A Nickel-Plated Horseshoe, Part II: Red, Blue, And Nickel Plate All Over

Описание: With the previous year's employee excursions under her belt, Nickel Plate 2-8-4 Berkshire 765 prepared for an even bigger event in May 2013 - a long weekend's worth of public excursions over Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line, running between Lewistown and Gallitzin, PA. To accomodate the teeming masses eager to ride, the consist was expanded to include cars borrowed from Mid-America Railcar, Iowa Pacific, and the Washington DC Chapter of the NRHS. The 17-car train was capped off with four dome cars - two full-length and two standard - and the DC NRHS' heavyweight Pullman, 'Dover Harbor'. To provide braking assistance in the mountains and ease her appetite for coal, the 765 was attended by two diesel-powered ladies-in-waiting in Heritage dress - ES44AC 8102 in the Pennsylvania Railroad's Tuscan Red livery, and sister unit 8098 in Conrail blue.

Rather than cover the locations in chronological order, I compiled the footage from all 3 days into a single virtual trip. We start in the village of Fostoria, where I first caught 765 the previous year on her westbound deadhead move from Harrisburg. Moving west, we catch the train again at Horseshoe Curve, Tunnelhill, and turning on the loop at AR Tower in Gallitzin to prepare for the return east. After another glimpse of the train descending through Horseshoe, we catch it at the Porta Rd. crossing in Altoona (better known to railfans as the 'Brickyard') and again from the 17th street bridge as the train prepares to stop at the Altoona Amtrak station for a 2-and-a-half-hour layover.

With the passengers back on board, we cross onto the former PRR Middle Division and watch the train negotiate a double S curve just east of Tyrone in Plummers Hollow. Continuing east we catch the train storming through Huntingdon, and then jump ahead once more to capture it crossing the Juniata River on the classic stone arch bridge at Mount Union. Finally, we get one last look at the train as it deadheads through Mifflin to lay over at Enola yard on the outskirts of Harrisburg.

Kudos to the men and women of Norfolk Southern, the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society, and all of their volunteers for making it all possible! And may steam's return to the Pittsburgh Line come sooner, rather than later.

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