For the first time since 1993, steam locomotive no. 765 departed Fort Wayne for a public trip. Thousands hopped aboard for two round-trip excursions to Lafayette, Indiana on October 26th and 27th. The route retraced that of the famous Wabash Cannonball passenger train. The trips were sponsored by the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society in cooperation with Norfolk Southern Corp.
Passengers experienced live musical performances right in their own railcars from Fort Wayne's own Fernando Tarango, accompanied by Logan Webber.
Take a listen to "Wabash Cannonball", "On the Banks of the Wabash", and an original song by Tarango, "Train Man."
More about Engine no. 765
from Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society
"Restored and operated in public exhibition and on passenger excursion trains throughout the country, no. 765 is powered entirely by volunteers as part of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s education outreach programs and ongoing restoration efforts.
"Historic steam locomotive no. 765 is a high-stepping, fourteen-wheeled, magnificent machine that stands 15 feet tall, weighs 404 tons, goes over 60 miles an hour and restored to the way it looked and sounded when it was built by the Lima Locomotive Works in 1944.
"Celebrated for pulling passenger excursions throughout the country as a goodwill ambassador, the 765 is the pride of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and one of only a handful of steam locomotives that still operate in the United States.
"At the turn of the 20th century, Fort Wayne was one of the largest and most vibrant railroad towns in the Midwest. Powered by six railroads, the city was dominated by massive railroad yards, lightning fast passenger trains, and some of the best regarded lcoomotives in the country. Through each of the city's three passenger stations, Fort Wayne was connected to every other city in the country.
"In 1964, the Wabash was merged with the Nickel Plate Road into the present day Norfolk Southern Railroad system."