Nickel Plate Road 765
| Company type | Preserved steam locomotive |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Founded | September 8, 1944 |
| Headquarters | Fort Wayne , United States |
Area served | Indiana, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia |
Key people | Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society |
| Products | Steam locomotive excursions |
| Owner | Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society |
Nickel Plate Road 765 is a preserved S-2 class "Berkshire" steam engine, constructed in September 1944 by Lima Locomotive Works for the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, commonly known as the "Nickel Plate Road". In 1963, No. 765—renumbered as 767—was gifted to Fort Wayne, Indiana, for exhibition at Lawton Park, while the original No. 767 was dismantled in Chicago in 1964.
During the early 1970s, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) undertook restoration of No. 765 and subsequently operated it on mainline excursion trips. From the 1980s through the early 1990s, it ran special excursions along former Southern Railway CNO&TP division routes and the Chesapeake and Ohio’s New River Gorge line. After being retired from service in 1993, No. 765 was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1996.
Following a comprehensive restoration, it resumed operations in 2005. Since 2010, it has been active on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad offering regular excursion services. Between 2012 and 2015, No. 765 traveled over Norfolk Southern tracks across several states including Indiana, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia as part of the 21st Century Steam initiative. It also ran on Metra’s Milwaukee District North Line in 2016 and subsequently on the Rock Island District Line during 2017–2018. Beginning in 2022, it has been featured on seasonal Indiana Rail Experience excursions operating on the Indiana Northeastern Railroad.
Background
At the dawn of the 20th century, railroads were confronted with increasing traffic volumes alongside constraints inherent to steam locomotive technology. To address this, Lima Locomotive Works engineered a novel wheel configuration that expanded the firebox size, allowing for greater coal combustion capacity, elevated steam generation, and enhanced horsepower output. This advancement was branded by Lima as "Super-power," emphasizing improved "horsepower at speed."
In 1925, Lima introduced this concept with the A-1 prototype, trialed on the Boston & Albany Railroad’s Berkshire Mountains route—leading to the creation of the 2-8-4 "Berkshire" locomotive type. This design quickly gained acceptance among major railroads such as New York Central, Erie, Illinois Central, Pere Marquette, Boston & Maine, Chesapeake & Ohio, and Nickel Plate Road.
The Nickel Plate Road incorporated a fleet of eighty Berkshires predominantly for fast freight and passenger operations. Its initial batch (S Class) of fifteen locomotives was delivered by American Locomotive Works (ALCO) in 1934 based on Lima’s original blueprint. Subsequently, Lima manufactured three additional sub-classes—S-1 (1942), S-2 (1944), and S-3 (1949)—collectively referred to as the "Seven Hundreds."
Further Berkshires (S-4 class) were acquired following Nickel Plate Road’s leasing of the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad in 1949. The Berkshire locomotives significantly contributed to establishing the railroad’s reputation for high-speed service—a defining characteristic of its operations.
No. 765 was completed on September 8, 1944.
Revenue service
Initially assigned to Bellevue, Ohio, No. 765 primarily hauled expedited freight trains. After World War II, its main base shifted to a classification yard located in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The locomotive’s last revenue run occurred on June 14, 1958; however, it was briefly reactivated in December of that year to supply steam heat to a stranded passenger train—marking its distinction as the final Nickel Plate Road Berkshire operating under steam.
Highlighting their operational significance, Fort Wayne’s The News-Sentinel remarked in June that these Berkshires were regarded as "special pets" by local railfans and had earned a distinguished place in railroad history. Although their efficiency rivaled that of diesel locomotives at the time, they were ultimately retired as technological advancements progressed.
Retirement
Facing competition from diesel-electric locomotives, the Berkshires were largely phased out by 1958 and kept under the NKP's care until they were dismantled by 1964 due to declining traffic levels and the acquisition of newer diesel engines. Locomotive No. 765, renowned for its superb condition and positive crew reputation, was stored indoors until 1961.
The city of Fort Wayne expressed interest in preserving S-2 No. 767 to recognize its contribution to the "Elevate the Nickel Plate" initiative; however, deterioration led to the scrapping of No. 767. As an alternative, NKP gifted No. 765—renumbered as No. 767—to Fort Wayne on May 4, 1963, for public exhibition, accompanied by a plaque highlighting its importance in steam locomotive history.
Restoration
In September 1971, Wayne York, Glenn Brendel, and Walter Sassmannshausen, Jr. began discussions about restoring the locally displayed former Nickel Plate No. 765/767 and Wabash No. 534 steam engines. By November 1972, these efforts culminated in the establishment of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS).
The FWRHS obtained a 25-year lease for No. 765/767 in 1973 and relocated it to New Haven, Indiana in 1974 to initiate restoration aimed at returning it to operational status. In October 1975, the locomotive’s original number was reinstated, and FWRHS announced its intention to fully restore the engine.
Restoration took place between 1975 and 1979 at a modest facility lacking comprehensive workshop capabilities. On September 1, 1979, No. 765 moved under its own steam for the first time in over two decades. It was stored indoors in Ohio during that winter, and by spring of 1980 completed break-in runs followed by its inaugural public excursion—marking it as the first mainline steam locomotive restored and operated entirely by a volunteer nonprofit group.
First excursion service
Following steam retirement, the use of restored steam locomotives as promotional assets gained momentum among Class 1 and regional railroads. In May 1980, No. 765 conducted excursions and assisted freight operations on the Toledo, Peoria and Western Railway (TP&W) in Peoria, Illinois, with permission from TP&W president Robert McMillan.
In 1982, shortly before merging with the Norfolk and Western Railway (N&W), the Southern Railway leased No. 765 to lead excursions after Chesapeake and Ohio 2716 encountered firebox problems. These successful trips contributed to Norfolk Southern’s decision to continue its steam program utilizing larger mainline engines such as 4-8-4 Norfolk and Western 611.
Throughout the 1980s, No. 765 appeared in films like Four Friends and Matewan, while also operating New River Trains through the New River Gorge from 1985 to 1988 and again between 1990 and 1993. These excursions frequently involved hauling more than thirty passenger cars on round-trips during peak autumn foliage periods, drawing international visitors. Ownership of No. 765 was officially transferred to FWRHS in 1985.
In August 1991, No. 765 teamed up with restored Pere Marquette No. 1225 for the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) convention held in Huntington, West Virginia; both engines ran side-by-side while pulling twenty-five CSX hopper cars between Huntington and St. Albans. That same year, No. 765 was slated for a film shoot on the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway, alongside other steam locomotives; however, this project was canceled due to economic downturns in the early ’90s and withdrawal of the lead actor.
On September 19–20, 1992, No. 765 operated excursions along former Illinois Central tracks between Paducah and Central City, Kentucky on the Paducah & Louisville Railway. In July of the following year, it doubleheaded with NKP 2-8-2 No. 587 on a train arriving from Richlands, Virginia, meeting N&W 611 at Fort Wayne en route to Chicago for that year’s NRHS Convention. Shortly thereafter, No. 765 briefly bore Chesapeake & Ohio lettering as No. 2765 to honor the heritage of the New River Train route.
No. 765 successfully operated over multiple Class I railroads including Conrail, CSX, and Norfolk Southern; by 1993 had pulled the New River Train a record thirty-two times; and by 1994 had led one hundred twenty-four Norfolk Southern excursions. It earned recognition as a "veteran excursion engine" from Trains Magazine in 1992 and was highlighted by Railfan & Railroad Magazine in 1994 as a key reason "why boys still leave home."
By the end of the 1993 season, having accumulated significant mileage since its last major overhaul under Nickel Plate Road during its excursion career—amounting to —No. 765 exhibited wear requiring a running-gear overhaul planned for after that year’s excursions.
Downtime and major refurbishment
From 1993 until 2001, No. 765 remained largely a stationary display piece before undergoing an extensive restoration process. During this period, the FWRHS managed operations of Milwaukee Road 261 and worked on restoring C&O 2716, which had experienced firebox problems while operating on Southern Railway under lease from the Kentucky Railway Museum. After initial runs in 1996, No. 2716 required replacement of tubes and flues to comply with revised Federal Railroad Administration standards. Consequently, the organization redirected its efforts toward a comprehensive reconstruction of No. 765.
Following applications for funding, FWRHS secured an 80% grant match through the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, which supported preservation of historic infrastructure. The remaining 20% was raised through donor contributions, with much of the restoration labor carried out by dedicated FWRHS volunteers.
Over a span of five years, No. 765 was completely dismantled; its boiler, chassis, and running components were separated, with major parts either re-machined or rebuilt. By July 2005, it successfully passed a steam pressure test and was publicly unveiled in October. On October 28, 2005, Fort Wayne and Allen County Commissioners officially proclaimed "Engine no. 765 Day." The locomotive completed trial runs on the Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad in March 2006.
The entire overhaul demanded upwards of 15,000 work hours and exceeded $772,000 in costs.
Resumption of excursion service
In 2006, FWRHS earned the "Locomotive Restoration Award" from the Tourist Railway Association along with the "Outstanding Restoration Award" from Fort Wayne's Architecture and Community Heritage Foundation. Early attempts to arrange a host railroad for No. 765 were complicated by high liability expenses and congested mainlines, restricting steam excursion opportunities during the rebuild. Nevertheless, FWRHS launched No. 765’s first excursions in sixteen years at the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum on May 21, 2009.
Between 2009 and 2011, No. 765 operated passenger excursions, photo charters, and public events across various regional and short line railroads including the Chesapeake and Indiana, Great Lakes Central, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, and Iowa Interstate Railroad, marking its inaugural crossing of the Mississippi River.
In 2012, Norfolk Southern leased No. 765 to conduct employee appreciation trips throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Missouri in celebration of its own 30th anniversary. The FWRHS equipped the locomotive with a GPS tracking system that attracted over 120,000 views in August 2012 and developed a mobile app downloaded more than 19,000 times. Notably, No. 765 became the first steam locomotive to maintain an active Twitter account—a social media approach later adopted by Union Pacific’s steam program.
In 2013, No. 765 became part of Norfolk Southern’s 21st Century Steam initiative aimed at engaging communities and honoring railroad heritage through steam-powered operations. It conducted public trips in Ohio and Pennsylvania during May, including the first steam excursions over Horseshoe Curve (Pennsylvania) since 1977. That October saw two round-trip excursions between Fort Wayne and Lafayette, Indiana—routes formerly operated by the Wabash Railroad—representing the first steam run from Fort Wayne since 1993.
The itinerary for 2014 featured employee specials such as The Commodore Vanderbilt (Elkhart to Bryan), Nickel Plate Limited (Calumet City to Argos), Mercury Express (Detroit to Toledo), and Detroit Arrow (Detroit to Fort Wayne). Additionally, No. 765 took part in Train Expo 2014 hosted by the Steam Railroading Institute.
During 2015, No. 765 ran several excursions: July included routes from Fort Wayne to Lafayette and Youngstown to Ashtabula; August trips covered Buffalo to Corning via the Portage Viaduct near Letchworth State Park as well as Allentown to Pittston. The locomotive appeared at Steamtown National Historic Site’s RailFest alongside Nickel Plate Road 759 in Scranton.
From 2016 through 2018, FWRHS collaborated with Chicago’s Metra commuter rail system for excursions such as the Varsity (North Glenview to Janesville) and Joliet Rocket (Chicago to Joliet), featuring onboard entertainment departing from Chicago’s historic LaSalle Street Station. A planned journey from Chicago Union Station to Galesburg was canceled due to insufficient ticket sales. In August 2016, No. 765’s original mars light was restored.
Operations were suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic; the locomotive steamed briefly only during October.
In September 2021, No. 765 returned to run excursions on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad and reunited in Bellevue with fellow NKP Berkshire No. 757 following its cosmetic restoration by the Mad River and NKP Railroad Museum. Since 2022, it has been hauling Indiana Rail Experience excursions on Indiana Northeastern Railroad tracks under a multi-year agreement with FWRHS.
Announced in January 2025 was No. 765’s return to Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad after a three-year hiatus caused by track maintenance issues. It operated "Steam in the Valley" excursions during April–May and on May 10 performed employee trips over Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway between Brewster and Bowerston for their 35th Anniversary Celebration—marking its first operation on Wheeling trackage since 1989.
Tourism
When in operation, the locomotive draws approximately 3,000 visitors each day, with ticket sales reaching between 40,000 and 60,000 in under a month during the years 2009 and 2011. Passenger trains typically accommodate between 600 and 1,000 riders per journey, frequently selling out within a single day.
Media reports emphasize the locomotive’s capacity to attract substantial numbers of both local residents and tourists, thereby enhancing tourism in the communities along its route. In 2012, the Pittsburgh Tribune referred to No. 765 as the "engine that still can," later labeling it a "crowd favorite," while CBS Pittsburgh characterized it as "400 tons of Americana."
During periods without excursions, No. 765 undergoes year-round maintenance by a dedicated team of 70 to 100 volunteers at a restoration facility located in New Haven. This workshop is accessible to visitors and contains historic steam and diesel locomotives, passenger coaches, cabooses, among other railroad artifacts.
The majority of operational funding is generated through memberships in the FWRHS, along with donations and ticket sales.
Apart from excursion services, No. 765 played a pivotal role in Headwaters Junction, a planned riverfront development in Fort Wayne designed to merge railroad tourism with retail shops, dining establishments, residential spaces, recreational areas, and entertainment options. City officials endorsed this initiative as "big, bold, and transformational," aiming to incorporate the locomotive and FWRHS activities into a multifaceted attraction featuring river access and pedestrian trails. A local advisory group recommended incorporating Headwaters Junction into the city’s broader riverfront development strategy.
Nevertheless, the original vision for Headwaters Junction was not fully realized due to various obstacles. A more modest project named Pufferbelly Junction Inc. was launched in downtown Fort Wayne instead. Subsequently, the Society redirected its efforts northeastward within Indiana by developing the Indiana Rail Experience as an alternative attraction.
See also
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Further reading