NKP 765 across Indiana, the best steam show of the year!

[E.M. Bell]

Almost as soon as the FWRRHS & NS announced the the trips between Fort Wayne and Lafayette Indiana a few months ago, Carmon started to bug me about doing something we never do...go NORTH..to shoot steam. While we have had the chance to shoot the 765 several times, this would be the first time that she would get to see her out on the mainline (and without diesels!) running at track speed. I had to ponder on it for a good while (we never go North)...but she finally twisted my arm enough to get me to go..

After a couple of weeks of fairly intensive research (with a lot of help from John Troxler) we finally got a plan together and Friday morning 10/25/13, we loaded up the explorer and pointed it in that dreaded direction to the land of cornfields.  After a bone jarring trip up Interstate 65, we arrived  in Lafayette around Noon,and spent the rest of the day scouting out locations on the Lafayette and Huntington Districts towards Fort Wayne. We caught a bunch of freight trains and saw a LOT of old Wabash searchlight signals (that made me feel a little better)

Saturday morning 10/26/13 dawned with the temps in the upper 20's with an almost constant 40+ mph wind and plenty of clouds. We met up with a friend of mine from Fort Wayne who would be our guide for the day, and headed trackside. This would be one of those days that really make you work for the shots. With almost no good light (except for a couple of sucker holes) we had to get creative to say the least. Towards the end of the day, I was getting in a rather foul mood and was not at all pleased with what we had shot.  We had been talking about how nice it would be to maybe get a nice sunset shot somewhere, but that seemed unlikely....and then not 10 minutes later we watched one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen, and to make it even better got the train at the same time! My mood changed almost instantly as the 765 roared past us with the setting sun chasing it....that one location saved the day!

Sunday 10/27/13 dawned cold but clear, and the wind was almost non-existent. Our first shot of the day was one of the best, with 765 putting on a glorious show with a contrail of steam that seemed to hang in the sky perfectly over the train. We took full advantage of the sun and got several great locations before the train arrived in Lafayette. As usual I did my best to choose locations (or angles) that no one else seemed to be shooting, and I think we came away with some great material.  After it was all over and done with, I don't guess going North was such a bad decision after all!

Below are a few favorites from this rare trip in the wrong direction...be sure to check out the whole set over on Pbase (in much larger size and detail than what you see here)   >>>>> http://www.pbase.com/kd4jsl/nkp7652013

Saturday 10/26/13

The wind is blowing the smoke and steam sideways as 765 charges through Roanoke, Indiana, passing a set of well maintained Wabash Searchlight signals.


Old Glory snaps in the brisk wind as 765 rolls through Rich Valley, Indiana, nearing the crew change point at Peru.


765 pounds up the short but steep grade out of the Deer Creek valley at Delphi, Indiana during One of the few brief moments of sun we would have this day.


Our little group decided to hang out at the Amtrak station in Lafayette during Saturdays layover..Chris, Carmon, Chad, Tyler and a random Asian dude posed for a group picture.


Eastbound headed back for Fort Wayne, 765 rolls by another sharp set of searchlights at CP Colburn at Buck Creek, Indiana.


What little light we had was fading fast the the train changed crews again in Peru, and then made the final sprint for home. The sounds was awesome as the big Berk worked hard out of the valley at Rich Valley.


The shot that made the day...heck..made the whole trip worthwhile. 765 sprints by the signals at Mardenis Indiana, chased by a glorious sunset. After the train was by us, we just stood there trying to soak in what we had just been witness to...The most magnificent machine ever built by man surrounded by natures glory. (Be sure to check out the whole series from this location on Pbase!)


Sunday 10/27/13

The sun had just broke over the horizon as the Westbound train rolled through the valley near Roanoke, Indiana. There is just something about steam, a cold morning and that sweet low light of a new day that work well together.


A pair of classy looking NYC cars bring up the rear of the train at Roanoke.


The flags at a Veterans memorial are flapping in the breeze as 765 makes good time at New Waverly, Indiana.


Freshly harvested corn fields and a massive grain processing plant dominate the otherwise flat landscape as the train eases along just West of Clymers. Check out that massive pile of corn on the ground in front of the engine!

[florida581]

Fantabulous shots!

[Ponce de Leon]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!! You guys certainly brought home the bacon. Nice work, EM.

[butch]

Great stuff!!!

[NSMoWandS]

Excellent pics EM! You keep delivering beyond great photos! DE Dan

[chipallen16]

These are some of the best shots I've seen in a long time! GREAT job!

-Chip

[E.M. Bell]

Thanks for the comments guys, I really do appreciate it!

I give some of my friends that live up that way a LOT of grief about living in such a barren landscape, but its all in good fun. There is a lot of great scenery up North, you just have to go find it.  The running joke all weekend was "Hey...look..Holy cow its a CURVE....lordy be look at that, a HILL"   ;D

[thpbears]

Nice clear pics.

[E.M. Bell]

Oscale, we hung out there at the footbridge for a hour or so that Saturday while the train was laying over, but only shot 1 train. To be honest, I was ready to get back out in the country and out of that crazy traffic!

The new 24 WAS open...it had opened about 5 days before the trips, and while it made getting back ahead pretty easy in places, it was also a problem...that is the most limited access road I have seen.  You could see a lot of good locations from it, but there was just NO way to get to them without backtracking..the scouting we did on Friday really paid off by letting me plan ahead.