This weekend would have seen the annual fall excursions from Huntington to Hinton, West Virginia, through the New River Gorge. But this year’s excursions were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Between 1966 and 2018 the trips were sponsored by the Huntington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.
Following the 2018 trips, that group opted out due to rising costs. A new operator was found and the trips resumed.
Many New River Train trips were pulled by steam locomotives. In 1977 and 1978 Reading 2101 and the Chessie Steam Special were the stars.
Chesapeake & Ohio 614 pulled trips in 1980 and1981. Nickel Plate Road 765 was a regular from 1983 to 1988, and again in 1992 and 1993.
However, in 1993 the 765 was dressed as C&O 2765.
In 1994, NKP 765 was down for its 15-year rebuild so Milwaukee Road 261 was available.
That year turned out to be the last year for steam due to CSX’s reluctance to host it.
In this post are some highlights from 1987 and 1994.
The 1987 images of NKP 765 pulling the train were made at Hurricane, East Bank, Montogomery, Cotton Hill and Thurmond.
The 1994 images of MKE 261 were made at Scott Depot, Montgomery and Prince.
Article and Photographs by Edward Ribinskas
Tags: 261, Edward Ribinskas photograhs, Milwaukee Road 261, New River Train, Nickel Plate 765, Nickel Plate Road 765, Nickel Plate Road No. 765, NKP 765, NKP 765 excursions, steam locomotives
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October 24, 2020 at 10:59 am |
#765 was also on the 1991 New River Trains.