Eastern Railroad Discussion > Coal Smoke Over Bellevue Today - NKP 765 in Lake Erie Land

Monday May 12, 2025
Monroeville and Bellevue, OH
82 degrees, mostly sunny

Well, today was the day that NKP 765 returned from the Cuyahoga Valley and Brewster back to Bellevue and west to Indiana.
I "ran out of steam" back on April 22nd when 765 came east , but was better prepared today, even though it was a long wait at Monroeville.

1. I had just arrived at Monroeville on the Wheeling & Lake Erie this morning when I heard an air horn. WE 90 was headed to Bellevue with the 7018 and 7014. Good practice for later when the 765 comes.

2. & 3.  And here is the 765 with the NKP 358 (SD9). This is the W&LE's Huron River bridge as seen from the NYC Norwalk Branch bridge. The Wheeling, B&O and NYC (LS&MS) Norwalk branch all came through and crossed each other here, and also in the act was the Lake Shore Electric. 

---

---

---

4. & 5. The train consist behind the power; FWRX 701 the "Glenn E. Brendel" Crew car, FWRX 5762, FWRX 5735, FWRX 7 "Kitchi Gammi Club" Pullman, and coal car FWRX 485797. Bellevue is just ahead.

6. Arriving in Bellevue, and NS 8100 the NKP heritage unit is parked on the Lake Shore Connection waiting with the 765's service crew for 765, and then it will lead it west towards Fort Wayne.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/25 17:16 by train1275.

---

---

---

7. & 8. Checking out the NKP heritage unit with the NS engineer on board waiting for the 765.

9. And here it comes. Shooting photos and video was kind of tight and challenging, but these images should give a good overview of all the action as it unfolded here. Plenty of fans and curious on-lookers showed up. 

---

---

---

10. - 12. Checking out the 765.

---

---

---

13. Engine crew on board, blue flags displayed.

14. Oh yeah, this is a real railroad town with a real railroad yard .... Train 10N comes in with NS 4386 leading  from Detroit via the former W&LE Toledo line out of Oak Harbor.

15. The faithful kneel. 

---

---

---

16. - 18. The servicing is done, the track is clear, and off they go. I am not sure you can get any more of an overdose of Nickel Plate than this experience in Bellevue. NS Train 955 now leaves town.

---

---

---

19. - 21. The big Berk rolls by.

---

---

---

22. & 23. Coal smoke over Bellevue as Train 955 proceeds west at Southwest Street and onto the old Fort Wayne District.

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/25 16:27 by train1275.

---

---

Superior coverage - Photo two is a gem!
Bob

Nice coverage ! I was probably standing next to you at Monroe St.....

Roger Durfee
Cuyahoga Falls, OH

EL833 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Nice coverage ! I was probably standing next to
> you at Monroe St.....

I wish I'd known, would have liked to have met you.

Posted from Android

Excellent series!  First two are awesome!!!

Great stuff

Gosh!
Thanks all for this coverage.
The Nickel Plate Berkshires have always been  my favorite steam loco! I've mentioned before I kit-bashed one using the cheap Hobbytown plastic kit and the Mantua 2-8-2 boiler and running gear 60 years ago!
Thanks to my younger 32 year old son it can still run today.
Gonut
 

This is a terrific set of photos capturing the move back to Ft Wayne! I'm guessing NS had to cap 759 due to PTC requirements? At any rate, NS did a good jpb paying tribute using its NKP heritage unit. 

Holy cow, 765 isn't paid off yet? Still has equipment trust plate on the smokebox.
Frisco's 4500 4-8-4s had them on them for years when they were stored.

Really like that first image, outstanding series too.
—Mac