Hi,

There's a post on Trainorders about a volunteer effort to "correct" the front-end jewelry on NKP #763 in Roanoke. Can anyone here elaborate?

Rob

trains@robertjohndavis.com

> Hi,

> There's a post on Trainorders about a
> volunteer effort to "correct" the
> front-end jewelry on NKP #763 in Roanoke.
> Can anyone here elaborate?

> Rob
Rob and others,

I believe that the 763 arrived at VTM after the merger with N&W. As with other NKP 2-8-4s that had spent a number of years in storage lines, the headlight, headlight bracket, and numberplate were missing. I believe that 763 currently has either an N&W headlight, or the wrong type of NKP headlight, bracket and numberplate. Anybody know more?

david.wilkins@bardstown.com

The 763 and other extant NKP Berkshires have been a pet project of our member, Wayne York, a director of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. He has manufactured and installed the correct front number plates and proper angled numberboard glass to most all of the remaning 700's. The parts were manufactured to original spec's in accordance with NKP drawings from our collection.

Wayne also spearheaded the reproduction on microfilm of our extensive collection of NKP S-2 engineering drawings. There are around 1500 different drawings in our collection.

The FWRHS has donated copies of the microfilms to each of the organizations which act as caretakers of the Nickel Plate's finest.

Glenn Brendel
FWRHS

nkpshop@aol.com

>He has manufactured and
> installed the correct front number plates
> and proper angled numberboard glass to most
> all of the remaning 700's. The parts were
> manufactured to original spec's in
> accordance with NKP drawings from our
> collection.

Glenn-

Are said parts available for purchase? Thank you.

Joshua

763 could use a paint job a lot more than number boards. When I saw her in 2002 she was looking pretty ragged. Of course that is VMT's job to attend to, and hopefully a front end spruce up will get them in motion tod o more to that loco.

Friends of the East Broad Top
ebtrr@spikesys.com

> Rob and others,

> I believe that the 763 arrived at VTM after
> the merger with N&W. As with other NKP
> 2-8-4s that had spent a number of years in
> storage lines, the headlight, headlight
> bracket, and numberplate were missing. I
> believe that 763 currently has either an
> N&W headlight, or the wrong type of NKP
> headlight, bracket and numberplate. Anybody
> know more?

According to Holland's "Berkshires of the Nickel Plate Road" (TLC Publishing, 1998), 763 was shipped to Roanoke on July 28, 1966. (This was nearly two years after the N&W takeover). A 1971 Howard Ameling photo shows an incorrect headlight (no visor, and with "flat" sides rather than angled sides). It also shows that the number plate under the headlight has non-NKP-standard numerals that were evidently applied at some point after its NKP service.

John Redden

> Glenn-

> Are said parts available for purchase? Thank
> you.

> Joshua

Joshua: Most of these things are custom made but I have extra NKP cast numerals. I also have a couple extra C&O 2736 oval front plates in addition to the one that is intended for the front of the 2-8-4 at Green Bay - I just haven't gotten there yet to install it. After the FWRHS got involved with the 2716, we located or developed the blueprints for those details. Contact me in care of the FWRHS, www.765.org Wayne York


wyork@bright.net

In the early 1980's, a small group of us from RCT&HS had been working on the READING 0-6-0-T #1251 and diner #1189 from the KING COAL at the RR Mus. of PA. When those projects were well along, we kind of "adopted" the NKP 757, because none of the spf's wanted to touch her, and some of you will recall how bad she looked. All the glass had been busted out of her for years, she had no bell or hanger, no front number plate, the headlight was a rusted shell.

We hand shoveled about 8 tons of coal out of her tender, and did what we could on almost no budget to give her a paint job. We fabricated number boards from plexiglas, and a front number plate from flat aluminum street sign stock, and reflective vinyl. We put a diesel bell on a home-made bracket (undersize, but better than nothing).

We put new sealed beam lamps in her headlight, and acquired a transformer to step-down the house 110, to light the headlight & number boards for special events. The funny thing was, that sealed-beam headlight pointed right into the neighbor's windows, so we couldn't let the lights on for very long!

I did the lettering, and put back as much as we could find under the black paint and rust. We never did get the NYC&StL on the sides of the sandbox, or along the top of the tender.

All this was prior to the formation of the "FRM". I believe they have done more work to her in recent years.

As Paul Harvey says: now you know the rest of the story:
that 20-some years ago NICKEL PLATE 757 was spruced up by the "Reading Guys".

SG

Wayne York very graciously sent us the correct front number board for 757 about three or four years ago which we subsequently placed back on the engine. I believe he also sent us the microfilmed NKP 2-8-4 700-series Berkshire drawings which are now in safekeeping with our Restoration Manager. Two years ago I did a complete inventory of all removed and loose locomotive appurtances from all of the RRMPA's steam locomotives, including 757. The 757's cylinder heads had been loaned to the High Iron Company in the early 70's by then-Director George M. Hart when 759 blew her set while on some trips (I believe) in Hagerstown, Maryland; when I did my inventory I only discovered one cylinder head present on the premises. 757 was acquired by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission in December 1966 through the auspices of PHMC Chairman James P. Stevenson of Titusville, Pa., who had been close friends with the President of the N&W at that time and worked out a deal to acquire the engine. When it arrived at Strasburg it was already shorn of all backhead appliances, builder's plates, whistle, cosmetic jewelery, etc. The engine was hauled from Leaman Place to Strasburg on a snowy December morning behind PRR No. 1223.

> In the early 1980's, a small group of us
> from RCT&HS had been working on the
> READING 0-6-0-T #1251 and diner #1189 from
> the KING COAL at the RR Mus. of PA. When
> those projects were well along, we kind of
> "adopted" the NKP 757, because
> none of the spf's wanted to touch her, and
> some of you will recall how bad she looked.
> All the glass had been busted out of her for
> years, she had no bell or hanger, no front
> number plate, the headlight was a rusted
> shell.

> We hand shoveled about 8 tons of coal out of
> her tender, and did what we could on almost
> no budget to give her a paint job. We
> fabricated number boards from plexiglas, and
> a front number plate from flat aluminum
> street sign stock, and reflective vinyl. We
> put a diesel bell on a home-made bracket
> (undersize, but better than nothing).

> We put new sealed beam lamps in her
> headlight, and acquired a transformer to
> step-down the house 110, to light the
> headlight & number boards for special
> events. The funny thing was, that
> sealed-beam headlight pointed right into the
> neighbor's windows, so we couldn't let the
> lights on for very long!

> I did the lettering, and put back as much as
> we could find under the black paint and
> rust. We never did get the NYC&StL on
> the sides of the sandbox, or along the top
> of the tender.

> All this was prior to the formation of the
> "FRM". I believe they have done
> more work to her in recent years.

> As Paul Harvey says: now you know the rest
> of the story:
> that 20-some years ago NICKEL PLATE 757 was
> spruced up by the "Reading Guys".

> SG

> Wayne York very graciously sent us the
> correct front number board for 757 about
> three or four years ago which we
> subsequently placed back on the engine. I
> believe he also sent us the microfilmed NKP
> 2-8-4 700-series Berkshire drawings which
> are now in safekeeping with our Restoration
> Manager. Two years ago I did a complete
> inventory of all removed and loose
> locomotive appurtances from all of the
> RRMPA's steam locomotives, including 757.
> The 757's cylinder heads had been loaned to
> the High Iron Company in the early 70's by
> then-Director George M. Hart when 759 blew
> her set while on some trips (I believe) in
> Hagerstown, Maryland; when I did my
> inventory I only discovered one cylinder
> head present on the premises. 757 was
> acquired by the Pennsylvania Historical
> & Museum Commission in December 1966
> through the auspices of PHMC Chairman James
> P. Stevenson of Titusville, Pa., who had
> been close friends with the President of the
> N&W at that time and worked out a deal
> to acquire the engine. When it arrived at
> Strasburg it was already shorn of all
> backhead appliances, builder's plates,
> whistle, cosmetic jewelery, etc. The engine
> was hauled from Leaman Place to Strasburg on
> a snowy December morning behind PRR No.
> 1223.

THAT IS ABOUT RIGHT, INCLUDING THE FWRHS MICROFILM. HERE AND IN TRAINORDERS, THERE IS A FAIR AMOUNT OF INTEREST IN THESE ADVISORY MECHANICAL COMMITTEE COSMETIC RESTORATIONS. I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS STUFF OUT OF MY OWN POCKET, AND WOULD APPRECIATE ANY FINANCIAL HELP ON THIS STUFF. THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS I NEED HELP WITH. DUE TO MY OWN MONEY LIMITATIONS, THESE LITTLE PROJECTS DRAG ON FOR YEARS. area one: NKP BERK 757 AT STRASBURG - PATTERN FOR LIMA BUILDERS PLATES - ABOUT $200, PLUS CASTINGS AT $100 EACH IN SMALL QUANTITIES ($50 EACH IF 20 ARE MADE). PROPER BELL AND BRACKET - I HAVE ACCESS TO A NKP S-2 FABRICATED BRACKET BUT NEED A BELL.
NKP 779, 759 AND 755 ARE COMPLETE. THE CORRECT RECTANGULAR PLATE WAS PUT ON THE 779 FOR HER 50TH BIRTHDAY. 763 NEEDS NEW ILLUMINATED GLASS NUMBER BOARDS UP BY THE STACK. ABOUT $25 IN MATERIALS. In the C&O area, I have put new glass number boards up by the stack on the locos at Green Bay and Richmond. I have a new 2736 oval plate ready for Green Bay, just need to get up there. Ovals are planned for the 2-8-4's at Baltimore and Dennison, OH. I took extra 2736 ovals and ground the last digits off. I need a couple hundred dollars to go to the pattern shop to finish those. IF ANY OTHERS OF LIKE MIND CAN COUGH UP $50 OR SO, I CAN PUSH THESE COSMETIC PROJECTS ALONG. NO PROFIT HERE, JUST TRY TO DO SOME GOOD. Wayne York, 15 miles south of Lima, OH.

wyork@bright.net