NKP 765 Steams Into Cleveland

Nickel Plate Road 765 crosses the Vermilion River on the Chicago Line of Norfolk Southern.

This year’s ferry move of Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 went via Cleveland instead of through Akron as it has in previous years.

On Tuesday morning social media exploded with the news that NKP 765 would have its ferry move that day. The Berkshire-type locomotive operated as 765 and not as 767, the number it reportedly will wear during its time on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad.

I figured on getting a couple shots between Bellevue and Cleveland, going for quality not quantity.

I went to Vermilion where I met up with Todd Vander Sluis and Alex Bruchec. As we were talking ,NS train 20E went by but none of us lifted a camera to take a photo.

It only had the Wabash heritage unit leading so not a big deal right? Ugghh! Well, we didn’t make the same mistake when the ferry move came through an hour later.

I then headed to Brook Park across from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport as the light was still good there.

I got it passing the new signals in Brook Park and again from the Interstate 480 overpass as it entered Rockport yard.

NKP 765 was to spend the night at Rockport and the crew call time is 6 a.m. on Wednesday to finish the move to the CVSR.

Norfolk Southern will take it to Campell Road Yard and deliver it to CSX at West Third Street for final delivery to the CVSR.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon 

Tags: CSX, Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Nickel Plate 765, Nickel Plate 767, Nickel Plate Road 765, Nickel Plate Road 767, Nickel Plate Road No. 765, NKP 765, NKP 765 ferry move, NKP 765 on CVSR, NKP 767, Norfolk Southern