Headwaters Junction and 765

This long, cold, snowy winter just warmed up!

It will truly be a great day to see this come to be.

It's a LONG way from concept to reality, but the wheels are turning, and the people that make things happen in this town seem to have embraced the whole concept, so maybe they can pull it off. The excursions, the deadhead moves, the open houses and the media attention generated by such events since she was returned to steam has brought 765 and the FWRHS much more to the public's attention, and along with all the behind the scenes work by Kelly Lynch, there has likely never been, or likely will be a better opportunity to make this happen.  The billet is hot, and it's time to hit it with the forging hammer.

Looks like a mini Steamtown, except the entire roundhouse will be functional. So that will be 765's new home? Has anyone heard anything about 765's excursions this year yet? Crossing my fingers it comes East again on NS. Norfolk Southern announced that there will be steam excursions this year, but no schedule yet.

I can't tell you much more about this than what has been written in the press. My responsibilities with the 765 crew are to plan and arrange our rail operations. I'm not involved in the Headwaters Junction project at all.

Kelly Lynch has been the man promoting FWRHS' involvement in this project. He has done a marvelous job and has been able to get the city and others to see the value of including a huge "people magnet" like the 765. When this happens, it will become the 765's new home.

NS has not yet officially announced anything about steam in 2015. We should know something by the end of the month.

Rich, thank you!  I hope it happens!

that would be fantastic.

The only thing I can hope, is the Corps of Army Engineers has done a good enough job to keep this area from flooding. People seem to forget the reason for the city buying up all the property to make Headwaters Park is because it historically floods. Anyone remember a few years ago when it rained like 15 days in a row and the rivers flooded? I know the Lakeside area was flooded pretty bad, and the Old Fort was under water. I'd hate to see the city invest millions into this and we have a flooding issue and all the 765 tools and equipment get ruined. Not to mention that the old LS&MS rails that used to be in the area are long gone.

Actually, now that I think about it, that rainy period was right before the 3 Rivers Festival in the middle of July, as the car show in Lawton Park was relocated because of the debris and silt left in the park, which is right across the street from this planned area.

Funny thing is the 765 has been flooded in that very same flood plain at least one time during 1963-1974.  Lawton Park is or was in the flood plain and when we got the Berk  ready to move, we found some evidence of the flooding.   Gary Bensman could probably share more exact details about it but I recall the water level was still below the journals.

I asked Kelly about this some time ago and he said that area envisioned for the roundhouse is just out of the 100 year floodplain.  I suspect it would HAVE to be to get permits, funding, insurance etc.

I'm surprised the "greenies" would let that much park go for a "dirty" old steam round house.

Personally it sounds great.

Well, Southern 4501's facebook page has a post saying this: Norfolk Southern has officially announced that steam will return to the mainline this year, however a schedule has yet to be released. As soon as it's out, we'll be sure to share it with you!

Actually what happened is Wick Moorman approved steam excursions for this year but no formal public announcement has been made yet. I'm thinking of riding behind the CNJ 113 at Minersville, PA on March 28, about a 16 mile round trip. I'm not holding my breath that an NS steam excursion will be near us this year, we were lucky in 2013 when 765 ran long public trips in central PA. Last year all of the NS steam excursions were over 500 miles away from me.

Robert, there has not yet been any "OFFICIAL" announcement about steam on NS in 2015. 

We may see an announcement one way or the other soon, but as of today - February 18, 2015 - there has been no official announcement.

I enjoyed the trip behind 765 on May 25, 2013 from Lewistown, that was a once in a lifetime experience. I missed the Amtrak trip though from Philly to Harrisburg via Reading on the NS former Reading lines last Nov. It sold out in under a half hour. The Lehigh Limited to Bethlehem, PA from Hoboken, NJ in Aug 2013 was another rare mileage trip that I didn't go on.