Ky.  That is a good looking locomotive.

John

Incredible sounds from the vestibule - thanks for posting this!  And I'm really hoping we get to see this again next year.

-James
http://www.steamtrainvideos.com
 

FANTASTIC!!!

The cinders sounded like raindrops hitting the camera.   Bookin it!

Awesome!

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions

I got the biggest kick when running the 614 on the eastbound legs of the Hoboken-Pt. Jervis trips to watch the serious fans in the 2 open window coaches immediately behind the engine. When we started out every open window had a goggled head sticking out ( many with cameras going) and by the time we reached track speed ( 79 mph) there were only 1 or 2 hearty souls who had come prepared with bandanas covering all exposed skin and good quality goggles for the eyes.  Trust me....those cinders really sting at 79 per !!!

   765 sounded really good and is a testimony to the TLC she gets from her crew.  Ross Rowland

Wonderful video and loved the short night sequence at the end, too! Glad she made it up to 72 at one point-- definitely felt like we were riding right along w/ you!

Yep, why we love Trainorders.  WOW.

Great video, thanks for sharing!

~RGDave