Recalling a memorable fantrip - Oct 1968 with NKP 759

[TCurtin]

Who besides me remembers being on the October 1968 fantrip that operated New York-Niagara Falls and return (one day up, one day back) behind NKP 759? Although the trip had some memorable flaws** too, it's still at the top of my list as the most spectacular such trip I ever experienced.

For example:
- lots of fast mainline running
- original NYC Albany station still in use
- ultra-classy consist including a twin unit diner and an NYC full tavern lounge car
- nearly peak foliage
- good weather (except for thick morning fog typical of October)

I was looking over some of my old photos lately, which reminded me of that trip, and of my losing a lot of my photos of it (due to a wrong setting --- my fault --- on my camera).

Wish I could relive it

_________________________
** Princiaplly, awful timekeeping which resulted in cancelled runbys and a lot of unaplanned running after dark. This was due to need for excessive water stops since the power was supposed to have an auxiliary water tender that didn't make it into service in time for the trip. I can tell you, it took a LONG time for the VFD in a place like Little Falls, NY to pump 22,000 gallons into that tender!!

[Noel Weaver]

I didn't ride this trip but I sure do remember that Saturday. I was regular fireman on New Haven - Boston trains 26 and 187 on Saturdays and I was living in Queens at the time. I left early in the morning and followed this trip all the way to Albany getting lots of movies or pictures. After a long wait at West Albany and no train, time finally caught up with me and I left to drive to New Haven to work train 26. The train lost a fair amount of time between Hudson and Albany due to signal problems and I probably should have scratched anything further after that. Yes, I made it to New Haven for 26 that afternoon too. There's more to this one at a later date.
Noel Weaver

[TCurtin]

Yes, I clearly remember the delay that wrecked your photo chasing. After one of the lengthy added water stops I wrote about in my above post --- this one at Rhinecliff --- I think we never got up to track speed all the way to Albany. The reason for the slow running was not made clear to the passengers; in fact I believe it wasn't explained to us at all. So, naturally rumors started running through the train, such as a derailment ahead (not true) or the PC New York-Buffalo train ahead of us broke down (not true either).

Speaking of photo chasers, i imagine it must have been a real treat for those on the NY Thruway between, say, Amsterdam and almost Little Falls. I recall a lot of nice running along the Mohawk.