Nickel Plate 765 Buffalo-Corning Aug. 1-2, 2015

Is there any chance that passengers would be allowed to ride any of the ferry moves, such as Fort Wayne to Youngstown or Youngstown to Buffalo?

ScotCP356 wrote:... And yes most likely, one or two of the NS heritage fleet will probably behind the NKP 765 which in this case for up here, it could be the NS 8100 (NKP) , 8104 (LV), 1068 (ERIE) or 1074 (DLW)... BUT we shall wait and see what will NS do when the train rolls into Buffalo, I believe the train will arrive on the week of July 26th when they are coming from Ashtabula, Ohio and station at Buffalo for a few days. So with that, let the countdown continue to August 1st!


-Scott

The N&W 611 pulled its excursions without any diesel DIT. The NS freight traffic between Buffalo and Corning is only around 12 daily trains (similar to NS B-line between Manassas and Front Royal) so the impact of any breakdown wouldn't be as severe as when NS ran 765 employee excursions on their mainlines a couple of years ago. It would be great to see 765 go solo.

Perhaps 765 had a couple of helpers 2 years ago because of the grades at/near Altoona? Would additional power be needed for the grade at Attica Hill?

Matt Langworthy wrote:Perhaps 765 had a couple of helpers 2 years ago because of the grades at/near Altoona? Would additional power be needed for the grade at Attica Hill?

In 1985 the 765 went up Attica Hill at 30mph.
Here is a good video of Rich Melvin describing the first run of 765 up the Hill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN_NYiN6NPU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyone have a best guess what time the buffalo to corning trip would go thru Hornell?
thanks

So I posted a query on the Trainorders forum asking if 765 should be pulling excursions unassisted by diesel and a respondent who identified himself as being a member of the owner of 765, Ft Wayne RR Historic Society, said there are no plans for diesel accompaniment on 765 excursions on NS this year! Good news!

So I was just reading through the description of the trip on the website, and this made me chuckle...

The highlight of the trip is crossing the Letchworth Gorge on the high Portage Bridge. We will slow to 10 mph to go over that bridge to provide the passengers with a great view.

(My emphasis)
Just remember they're slowing just for the passengers benefit!

Also I wasn't thinking about the fact that there will be two runs of the train, so why bother killing myself trying to get all the way from Darien to Letchworth in an impossible amount of time? I could catch it in Darien on Saturday and Letchworth on Sunday, or even catch the eastbound run and westbound run in two different locations on the same day... I work that Saturday afternoon but nothing says I couldn't catch it in Darien Saturday morning, Letchworth Sunday morning, (I've already estimated the arrival time of the train at both those locations given the starting time/location and estimated track speed, and if I'm early so be it, better than being late) and then if I feel amitious I could try to catch it in Attica or something on the way back west on Sunday afternoon... (I'm not going to attempt to pace it, although Buffalo Rd wouldn't be a bad idea for that) It's just too good an opportunity to pass up at least attempting to get some photos or video of! I especially feel like the last chance to catch steam over the Portage Bridge is the biggest draw of all, though I'm sure I'm not the only one with that thought.

Today, Nickel Plate Road 765 will be making a ferry run today from Youngstown OH to Buffalo NY. Per what I saw on Twitter it sounds like it will leave some point this morning. The train will probably need a NS engine to lead the train over CP DRAW once they get into the Buffalo region. CSX owns CP DRAW and has a policy where they don't allow steam on their tracks, thus the reason NS will probably need a diesel to lead. Train should arrive this afternoon.


- Scott

Care to share the estimated arrival times at Letchworth? I was planning to be on the east side of the gorge to hike and would love to watch it go over the bridge!

Anyone have an idea where the excursion train will be parked in Corning from 12 pm - 2 pm? TIA.

siliconwafer wrote:Care to share the estimated arrival times at Letchworth? I was planning to be on the east side of the gorge to hike and would love to watch it go over the bridge!

Just about 57 linear miles based on the track charts, at an average speed of 40mph, with a departure time of 8am. Makes you wish you paid attention to those "Train A leaves... Train B leaves... where do they meet?" questions in math, now, doesn't it?

57miles/40mph=1.425hours (60*.425=25.5minutes) so 1:25+8:00=9:25am, give or take (probably closer to 9:30 but if I were you, and if I plan on being able to get out there one of the mornings, which isn't looking likely anymore as I'll be moving that weekend, I'd get to the park around 9am at the latest to scope out a picture taking location, etc...)

Using the opposite, we can speculate that the afternoon westward times would be about 4:30.

Granted this is all subject to track conditions and how long it takes her to get to speed coming out of Bison, how early she decelerates for Portage, etc...

Can someone post a simple route that the 765 will be taking? I'm not terribly familiar with the lines around western NY. And will it turnaround at the Gang Mills yard? Seems like in 1985 it ran into the city of Corning (not sure that track is suitable anymore). And is lunch being served on the train in the 12-2 stopover?

Thanks!

I would like to know if people will be aloud in to GangMills yard.

I highly doubt NS will allow anyone not on the train into Gang Mills Yard, based on past exprerience.

Just guess- the train will probably turn on the wye at North Corning or Painted Post.

scopelliti wrote:Can someone post a simple route that the 765 will be taking? I'm not terribly familiar with the lines around western NY. And will it turnaround at the Gang Mills yard? Seems like in 1985 it ran into the city of Corning (not sure that track is suitable anymore). And is lunch being served on the train in the 12-2 stopover?

Thanks!

Buffalo, Alden, Darien Center, Attica, Dale, Rock Glen, Silver Springs, Castile, Portageville Bridge/Letchworth Park, Dalton, Swain, Canaseraga, Arkport, Hornell, North! side of Canisteo, Adrian, Cameron, Addison, Gang Mills. aka, the former Erie Main and Buffalo Main