After pushing a freight train east out of Hagerstown, and then performing for the VP's movie camera, 759 returned to Hagerstown yard where the High Iron deadhead train was assembled for the trip east to Hoboken, NJ.

On Saturday, August 7, 1971, 759 lead the 7 HICO cars and a freshly-painted WM gon-load of coal east to the Reading.

A photo runby was arranged by WM VP George Leilich, who had an assistant meet the train at Conboy, Pa. Ross Rowland was running 759, and after much of the HICO crew assembed into a photo line, RER backed 759 and train out of sight.


759 then ripped though the crossing, backed up and picked up the crew and riders. After handing that big Bolex and tripod to his assistant and then donning starched clean coveralls, George Leilich replaced Ross Rowland in the right-hand seat and ran 759 off the WM for the last time. That ended a sojourn in "Wild Mary" country for 759 that began the previous September.

Greatful and profound thanks are due to the WM and GML, and to RER, for allowing a young guy the equivalent of "all-access backstage pass" at a Stones or Springsteen concert.

Howard P.

Darn you Howard P., now you've gone and done it!!! What a great host the late George Liechlich was to all us fellow foamers.

At that time ( late 60's-early 70's) the WM was still an independent endity and it operated with great pride both of its physical plant,its people AND its heritage from the steam era.

The railroad was maintained to the highest standards ( not a low joint on the property) and every building was kept pristine clean etc. The Hagerstown shop in which we were a guest was so clean you'd thought you were in a hospital setting not a railroad shop.

Mr. Liechlich was an unabashed steam lover and took every opportunity to demonstrate his passion. He was also a darn good locomotive engineer.

He was a good friend and a great railroader. RIP 'ole pal and thanks again from all of us!!

Ross Rowland

I am still hoping Ross will do an autobiography, and your latest posts here, Howard, make me think it's time for you to do a coffee table memoir. I am really enjoying these flashbacks to my childhood when Ross was this larger than life guy in my train-obsessed world, and Howard's softcovers where my flashlight reading after bedtime.

When my son and I pulled up next to #765 at 5am in the morning last month to board a photo frieght and he got his first look at an S-class under steam and then met Kelly... well, it took me right back to a morning in Hoboken 39 years ago or so when #759 and RER Jr changed my perspecitve on machinery forever.

Rob

AMEN, I'd pay a nice amount for such a book!

Agreed. I'd love to read about Ross's exploits over the years. I'd go so far as to buy a copy for home use and another for use elsewhere.

I'd rather see 759 returned to operational status.

Howard, what kind of camera did you use back then?

Dave,

At the time I was shooting mostly B&W hand-held with a 4x5 Speed Graphic "press" camera. The 759 runby shots were on that format, as was the 6218 photo. The shot of GML and 759 was taken on 35mm B&W, using a plain Nikon F, same for the shot of 103 at Deep River. Those style of images ("photo-journalistic") were more easily done with 35mm. I had made a mount for the top of the 4x5 that would take the Nikon 35, so that camera was use to shoot 35mm slides simultaneously with the 4x5 B&W shot.

Last shots I did with the 4x5 camera were of WMSR 734 in 2001, and then a few at our first Flagg Coal 75 event in May 2010. I went digital in late 2006. When 759 returns to steam, I will return to the 4x5 for shooting her first runs. It's carefully stored away (the 4x5, that is).

Howard P.
Focal Plane Shutter, NY

Howard, neat! I have a similar 4x5 Speed Graphic. I had it serviced by Fred Lustig several years ago. It's stored safely away with a case of flashbulbs and other items, awaiting a good, worthwhile rail-related event to use it.

David Wilkins
How do I convert the settings on my Weston Meter, Missouri?

These photos and your write up brought tears to my eyes, as George was my father, mentor, and best friend. We had lots of fun together on the WM and many other railroads in the US and overseas.

Those Bolexes and Berkshires get along mighty well together...

These and the Bolex-related post by Mr. Pincus reminds me that glory is indeed fleeting. The High Iron Company/NKP 759 era lasted only around four or so years. The WM didn't last much longer, being merged into the Chessie System just a few short years after these photos were taken.

A lot has changed in railroading, railway preservation and camera technology since Howard took these photos. Though, I would bet that it does not seem that long ago to him.

Thanks for sharing!

I finally ran into Ross in person, at the Freedom Train reunion in Portland, and told him point blank that on behalf of a bunch of train fans, he really needs to write a book.
He sounded very non-committal but didn't seem to object to the idea.

Jeff,

I LOVE that photo!!! Just looking at it gives me the chills, 45 years later.

We had performed the previously pictured runby, and were threading the now-gone WM street trackage in Chambersburg (home of the...Hennsessy Lubricator!!).

It was a Saturday morning and I vividly recall people coming out on their porches and backyards in pajamas, wide-eyed and incredulous at the whistling steam monster!! I was riding in the open obs car Rocky Mountain, on the side you show in the pic, but the rear (unpictured) section. Amazing. What a weekend (759 had pushed a WM freight to Lurgan the previous day- Friday) and what a day that run was. And the next day, Sunday afternoon, I found out my draft lottery number, after we arrived in the E-L's Hoboken Freight Yard.

Thanks for posting this. Brings back such great memories. The start of an interesting journey.....

Howard P.

Certainly great memories. The WM was one fine railroad before it was taken over by what became CSX. The ROW was kept perfectly clean, every out building kept painted, the Hagerstown shop and roundhouse were immaculate and there wasn't a low joint on the main.

George Leilich was a world class railroader and an unabashed steam lover.

As to the book, I am working slowly on it. My main challenge is that the chapter on the negatoids keeps making me laugh so hard that I can't seem to finish that chapter. Perhaps I'll move on and come back to that later.??

Glad to see that at least the 759 has been cosmetically restored to decent shape at S'town.

Ross Rowland