Ft.WRHS Acquires Ex-CP Observation Dome Car

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has acquired a former Canadian Pacific dome-sleeper-observation car that will be assigned to its Indiana Rail Experience excursions.

The car, Riding Mountain Park, is being restored at the society’s shops in New Haven, Indiana.

The overhaul is expected to cost $250,000 as workers address issues with the HVAC systems and spruce up the interior furnishings.

A private donor contributed the money used to purchase the car. The society is seeking donations to be used to pay for the car’s overhaul.

It is the third streamliner era rail car the FtWHS has acquired this year. Earlier, it bought two former Pennsylvania Railroad cars, Collinsville Inn and Franklin Inn, from the Washington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society.

Riding Mountain Park was once a regular on the Toronto-Vancouver Canadian.

It has much of its original interior and artwork and has for the past decade been in storage on the Adrian & Blissfield Rail Road in Michigan.  

Chasing NKP 765 Through 3 States

Leaving Edon, Ohio

Passing the depot in Pleasant Lake, Indiana

Passing the old depot in Montgomery, Indiana

Coming into Hillsdale, Michigan

Little River Railroad No. 110 in Hillsdale.

This past weekend Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 ran a series of trips on the Indiana Northeastern railroad between Edon Ohio, and Hillsdale, Michigan.

Light was challenging because it first runs due west from Edon (shooting into the sun) before tuning north at Steubenville, Indiana. Going north the light was good and turning east again at Hillsdale for a short distance was also good.

A bonus was the Little River railroad was running short trips (very short of 12 minutes each direction) with their No. 1 a 0-4-0, and No. 110, a small Pacific type.

Fun fact: The 110, which was built by Baldwin locomotive works in 1911, is one serial number off from Southern Railway No. 4501 (also a Pacific) meaning they shared the shop floor together during construction.  Lighting was especially challenging here.

Around 3:30 p.m. the 765 returned south and lighting was good until it turned back east again (shooting into the sun).  I managed to get some good pictures all the same and here are a few.

Article and Photographs by Todd Dillon

One Lucky Donor to Ft.WRHS Diesel Restoration Effort to Get a Day-Long NKP 765 Cab Ride

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society will give away a cab ride and train tickets to donors who contribute to the restoration fund of former Nickel Plate Road SD9 No. 358.

The society is seeking to raise $20,000 to complete the mechanical restoration of the locomotive, which society officials expect to be operable by next year.

Two donors of $35 or more will receive tickets to ride the Oct. 1 Indiana Rail Experience excursion between Edon, Ohio, and Hillsdale, Michigan, featuring Nickel Plate Road 2-8-2 No. 765.

A donor of $385 or more will win a day-long cab ride in the 765 during that sold-out Oct. 1 excursion.

All donations made through Aug. 21 will be matched. Donations can be made via mail at Project 358, PO Box 11017, Fort Wayne, IN 46855 or made online at https://fortwaynerailroad.org/project-358/

In an email blast sent out last week, the society said once the fundraising goal has been met the 385 will be sent off for painting and test runs.

The diesel locomotive is expected to be part of the consist of FtWRHS excursions next year as part of the Indiana Rail Experience.

It is being restored to its 1957 appearance with the NKP’s black and imitation gold striping.

Additional NKP 765 Trip Added This Fall

The Indiana Rail Experience has added a third Tri-State Scenic trip to be pulled by Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765.

The Oct. 1 excursion will operate between Edon, Ohio and Hillsdale, Michigan, with a three-hour layover in Hillsdale, Michigan, on Oct. 1.  

The train will travel over tracks of the Indiana Northeastern.

Although tickets are being sold in six classes, as of Friday morning (July 22), only three classes of tickets were still available. Tickets can be purchased at https://fortwaynerailroad.ticketspice.com/the-tri-state-scenic?mc_cid=305fa72bb5&mc_eid=84a4623669

Website Set up for NKP 765 Excursions

A website has been established to sell tickets and provide information about the Indiana Rail Experience excursions set for this year to be pulled by Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765.

The Lima-built Berkshire type locomotive will pull a series of excursions in July, August and September that will run in Indiana, with some trips also operating in Ohio and Michigan.

The first of those excursions will be the Indiana Ice Cream Train on July 8 and 9 departing from Angola, Indiana, for 45-minute train rides. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for children (ages 3-16).

On those same dates the 765 will pull an adults-only Wine, Whiskey and Spirits train from Angola during the evening.

Tickets are $99 per person for wine and whiskey class seating and $90 per person for beer class seating. That includes two complimentary beverages per passenger, hors d’oeuvres and a dessert.

The longest trips will be the Tri-State Scenic Excursions on Aug. 27 and 28 that will operate between Edon, Ohio, and Hillsdale, Michigan.

Tickets are $79 (open widow coach), $99 (open air car), $139 (deluxe coach), $149 (diner lounge seating), and $249 (first class).

Also available are suites ranging from $499 to $529. An entire car can be chartered for $4,500 and has been dubbed executive class. The car is a restored open platform car.

The American History Train will operate from Angola Sept. 23-25. All tickets for those trips will cost $29 per person.

The site can be reached at https://www.indianarailexperience.org/the-tri-state-scenic/

Details Released on NKP 765 Excursions

Details about the planned trips in the Indiana Rail Experience featuring Nickel Plate Road 2-8-4 No. 765 were published this week online.

The longest trip planned will be an all-day 100-mile excursion named the Tri-State Scenic. It will run on Aug. 27 and 28 and run from Edon, Ohio, to Hillsdale, Michigan, and return.

There will be a two-hour layover in Hillsdale for passengers to visit a local farmers market, take walking tours and have lunch on their own.

Tickets are not yet on sale but are expected to start at $79 per person. Ticket classes to be offered include deluxe coach, open air, first class and executive class.

The train is expected to allow open vestibule viewing. It will be hosted by the Indiana Northeastern Railroad.

Other excursions set for the summer include the Indiana Ice Cream Train July 8-9. It will operate hour-long excursions from downtown Angola, Indiana, four times each day. Tickets will start at $15.

The Indiana Wine & Spirit Train will run on July 8-9 and Sept. 23. It will be a 2.5-hour evening excursion aboard a first-class passenger train with the wine, whiskey, beer, cigars, hors d’oeuvres, and dessert.

Passengers must be at least 21 years of age to ride. Passengers also may charter an entire private car. Tickets start at $90. The trip announcement did not say where the train will operate.

The Angola American History Train will operate Sept. 24-25 from Angola for a visit to a recreated World War II trop camp with re-enactors.

The excursion is being held in conjunction with Angola American History Days. Tickets start at $29.

A photo freight will operate on an unspecified date with tickets available by invitation only. Prospective passengers may join a wait list for the trip that is being maintained on the website of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society.

The train will operate between South Milford, Indiana, and Edon, Ohio, and to Hillsdale, Michigan.

It will feature freight and passenger cars as well as EMD diesel locomotives. There will be a night photo session, period actors, and vintage vehicles.

FtRHS said on its website that events are being hosted in cooperation with the Little River Railroad, Norfolk & Western Business Car No. 300 Preservation Society, City of Angola, and City of Hillsdale, Michigan.

The Indiana Rail Experience is a partnership between the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, Inc. and Indiana Northeastern.

For more information visit https://fortwaynerailroad.org/2022/05/indiana-rail-experience-events/?mc_cid=ccf4cc2438&mc_eid=2e616b48c4