The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) is pleased to announce that an anonymous donor has stepped forward to offer a matching grant for Project 358, the Society’s restoration of a vintage diesel locomotive from the Nickel Plate Road.

Donations up to $5,358 will be matched dollar for dollar through December 31st.

VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOBHk8CR874

Project 358 will see the 1950s-era locomotive restored to its as-built condition appearance and become a roving educational resource in excursion and exhibition service with Nickel Plate steam locomotive no.765.

This matching donation comes after the FWRHS was awarded a $3,000 grant from the Nickel Plate Historical and Technical Society (NKPHTS) in October. If fully matched, the donations would amount to $13,000, putting completion of the project within reach of its remaining $18,000 budget. Various electric work, painting and fabrication work is needed before the engine is restored.

Donations can be made online at http://www.fwhrs.org/donate or via mail at Project 358, PO Box 11017, Fort Wayne, Indiana, 46855.

Constructed by the ElectroMotive Division of General Motors, the SD9-type diesel locomotive was one of the most modern locomotives of its time and helped replace outdated steam locomotive technology in the late 1950s. It was last operated by Norfolk Southern in the late 2000s and was donated to the FWRHS in 2010.

Project 358 has also been supported by grants and donations from Steel Dynamics, Inc., the Nickel Plate Historical & Technical Society, Inc., Norfolk Southern, and Progress Rail, Inc.

For more on the project: https://fortwaynerailroad.org/project-358/

NKP 358 and NKP 765 were both in service on the railroad for the better part of a year. The 358 was delivered new in 1957. The S-2 Berkshire ran until June of 1958. The SD9's ran from Bellevue southeast into the former W&LE coal fields. The 765 ran from Bellevue west to Fort Wayne and Chicago. So they would have both been in Bellevue at the same time, many times, in that one year-or so period!