" too large for regular use" ? I would submit that when a locomotive is not operated near it's capacities . . . . economies are realized.
The NKP 755 on display in Conneaut is a zero mileage engine. When we replaced the jacket in 1982 - we found absolutely NO rust anywhere on the boiler. In the firebox were bleach white arch brick - never had seen a fire. Also, in the combustion chamber were welding rod nubs from seal welding the flues and an issue of the local newspaper from May, 1958.

Strasburg seems to get a lot of mileage between major shoppings by lightly loading their locomotives. D&S can fill every seat any of their K hogs can lug up the mountain. It's a matter of business strategy.

dave

I don't think the excursion engines get the hard use done on daily job runs, except for the total heating up and cooling down between runs, (IE the engine is going to sit for an extended period without use) I don't think there is that much wear and tear. Brain check musta been the 755 in Ohio. I believe the NKP held onto steam laid up at various yards for a while -just in case- but eventually.. there ya go, the scrap yard. Why they might have gone ahead and overhauled some of the engines.

At the end, in 1957-58, NKP was anticipating some use of steam power into 1962, and planned to hold about 45 engines as stored servicable. A combination of the 1958 recession, a steel strike, and the availability of some leased diesels (GP9s from C&O, I think, also surplused by the recession) ended operation of road power (2-8-4s) in July 1958. A brief use of 0-8-0 steam switchers occured in summer 1959.

In mid-summer 1958, there were 29 Berkshires stored serviceable, with all having less than 100 miles operation (break-in runs). Four had zero mileage, including 755 and 759. 757, 763 and 765 were also held as "stored serviceable" until August 31, 1960, when all the steam power and facilities were written off the books. Yes, just 50 years ago next week.

779 was out of service at the end, having been retired in 1958 along with the other 9 S-3s, and was due for heavy shopping; the S-1 and mostly S-2 class engines were being repaired while the S-3s were running off their last miles.

779 was historic, certainly that was known even back then, and went to Lima in 1963.

Some of the last Berkshires were not sold for scrap until late 1963!

Howard P.

#755, as far as I know, was the donor engine of it's superheaters to the #765 in, I think, 1982. I don't believe they were replaced with either the old ones from the #765, or new ones. I went up to Conneaut one Sunday to help remove them. I have slides somewhere of the work being done and the removed units lying on the ground. I believe that was when a lot of cosmetic work was done to #755 - in exchange for the superheaters. So, #755 is not as complete as you might think.

We have reassembled the NKP 759 after abatement of the asbestos and have applied a new jacket. Steamtown will move her over to track 9 this weekend and will paint the new jacket next week. Then we will complete the reassembly back in track 2 over the next several weeks. This loco has been partially dismantled since the previously discussed restoration preparations in the mid-1980's. When we recently replaced the throttle linkage - we were amazed that the throttle is free and all the valves lift properly. Wes and the others did a perfect job drying her out and laying her up in the mid-70's. Wow! What a very nice loco!

Such tantalizing information, Gary. Thank you for sharing with us!

Rob

It's good to hear that Nickel Plate Road 759 has a change at being restored again. Yes, it's a larger locomotive that Steamtown isn't use to running. That's why if it returns to service, it should only a operate few weekends in the year.

Ok, I'll ask: if it isn't going to get much use, why restore it to operation when there are other steamers that will be operable at Steamtown already in the works? I find it hard to justify restoring any "extra" locomotive that won't be used enough to recover its rstoration and operating costs as well as set aside funding for the next round.

dave

With other Berks running, and 759 in great condition and under what is assumed to be stable cover, why not store it for future generations ... say 100+ years in case the others aren't running anymore.

If one were to attempt to store a locomotive for that length of time, with the goal it of running it, would you do anything different than just storing it in the roundhouse? Almost seems to me the art and knowledge is the major challenge.

Bob

(commenting on this partially so it returned to the top of the list and anyone with questions about 759 can read it)

759 may be too big for operations at Steamtown, and they may not have any plans to restore it, but at least it's kept indoors.

I hope Ross can chime in, but wasn't 759 considered along with 763 at Roanoke to pull the Freedom Train in the 70s originally? I've read several times that Ross at one point had a concept of running the same class of engines for the entire run of the train for quite understanable reasons...

Yes, we were seriously along towards getting the 763 and the 755 to be used as the main power for the AFT. Doyle Mccormack and others convinced the AFT BOD to go with the Daylight instead over my objections. That proved to be a bad decision as they learned that the Daylight was too tall for lots of the lines east of the Mississippi.

By the time it was discovered that the Daylight wouldn't work everywhere there was only barely enough time to get T-1 2101 ( AFT 1) out of the Baltimore junkyard and back into service. That's when Bill Benson and his crew took her from a junkyard dog to a working mainline engine in 30 days and 30 nights!! A feat I'd say that had never before, nor never since been duplicated....not even close.

Interesting times!! Ross Rowland

2101 was a big surprise to me, 30 days is a massive job for then, but recall the original railroads could overhaul an engine in 2 weeks, but some years of sitting I'm sure the job was bigger.

I hope they can just restore it to operable just to keep it in shape (759), who says they can't make it run over the mainlines? But perhaps 765 is stealing some attention...heh
but I do hope to see 763 running.

For the T-1'a its probably the most of one lines engines seen post 1960 excursion runs.
(2100, 2101, 2102, 2124)

I believe Canadian Pacific is the most represented railroad in terms of operational standard gauge steam post-1960. Certainly the G5 class is the most represented of any single class with no less than 6 running in the excursion era.

If we invkude narrow gauge, then the Rio Grande is the winner by far.

Rob