Chasing Trains: the 759 and the GSCL, May 1969
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- In May 1969 The High Iron Company, under the leadership of Ross Rowland, Jr. and with the full cooperation of the AAR, ran a special train called the Golden Spike Centennial Limited. It left New York City on May 3 on a sixteen day odyssey to Ogden, Utah and back to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike at Promontory, Utah. I had the opportunity to chase the GSCL from Northeast, PA to Cleveland, OH on Sunday May 4, and from Lima to Akron, OH where I boarded it to ride on to Pittsburgh on Friday May 16. Most people familiar with the GSCL visualize a blue train barreling along behind NKP Berkshire #759, but during those sixteen days the GSCL was headed by an ex-Cleveland Union Terminal electric locomotive, the brand spanking new DD40X #6900 with a couple of SDs just in case, the #8444 (better known today as the #844), an A-B-B lashup of E9s, and GG1 #4902 painted to match the train. Oddly enough, pictures of the GSCL behind these other units just dont seem to exist. For several months after the event I ran ads in Trains and Railroad Magazines offering to trade slides of the GSCL I had taken in Ohio (or money) for slides taken in other parts of the country with other motive power. For all my efforts I ended up with one slide featuring the 8444 and one with the SDs. For those interested in knowing more about the GSCL I recommend the recently posted web site Theme Trains www.themetrains...
Real cool filming thanks for posting it Sir.
I volunteer at Steamtown on Project DL&W 565 , NKP 759 sit in the stall next to us. For Lackawanna Fest this year 2009 I had stall doors open for both 759 and 565 so their tender / number would be seen. Theu slowly became the star of the show at the Roundhouse complex.
Len.
What happened to the 565 project
Wonderful Berkshires!
It would be nice if Steamtown decided to paint the 759 in her Golden Spike scheme for the 150th celebration next year, as well as the auxiliary water tender they also have.
Great job! I'm not sure if you'll see this, but I'm the person you met back in October 2021 at the Ernest Warther Museum & Gardens, right before you visited the Age of Steam Roundhouse that day.
Please post more footage of this beast! I love 759. Thanks for sharing!
I have a 300' reel of UP 8444 (844) pulling the Blue Train here in Utah!! Good stuff.
Oh 1969 was a very good year to remember. The Gold Spike train stopped here in Peru for fuel, water, and crew change before heading to Toledo. I remember it well because I was 1 year old then. Just in a stroller that day but I remember it like yesterday!
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: 759 deserves to be restored
i wish we could hear 759’s whistle 😢
Yet it took another 50 years to recognize the Chinese who helped build this railroad. They were not even allowed to do a commerative speech even in 1969. They were finally recognized in 2019’s Golden Spike 150th Anniversary.
It's too bad UP 844 didn't pull a replica of this train in 2019, but pairing her up with the newly restored Big Boy was just as good. And it's remarkable that they used an untested diesel and a GG1 to haul the train at different legs.
I wish UP 4014 would pull that train! He should get that same paint scheme as the 759.
Thank you for posting this. I've desiring to model this train, and now I know what it looks like!
Mr. Butterworth, thank you for posting this film. I knew the special was coming through Cleveland, but I was 11 and couldn't get anyone to take me up there to see it at the time. However I didn't know that it came back through Akron. Obviously, it came on the AC&Y from at least Spencer to get through Akron, but do you know if it came on the AC&Y all the way from Lima, or if it was on the NKP from Lima to Bellevue and then down the old Wheeling to Spencer?
Also, I was very happy to hear you mention "Jungle Jim" Marcus, whom I knew fairly well from the local NE Ohio railfan scene. Truly a gung-ho and crazy fan who took many, many chances to "get the shot". He left us far too soon, an early victim of AIDS from IV drug use (I said he took a lot of chances). He never minced words and basically said whatever was on his mind, but he took great photos and movies in 16mm, most of which have not been seen since his death. His Euclid Beach Park movie was truly a classic - in operation, abandoned, and then the fire (some say he had something to do with that but I don't think so).
We'd love to incorporate some of your footage on our documentary featuring NKP 765. If you're interested let us know in a TH-cam message or send us an email: contact @ fwrhs.org. Thanks!
hey do you know if jim hawk is still alive?
Why did they retire 759
I sure hope whatever organization steamtown, Ross Rowland's group or Fort Wayne will restore 759 to run again someday. She's a beauty and deserves better than sitting and rotting out in the elements on display in Pennsylvania.
Last fall when I was at Steamtown National Historic Site, 759 had its own dedicated bay in the roundhouse. Though it would take a big effort to repair it and make it run again, at least they are finally protecting it from further deterioration. I'll check on it again in a few weeks when I go there to ride behind Baldwin #26
The 759 was pulling excursion in the 60's and 70's.
Nickel Plate 2-8-4 No. 759 was a sister locomotive of 765.
ok thanks for the reply
Sorry it took me so long to get back to you, I think I did send an email response to somebody recently. Yes, I would be happy to share with you. I also have footage of the maiden run of the restored 759 from Conneaut to Erie in 1968. It includes Ross Roland and some ladies (I don't know who they were) christening the 759 with a bottle of Champaign. Let me know how best to make the video available to you.
Jesus, drop the awful music!
PRR5406 *HÖW DÆR ŸÜ!*
Jk you good
god i never new 759 was that special and i never knew about it when i saw her in steamtown in 2015