A lot to report from Fort Wayne last weekend.

Our annual open house surpassed all expectations and experienced well over 3,000 visitors.

We also graduated our traditional Saturday night picnic for members into a Member Appreciation Day where folks could take cab rides, join a night photo session and dinner and more. We wanted to really hit home the "perks" of becoming a member and over 252 people attended. Previous attendance at our picnic was usually just under 100 members.

http://fortwaynerailroad.org/2016/08/re ... pen-house/

We kicked off the Open House with a press conference Friday revealing the ceremonial/temporary renumbering of the 765-to-767. The background on 767 is here:

http://fortwaynerailroad.org/2016/08/th ... f-the-767/

We also revealed the first big look at our plan for downtown Fort Wayne, the creation of a new non-profit organization, advisory board, phasing, budget and more. There is a lot of forward momentum on this effort with great local support and leadership:

http://fortwaynerailroad.org/2016/08/he ... hristened/

Additional plans and renderings are located here: http://headwatersjunction.com/2016/08/r ... d-phasing/

We woke up Tuesday to a major endorsement from the local paper which said that the project was "iconic" and "family friendly" and part of what was missing from proposed riverfront development projects.

http://headwatersjunction.com/2016/08/j ... -friendly/

Video fly-through: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3kYcoFkaIs

And as railroading offers both the highest highs and lowest lows (and sometimes in the same day), the "767" derailed to a broken gauge rod in a curve on track that had been measured that morning and the previous night. Bummer. We'll be back to work early tomorrow to rectify the rest of the situation there, fix fix the track and get the engine and tender re-united.

765-as-767 will be operating next at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad in September: http://cvsr.com/steam-in-the-valley

Great news! Glad this project is moving forward.

One note to the illustrator who did your renderings. It is incorrect. The people are looking at the locomotive and not at their phones. This is fantasyland and not keeping with reality!

A first class project by a first class organization.



An even more realistic depiction would have all the people leaning precariously over that wall taking selfies.