Steam & Excursion > Stalking NKP Berkshires

The addiction started in 1970 with a ride on High Iron's Hoboken-Binghamton round trip weekend excursion in 1970 - here's NKP 759 performing a run-by at Susquehanna PA on the ex-Erie. NKP 759 returned to Binghamton the following summer - posing for the crowd at the ex-DL&W station. Then there was a 38 year hiatus from chasing the band - here's NKP 765 and cousing PM 1225 at Owosso in summer of 2009.

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In 2011, NKP 765 pulled a RT excursion on the Iowa Interstate, seen here at Bureau, IL. Two years later, NS operated a number of employee specials pulled by NKP 765 (with a PRR heritage Unit as back-up) - here's a capture taken at Elyria on a chilly day in May 2013. The following year, 765 joined PM 1225 again at Owosso to power excursions (with no diesel back-up!), speeding along here in the farmlands outside Ithaca, MI.

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In summer of 2015, one of 765's duties was to power a Buffalo - Corning RT excursion on the NS Southern Tier mainline (no diesel escort!). NS special 957 charges east through Addsion NY on the old Erie main as the sun elects to hide behind a large puffy cloud. For 2016 and 2017, I got distracted with the N&W 611 so the next time I saw 765 was this past weekend powering the Joliet Rocket - here she is speeding through Mokena IL on Sunday morning heading for La Salle St station. I like the re-installed Mars lamp!

My only "regret" (and it's minor) is I've only photographed NKP Berkshires pulling passenger excursions and not freights.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/18 02:34 by JPB.

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Real nice collection. Thanks for your efforts.

Kim Heusel

Whoops....look at THAT high atop the tender in the shot passing the Addison Station.  Go ahead boys...let me have it!     (I bet you don’t notice these things.)

Thanks for sharing these. These Berkshires certainly are beauties.
Bob



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/18 04:34 by refarkas.

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> Whoops....look at THAT high atop the tender in the
> shot passing the Addison Station.  Go ahead
> boys...let me have it!     (I bet you don’t
> notice these things.)

Because we know why they do it and we don’t care

Spoony81 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Keystone1 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Whoops....look at THAT high atop the tender in
> the
> > shot passing the Addison Station.  Go ahead
> > boys...let me have it!     (I bet you don’t
> > notice these things.)
>
> Because we know why they do it and we don’t care

My sentiments exactly.  Well said!

Keystone1 Wrote:
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> Whoops....look at THAT high atop the tender in the
> shot passing the Addison Station.  Go ahead
> boys...let me have it!     (I bet you don’t
> notice these things.)

As soon as I saw it, I knew the spoon was ready and standing by to stir the pot!

But seriously folks, here's one to add to the mix: September 20, 1992, at Princeton, Kentucky, on the former Illinois Central Kentucky Division, then and now the property of the Paducah & Louisville.

This is about as vintage a shot as you're going to get in this day and age.  I forget if I was shooting Tri-X or Plus-X, but it was Kodak B&W film in my little fixed-lens Olympus.  I was shooting color in the Pentax K-1000, but the gloomy day definitely worked better with black and white.

Mary McPherson
Dongola, IL
Diverging Clear Productions



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/18 06:07 by MaryMcPherson.

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Great pictures JPG and Mary

I agree - Love all these photos! THanks, JPG and Mary!!

The 765 is one fine machine, kudos to everyone involved in keeping her going all these years.

Keystone1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Whoops....look at THAT high atop the tender in the
> shot passing the Addison Station.  Go ahead
> boys...let me have it!     (I bet you don’t
> notice these things.)

you're right. I didn't notice until you pointed them out and even now I barely notice them.

Posted from Android

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA

A rare photo is the Paducah and Louisville excursion!

Sorry just what is it that we're supposed to see "high atop the tender"?

If you look at picture #7 you can notice that there is a sort of tower on top of where the coal is stored in the tender. It is a made up extension so that the tender can carry more coal when the engine is making a trip outside of its normal range. It is referred to as coal boards and some members on here object to the use of this as not being original. 765 only gets this setup on very rare occasions when the  access to coal for refueling is not readily available. This is really not much different than having the extra tender for more water for the same reason. This extra tender has become somewhat the norm for mainline steam engines these days and I do not object to their use. There were some engines in normal service back in the day that used auxilliary tenders so there is a precedent for their use. Personally I would rather see the tender with this coal board setup when necessary than not seeing the engine and train at all.

-Fred-

ConductorsSon Wrote:
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> Sorry just what is it that we're supposed to see
> "high atop the tender"?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/18 07:58 by flyingfred.

flyingfred Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you look at picture #7 you can notice that
> there is a sort of tower on top of where the coal
> is stored in the tender. It is a made up extension
> so that the tender can carry more coal when the
> engine is making a trip outside of its normal
> range. It is referred to as coal boards and some
> members on here object to the use of this as not
> being original. 765 only gets this setup on
> very rare occasions when the  access to coal for
> refueling is not readily available. This is really
> not much different than having the extra tender
> for more water for the same reason. This extra
> tender has become somehat the norm for mainline
> steam engines these days and I do not object to
> their use. There were some engines in normal
> service back in the day that used auxilliary
> tenders so there is a precedent for their use.
> Personally I would rather see the tender with this
> coal board setup when necessary than not seeing
> the engine and train at all.
>
> -Fred-
>
> ConductorsSon Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Sorry just what is it that we're supposed to
> see
> > "high atop the tender"?

Thank you Fred. Glad to know that some people "get it."

Posted from Android

Nice pics!!

759 always looked good to me.  Just something about her.  Notice how much higher her number boards are?  I've always wondered why?

I have some great audio recordings (MOBILE FIDELITY) of her.  Great whistle!

Where is she now?  Is she too broken down these days to see service?

759 is at Steamtown with excessive freeze damage from being pushed out of a roundhouse with a full boiler in the dead of winter.

There are people here who can provide more details.

Posted from Android

Doug Wetherhold
Macungie, PA