NKP 765 - May 25, 2013

Hi, NS ran 3 public steam powered excursion trips powered by former NKP 2-8-4 #765 over the Memorial Day weekend.  The trips ran from Lewistown, PA around Horseshoe Curve to Gallitzin, PA and return.  The train deadheaded from and to Enola yard so it could be turned on the wye at the west end of the Rockville Bridge.

At 6:00 AM on Saturday, May 25 friends Bill Kalkman, Jim Kleeman, and Tom Bunjon, and I left Jim's house and began a 2 day chase to photograph the train.  This would be my first opportunity to photograph this engine.

Our first location was at Fostoria, PA, a few miles north of Altoona, where the special arrived a few minutes after 10:00 AM after the passage of 2 freights; one eastbound and one westbound.

We easily beat the train to the Brickyard on the south side of Altoona.

We used the road past Horseshoe Curve to get to Gallitzin and reached the track outside of the Portage Tunnel just ahead of the train.  It stopped here so that the jumper cables between the water tender and the lead diesel could be disconnected.  This allowed the diesels to control the train using their dynamic brakes as it descended the grade back to Altoona.

The Dover Harbor, owned by the Washington D.C. Chapter, NRHS, brought up the markers.

The 17th Street overpass in Altoona provided our next vantage point.

The train passed the now closed Alto tower as it crossed over to reach the station platform for a 2 hour lunch stop.  We used this opportunity for a fuel and food stop.

Jim Kleeman's research before our trip indicated there would be a good sun angle at Mapleton.

We were able to get ahead of the train again for a shot as it returned to Lewistown.

While the passengers detrained at Lewistown we made our way to Mifflintown.  A tie train waited on a siding.

Our final location, again as a result of Jim's research, was just outside of Newport.

We spent the night at a Day's Inn on the north side of Harrisburg.  I hope you enjoyed these photos.  I will post the May 26 results soon.