Today - September 8, 2014, is NKP 765's 70th Birthday.
In honor of her birthday, Steve Lerro of K&L Trainz, prepared this short, animated history of the 765. I think it's VERY well done. Steve offered me the opportunity to narrate this video and I was honored to do so.
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Thanks for sharing this, HAPPY BIRTHDAY 765.
Happy Birthday 765.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!
70 years old and still working!
Great job on the video, Steve.
Happy Birthday 765, Rich thanks for posting this.
Alex
Thats a great tribute and a great video! Excellent work!
Happy Birthday 765.
Johan
Cool video. Did any one else catch Rich spinning the drivers in the video? 
Right around 3:08.
70 years old and still working!
Hey! Me, too!
Nicely done, Steve! 
Awesome video .
Cool video. Did any one else catch Rich spinning the drivers in the video? Right around 3:08.
That scene is a very accurate representation of the first move of the engine on September 1, 1979. And for the record, I was not even a member then, so I did not spin those drivers!
There were about 8 hands on the throttle for that move. Several of the guys involved in the original restoration were in the cab and they all shared in that special moment. You can see the actual scene that this animation is based on, and the full 765 resurrection story in the Hopewell Video, "Life Begins at Forty" from the OGR Web Store. At 3 minutes and 25 seconds into this DVD you'll see the big slip with all the rust flying off the wheels.
You'll also see 611 and 765 DOUBLEHEADED!
70 years ago, something as grand as the 765 was Hecho En Lima, not Hecho En China......even with a World War still raging.
For those not up on their Spanish, Hecho = Made.
Cool video. Did any one else catch Rich spinning the drivers in the video? Right around 3:08.
Rich doesn't spin drivers....mother nature does that!!! 
Cool video. Did any one else catch Rich spinning the drivers in the video? Right around 3:08.
That scene is a very accurate representation of the first move of the engine on September 1, 1979. And for the record, I was not even a member then, so I did not spin those drivers!
There were about 8 hands on the throttle for that move. Several of the guys involved in the original restoration were in the cab and they all shared in that special moment. You can see the actual scene that this animation is based on, and the full 765 resurrection story in the Hopewell Video, "Life Begins at Forty" from the OGR Web Store. At 3 minutes and 25 seconds into this DVD you'll see the big slip with all the rust flying off the wheels.
You'll also see 611 and 765 DOUBLEHEADED!
To just ad to what Rich just said about the "spinning drivers" back in 1979, I was there. I was trying to teach each member of the board of directors how to run her down to the end of the site trackage. Some did ok, and obviously some did not. Finally, after everyone had had many turns at the throttle, my buddy Dick Yager told me to take a turn, but he wanted to be on the ground to watch. It was really worth it to watch Dick simply fall over backwards into the green grass, as I went by at full throttle. Great times!
Great video and i really enjoyed watching it.
Thank you to everyone for your polite remarks! I wish I could have been trackside in the 80s and 90s to see a New River Excursion! There's always hope that CSX will cave in and let it happen once more!
If any of you have seen the Hopewell Production "Runnin' That New River Train" you will notice some similarities in the 3rd part of the video!
Outstanding video. An excellent narration as well.
That was fun. thanks to all involved. Steve, I own the video "Runnin That New River Train". Rich was at the helm in that one. My favorite.
.....
Dennis
Well done!!!!!
I am VERY proud to share my birthday with such a magnificent machine that has brought so much enjoyment to me and been such a wonderful good will ambassador for my hometown. Happy 70th birthday 765, I'm only 23 years behind you!
Happy Birthday and many many more. She sure is a grand site to see under steam.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY 765!!All that power from steam and still doing its thing.May you have many more days rolling down the tracks.
NKP 765 is 5 years older than I am, remember the NKP steam in the Calumet Region of Northwest Indians in the late 1950's, Happy Birthday NKP 765, keep on chugging!!!!!
Great post Rich!....
Alan
Wonderful!
Peter
Awesome!
I know I've posted this before but...
My "typical" steam experience often involves a small 0-4-0T or 0-6-0T putzing along at either the B&O Museum or WS. Maybe once every ten years I get to Strasburg and once every 2 or 3 I get to Western Maryland Scenic. Didn't quite know what to expect when I bought tickets to ride the 765 on the Horseshoe Curve trip.
We rode Monday, but went up on Sunday to try and chase the train and see the sights as past trips to the Altoona area didn't bring us much in time to really see things. We are at Huntingdon as the 765 roars around the corner and by us. What an absolute thrill. WOW! Kinda hard to put it to words, just absolutely stunning. I'm not one for the "marathon" all day excursions but what a great ride, the people were just as great. I had been to Altoona/area before but never via train so this was neat. Great trip! The FWRHS was further able to drain my wallet with a few items in the gift shop car in the train.
Am I the only one that noticed the Nickle Plate Alco PA-1 190 cruising by at 2:14 in the video. Rich, I hope you passed this link to Doyle. He may get a kick out of it.
Great post / video!
Great little video, Rich and Steve. Gee, 70 years old: doesn't look her age at all, does she? Hate to admit it but I still have the engine by nine years; Wish I could go in for a 15 years restoration and overhaul!
How and why was the animation done? I realize that it was made from a composite of a number of different videos from a number of videographers. That could be made into or be a part of a full length video.
Paul Fischer
How and why was the animation done? I realize that it was made from a composite of a number of different videos from a number of videographers. That could be made into or be a part of a full length video.
The 765 pictured in this animation is 3D Model I created to be operated in a computer Train Simulator Game. Whenever I make a model to sell to add-on to the game, I make short video of the model being used in the game. This engine is much bigger than most that I have done so I figured the promo video needed to be more of a documentary. So I wrote a script for Rich Melvin to read and created the video scenes around the script. All of this to help promote the model that is available to add-on to the game!
many more!!!
Well done Steve, and great narration Rich.
I enjoyed the behind the scenes story by Hot Water.
I especially liked the shaky camera around 11:23 when the big Berk thundered by.
Thanks for sharing it!
TJ
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