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CEO Alan Arnold has graciously allowed me to post this announcement about my new book about the 765.

This is a 192-page "coffee table" book with twenty-two chapters and more than 200 photos, many never before published. In the book you'll find a little history of the 765 along with many on-the-road stories from my thirty-four years with the 765 crew.

Serving with the men and women of the 765's crew was an honor, and the memories of my years on that crew are among the most significant of my life. I am pleased to be able to share some of those memories with you in the pages of this book. And best of all, profits from the sale of this book will go to the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, for the on-going service and maintenance of NKP 765. With the COVID-19 problem still in play, the 765 won't be running any excursions this year, so they could sure use your support.


Pages 170 and 171 in the book, from the chapter "Steam...on Horseshoe Curve!"

Just a few of the twenty-two chapters in the book...

  • The Engines That Saved a Railroad (by John Rehor)
  • The Born Again 700 (by Wayne York)
  • “Papa” Joe (by Glenn Brendel)
  • Our Big Chance
  • The Gentleman From Peoria (by Glenn Brendel)
  • Mr. Dispatcher, Take A Bow
  • Lima Super Power At Its Best
  • The Lewis Tunnel Incident
  • A Bad Case of “Get-Home-Itis”
  • A Very Special Convention
  • Masquerading on the C&O
  • Steam...on Horseshoe Curve!
  • Step Into My Office, Please
  • The Future...and The Past

I'm sure you will enjoy reading this book.

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Last edited by Rich Melvin
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Hi Rich!

I received my copy just a few days ago, and the book is FANTASTIC! I'm enjoying getting to know No. 765 so well, and I appreciate you tying the history of the NKP Berkshires from their creation to 765's new career in the 21st century. Additionally, the photos are wonderful, and I got a good chuckle at the chapter, "Step into my office, please."

When traveling near Ft. Wayne for work in November 2019, I called the FWRHS to see if I could stop by for a brief, private appointment. I was honored and humbled to meet Steve Winicker there early in the morning, and he not only let me see the engine, but climb into the cab with him as well. It was a wonderful hour-long visit with him and tour of the engine shed, and I'm forever grateful to have been given that opportunity.

Many thanks for writing about this storied locomotive, as well as for sharing your years of experience from the cab point-of-view! All the best wishes to you and your family from Davenport, IA.

Patrick

@Rich Melvin posted:

I'd be happy to do that, but .........

I didn’t expect that answer.  

Let me rephrase my question regarding getting the book autographed.  Do you have any plans to do public autograph sessions, perhaps at the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society facilities sometime in the future?  The opportunity to have the book signed would provide strong incentive to visit the facilities and provide additional support to FWRHS.

 

@GregM posted:

I didn’t expect that answer. 

Let me rephrase my question regarding getting the book autographed.  Do you have any plans to do public autograph sessions, perhaps at the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society facilities sometime in the future?  The opportunity to have the book signed would provide strong incentive to visit the facilities and provide additional support to FWRHS.

The misunderstanding is my fault...allow me to explain.

These books are printed on demand at Ingram Publishing. The book is printed at Ingram and then shipped directly to you. I don't see it before it is shipped to you. So I have no way to sign it before you get it.

I will be attending the Fort Wayne Open House in August. If you plan to attend, I'd be happy to sign it there.

Last edited by Rich Melvin

Rich,

I just had to chime in and compliment you on the book.  I received a hardcopy of it a week or so ago, and actually ordered it for my Dad as a Fathers Day gift.  I've read through it in the meantime and have thoroughly enjoyed it.  All of the photos are fantastic, and I really enjoyed the full history presented from how the Berkshires came to be in the first place, their original regular service, and of course your stories of some of the adventures you've had with the 765 as well as the initial and more recent overhauls.  You're a good story teller for sure and I'd highly recommend the book to anyone that is a fan of Lima Super Power and the Berks in particular!

Derek

@Lancer posted:

Awesome Rich! Ft Wayne is just 15 mins north of me . I’ll have to grab a copy and an autograph would be great too!

Lance, I will be attending the FWRHS Members Day on August 22nd. This is part of the annual Open House event scheduled for August 21-23 this year. I would be happy to sign your book there.

Get more info about the Open House here.

Rich, I want to thank you for this great opportunity to get some great reading and pictures(just ordered). I am always looking for more train books to stick my eyes into, especially about a train I have never had the pleasure of seeing in person(unfortunately). I really wish I had got a chance to get out there before your retirement, but at least I did get to see you at York. I won't be able to get out there in August, but I can just imagine. I still have to see about acquiring NPR #765 with your voice on it, one of the things on the list. Sort of makes me wonder, how many other engines are out there with your voice on?

For what it's worth, sometime around 1973 my wife and I went to Steamtown in Bellows Fall for the inaugural run of NKP 765 after her re-tube. There were 7 engines under steam that weekend including a very unique fireless switcher. My wife won the lottery for the first official whistle blow. Boy let me tell you a lot of men were seriously ticked off. I forget their names but all the old-timers from the BF museum were there . A very memorable weekend indeed. 

GameBreaker64, you guessed wrong... 

The chapter entitled "The Born Again 700"  by Wayne York tells the story of how the 765 was saved from the scrappers torch and restored the first time, back in the 70s. There is no mention of the whistle in that or any other chapter. The NKP Berks all carried the same whistle.

Fastman, in 1973 the 765 (numbered 767) was still on display in Lawton Park in Fort Wayne.

She has never been to Bellows Falls, Vermont. You saw NKP 759, not the 765.

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Last edited by Rich Melvin

Rich, in that picture is that from Steamtown? I know 759 is up there, but no idea how long it has been. Only been up there a few times and last year did the trolley museum and never got the chance to get in. I know you had made a trip up to Steamtown with 765 from a post elsewhere here as well as seeing some pictures in one of the buildings. Do you know if 759 is/was working or if it just is stuck in static display?

Rich, in that picture is that from Steamtown? I know 759 is up there, but no idea how long it has been. Only been up there a few times and last year did the trolley museum and never got the chance to get in. I know you had made a trip up to Steamtown with 765 from a post elsewhere here as well as seeing some pictures in one of the buildings. Do you know if 759 is/was working or if it just is stuck in static display?

The 759 ran for the last time four years before the 765 ran for the first time. She is not currently operational and she's likely to remain that way for the foreseeable future.

The photo is at Steamtown's current home in Scranton, taken in 2015 when 765 paid a visit there. The 759 is one of the original engines that Nelson Blount acquired in the 1960s at the start of his collection, and it has remained at Steamtown since.

Last edited by TrainMan1225

The subject of the "2765" was mentioned on another forum, and I posted a picture in response to it. Here's the story...

In 1993 we made some cosmetic changes to NKP 765 to make it look like a C&O Kanawha (pronounced kuh-NAW) which was the C&O's version of a 2-8-4. The two types were essentially identical. We renumbered the engine to "2765" which was a real Kanawha number. There is a chapter in my book about this special year, with a lot of good pictures, like this one by F. J. Ahern.

This was taken on October 23, 1993 on the old C&O in West Virginia. Passing under a classic C&O cantilevered signal bridge, the "2765" is on the point of the New River Train.

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The e-mail I got Friday said they'd be here Tuesday but mine arrived today, Monday.  So far I've only had a chance to "thumb" through mine but it looks like I'm going to be spending a few evenings away from the computer.  Best part is I now have 6 months to remind my friend that I know what he's getting for Christmas but that I can't tell him.  Yup, he finds it annoying.

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