What's on the Wire

NKP 765 is now cabless...

For the first time in more than forty years, the 765, a 404-ton locomotive, is to be lifted high into the air to fascilitate the removal of her driving wheels. This has to be a fantastic sight. Keep ckecking TRKneller for updates and photos as well!

WORK ON NKP 765 IS UNDERWAY!

FWRHS launches UPDATED website! What's TrainTown?

What is TrainTown?

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society says:

Will the NKP Coal tower in Frankfort, Indiana, fall THIS year?!

I have several interesting NS[NKP] things to bring up---

First, I was watching a train at the NS yard here
at Frankfort, Indiana, the other night when a railroad
employee came over to me and asked that I try to get
some good shots of the old Nickel Plate coaldock here
for him (it still says "Nickel Plate Road" on it).  
He says "they are going to tear it down soon and
I want to be sure to get some shots of it...so
please do that for me if you would."  
I asked him how soon and he said he heard it would
be "this year."  
I then talked to another very reliable source who 
knew nothing about it yet.  Maybe that is because
an outside company has all the information and
such. I know how rumors get started and all that
jazz but this guy is not known for that sort of
stuff...Anyway, thought some of you would like
to know that it's POSSIBLY an endangered item,
or more so than normal. If I get more information,
I will let you know.  

While I am at it, the roundhouse/shop area saw a huge
window fall out of the upper level a while back and 
this caused them to close off the little drive that
goes from the east end of the yard along the
turntable, and back towards the roundhouse as you head
west to the coaldock.  I am also concerned that the
roundhouse may get torn down soon also.

This other source I talked to has some more
interesting things too. He said that the 
Cloverleaf (Kokomo to Frankfort) is NOT FOR SALE.
As a matter of fact, he says that they are to upgrade
this line later this fall. NS is to put in 500 new
ties per mile that are brand new, not counting the
used ones.  He said the stockholders had pushed for
this also.  Currently, they have autoracks stored east
of Frankfort along there. The rail is just terrible.
He says it could be just a way to prove it is costing
too much or it may be for actual train traffic.
One idea is that the Marion Branch is getting so
crowded that they may want the L89 off of the Marion
to Alexandria segment.  This would give more time to
other trains to run between Muncie & Frankfort as well
as the Marion Branch. There continues to be the
possibility of a NW corner wye at Alexandria for
traffic to move from Elkhart to Decatur via this way
if need be. 
The L89 used to run from Frankfort to Kokomo over the
Cloverleaf.  Other towns
along there are Michigantown, Forest, Russiaville &
West Middleton (big bridge).  The interchange traffic
off of the Central (CERA) at Kokomo all came this way.

Randy--Frankfort

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The Indiana Transportation Museum

Work has begun on NKP 765, www.765.org,

Chesapeake & Ohio 2716 recently left

Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society

Volunteers are welcome and needed at the

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society

A recent inquirey to the Indiana Transportation Museum

about 2000 dates to see the NKP 587 in action led to the following response:

Thanks for your interest in the Indiana Transportation Musuem, and
the NKP 587.  We have some challenges this year with the steam engine, most
notably, a change in the FRA rules covering steam locomotive inspections.
We are currently facing a potential out-of-service date of August 1st.


        Last year, when we were setting up the 2000 schedule, we made plans
for 3 off-line excursions featuring the 587.  To date, none of the three
in-state railroads we have used in the past have approved our requests.


        Our Steam Team is working very hard to prepare the 587 for use until
its out-of-service date (at which time it undergoes an extensive rebuild).
Potential dates are May 6-7 for an online trip, May 13th for our 40th
Anniversary celebration, and July 29-30 for the Civil War train.


        Keep checking the Event Schedule on our website (www.itm.org).  I
will keep your email addy and update you as I have information.



                                                        Phil Slates

                                                        ITM Communications

INDIANA TRANSPORTATION MUSEUM

317-773-6000 Information Hotline

Website: www.itm.org

Home of the Nickel Plate 587