Eastern Railroad Discussion > Preview of NKP 765 This Weekend

Back in July 1985 I chased NKP 765 on the Southern Tier, same route it will take this weekend.
First photo eastbound at Cameron, NY in the Canisteo Valley
Next photos at Gang Mills, NY where the locomotive was turned.

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Last photo west of Addison, NY returning to Buffalo

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The Canisteo Valley is a great place to ride a train as the main highway didn't take this valley so it retains a wild, rural feel to it.

I rode the AAPRCO special last Fall along this route and was impressed with track condition along the entire Buffalo - Corning route.

Sadly, the big difference is all the folks hanging out of the open windows and vestibules 
back in those days of old, soaking it up.

The_Chief_Way Wrote:
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> Sadly, the big difference is all the folks hanging
> out of the open windows and vestibules 
> back in those days of old, soaking it up.

My parents took me on an excursion pulled by the 765 between Bellevue and Orrville back in 1982 or 83. I was around 12 at the time and rode in the vestibule the entire trip. It's a shame kids now won't get that opportunity.

The ferry move from Ohio to Buffalo on that trip went across the "Southern Tier West" - Meadville - Jamestown - Olean (Conrail), and then north, rather that over the NS lake route via Cleveland and Buffalo, which also is a reflection on the changing ownerships since 1985.   NS had 611 and 1218.

Across the Southern Tier west, hundreds of chasers, work-skippers (myself included) chased it - and there hasn't been a major steam locomotive across that route since.  I got shots of 765 going right by my house that are still framed on my office wall.   At the time, with small kids and a tight budget, riding the train Buffalo-Corning was out of the question.  

One thing I'll point out to the current generation (besides the open vestibule and window issue) is the 'lower profile' of the tender without the extensions on the coal bunker.

I'll be on it Saturday this time!

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/30/15 12:41 by randgust.

Few changes as Lumber Street Bridge is gone and the line is single tracked. Trees have grown up in many places. I expect the train will be turned between CP Corning and CP Gibson as it can be serviced in the forner NYC Corning Yard.

I rode a Buffalo - Corning excursion in 1985 behind 765, but I remember it being in June, not July.  Was there an additional excursion in July?

All-in-all, a very pleasant ride, particularly with the nice scenery along the ex-Erie Railroad.  This was my only steam excursion on Conrail.
 

If all you want is scenery, why not just ride behind a diesel-powered excursion? No open vestibules? Well, I know. It's not worth it, folks, just to say "I rode behind the NW 611 or NKP 765." If all you want to do is watch scenery the whole trip behind a closed window, why not just patronize Amtrak? As they are sure to enforce no open vestibules!!! What a boring CROCK all of this has become!!! Well, "I got MINE." Behind various steamers. What a new generation this is--of fans, of new-hire rails, you name it!!! BORING!!!