OK Rich, several years ago you teased us with the beginning chapter of a RR book you were writing. How about the rest of the story?
Dennis
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Dennis, you have a GOOD memory! That book was a fiction story that I was working on, but I’ve not done anything on it for years.
However, I next year I will publish a “coffee table book” about the NKP Berks and the 765. It will have a little history, a few stories from the road and some personal thoughts in about 190 pages.
Looking forward to your book.
Ron H
me too!
Rich looking forward to the book and really enjoyed the Back Shop article on the history of the magazine. And OGR.
I’m looking forward to getting your book on the NKP Berkshires.
Thanks, fellas. It won’t be published until some time in 2020.
Rest assured I will let you know when it’s available.
Hey Rich! 
Hi Rich, looking forward to getting a copy of your book, put me down for one. It will be here before we know it.
And maybe personally autographed!!!
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I’m looking forward to the chapter on lashups. 😉
Curt
There is no end to this man's talents: railroad engineer, aviator, cinematographer, editor, publisher, RV "road warrior", and now author! Is astronaut next? GO, Rich!
juniata guy posted:I’m looking forward to the chapter on lashups. 😉
LOL!!
Tinplate Art posted:There is no end to this man's talents: railroad engineer, aviator, cinematographer, editor, publisher, RV "road warrior", and now author! Is astronaut next? GO, Rich!
That’s me...jack of all trades, master of none.
Rich,
I often wondered if the book on the 765 was still on your agenda. It has been a few years since you requested photos of the engine. Glad to read that it is a go.
Tinplate Art posted:There is no end to this man's talents: railroad engineer, aviator, cinematographer, editor, publisher, RV "road warrior", and now author! Is astronaut next? GO, Rich!
Don't forget a vocalist as well. A person involved in all of these activities is usually a sign of high intelligence.
Rich Melvin posted:Thanks, fellas. It won’t be published until some time in 2020.
Rest assured I will let you know when it’s available.
Rich, just curious, who is your publisher for this book? OGR? Congrats! -Ken
Lenny the Lion posted:Don't forget a vocalist as well. A person involved in all of these activities is usually a sign of high intelligence.
Would you tell this to my wife?
Ken-Oscale posted:Rich, just curious, who is your publisher for this book? OGR? Congrats! -Ken
The book will be published by Covenant Publishing. They have a very strong presence in markets beyond just the railroad market, such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Ingram, and their own web site.
GregM posted:I often wondered if the book on the 765 was still on your agenda. It has been a few years since you requested photos of the engine. Glad to read that it is a go.
The book languished in my computer for many years after I first started it. I got busy with OGR in 2002, a couple of corporate flight clients kept me busy with a lot of flights and 765's operations started up again in 2010. Now that I'm retired from OGR, the 765 crew and from flying, I have time to get back to this project.
Rich: Will you still keep your ticket current for your own personal flying?
Rich started telling tales of troublesome railroad events but never finished "the rest of the story". With apology to Linda and the upstanding feminine Forum members, this hairy-legged bunch probably kept him so busy as "Forum Cop" he had to limit his tales to how to avoid 765 driver slippage on Horseshoe curve. And now, he has to dodge Drones that prove man can't fly!
Yup, Dewey, dodging drones is now another occupational hazard for steam engineers!
Tinplate Art posted:Rich: Will you still keep your ticket current for your own personal flying?
I have not done any "personal flying" since the mid-90s. That was back when I figured out how to make a small fortune owning an aircraft. Start with a big one. 
All the flying I did over the last 15-20 years was as a paid pilot to transport people in their aircraft. I was just an airborne bus driver... 
My 2nd class medical expired and became a 3rd class medical a few months ago. When it completely expires next year I don't intend to renew it. No need.
Rich Melvin posted:However, I next year I will publish a “coffee table book” about the NKP Berks and the 765. It will have a little history, a few stories from the road and some personal thoughts in about 190 pages.
Put me down for a copy - I’ll even pay for it in advance!
Thanks, MJ. But you’ll have to wait until I actually finish the book. I’ve got a few more photo releases to get and a few more paragraphs to write.
Covenant will publish it some time next year. I’ll let you know!
Rich,
I would like to have one when you finish it. I have a connection to the 765 having ridden behind her and the 1225 when they pulled a double header in Owosso Michigan back in 2009(?). They both performed flawlessly that day, it is a trip I won't ever forget.
Here is a Rich Melvin story that I asked him about a few years ago.
Background: I was born and raised in Putnam County, West Virginia, along side the C&O mainline.
Where exactly...within a rock's throw of the Scary Creek grade crossing, where there is a large sweeping curve where the ex-C&O turns and begins to following the Kanawha River into Saint Albans, WVa and points east (south?).
The ruling grade or 'hill' was named after where I grew up, thus 'Scary Hill'
(there is nothing frightening about where I grew up, the Native Americans named this place, 'Scary', dunno why)
Bryan Smith: I am compelled to ask, how did the 765 do going up Scary Hill, towards Huntington, pulling 30+ heavy coaches?
Were you able to maintain 55mph?
Rich: Oh yeah...
One night, on the westbound return trip on one of the New River trains, we decided to conduct a little experiment.
During the passenger stop in St. Albans, I asked my fireman if he had a good enough fire for an all-out assault on Scary Hill.
That grade starts about a mile west of where we were stopped.
He said he was in good shape, so we decided to go for it. We had 32 cars behind us...a BIG passenger train.
When we got the OK to head west, I eased the train into motion. Within about 15-20 seconds of starting, I put the throttle on the roof...wide open!
The 765 surged ahead, accelerating nicely with this heavy train. We hit the bottom of the grade at about 35 mph.
With the throttle wide open the 765's exhaust was deafening. It was like listening to a rapid-fire cannon...a BIG cannon!
And she kept accelerating! As the speed increased I "hooked her up" a notch at a time, moving the reverse back towards center as we went faster and faster.
Mile after mile the 765 put all her 4,500 horsepower to the rail, climbing that hill with a vengeance. And still she kept accelerating!
The little town of Hurricane, WV lies at the top of the grade. We tore through Hurricane at 58 miles per hour!
The 765 had climbed that hill with a 32-car train behind her, accelerating all the way up the grade. It was a great example of Lima Super Power in action.
The 765 really comes into her own above 45 mph. Her horsepower peaks right around 45, so when we reached that speed on the hill I knew she would keep accelerating. At 60 mph the sound is unlike any other machine I have ever heard. The exhaust is really fast, but with the cutoff set right, individual beats are still heard. That rapid-fire cannon has now become a super-fast machine gun, with a rate of fire that has to be heard to be believed.
That night was quite a trip, and because all this took place after dark, I have never seen any video or heard any audio of this run.
Bryan,
That's a wonderful story. Thanks for sharing.
Sure is a great story, Bryan. That guy ought to write a book...
I was wrong about one thing, however, There IS an audio recording of this assault on Scary Hill. It’s on the Symphony of Steam CD available from the FWRHS. As I recall, the cut is about 10 minutes long, recorded from a spot on the hill where no other sounds ruin the sound of the steam locomotive. You hear us approaching for several minutes, we go by the mics, then you can hear us for several more miles as we continue up the hill westbound.
Rich Melvin posted:Sure is a great story, Bryan. That guy ought to write a book...
It was an awesome story! I would hope that good looking, smart and talented guy would write a book and include this story in it.
Rich, with all the video and film equipment we have we could make the story into a movie. YEA, Yea, That's the ticket. We could put on a show. Maybe make it into a MUSICAL! I could just see you leading a big band down the railroad tracks to save the girl. 
Dancing girls all around you....Thousands of extras....
Then again maybe not. Don
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ROTFLMAO! TOO FUNNY! 😁
Rich Melvin posted:Tinplate Art posted:Rich: Will you still keep your ticket current for your own personal flying?
I have not done any "personal flying" since the mid-90s. That was back when I figured out how to make a small fortune owning an aircraft. Start with a big one.
All the flying I did over the last 15-20 years was as a paid pilot to transport people in their aircraft. I was just an airborne bus driver...
My 2nd class medical expired and became a 3rd class medical a few months ago. When it completely expires next year I don't intend to renew it. No need.
Ah, but someday you may have to use those skills, when the flight crew gets sickened by food poisoning and they come around looking for someone to fly the plane,you can take over from Otto the automatic pilot
Otto?!
