Share your favorite memories with the 2-8-4 to celebrate her 74th birthday!
My favorite memory with her was when a volunteer let me, my dad, and a few other guests up into the cab. Keep in mind the 765 was not fully reassembled here, but it was still an amazing experience.
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I have seen the #765 a number of times, the most recent being during its excursions from the north suburbs of Chicago to 
Janesville and back in June, 2016 ( I think). I caught it outbound at Fox Lake. Here are a couple of my photos.
My favorite experience was the excursions in connection with the 1991 NRHS convention at Huntington, WV, especially when it was doubled with, or ran alongside, the Pere Marquette #1225. There are many photos and videos of that on the internet. Here is a short vid by Mark I Video.
1987 or '88 - - - 765 handling the New River Express out of Huntington and Charleston to Hinton, WVa, pulling 32 or 33 cars + water canteen. East bound, believe the C&O faced a grade of something like 1%. Awesome performance.
When FWRHS finished the last major work on the 765 several years ago, they ran a couple of Shake Down runs between Ft. Wayne and Van Wert, Ohio. They ran on the former PRR Ft. Wayne Line tracks. The train consisted of the 765 & tender, tool car and a GP40, which was in full dynamic braking to provide a load. It was only running about 20 mph and stopped frequently to check bearing temperatures.
765 about 3 miles west of Convoy, Ohio. This is the first time in my life that I have seen a steam locomotive on the Ft. Wayne Line.
765 and train passing through Convoy, Ohio. Diesel locomotive was providing a load on the train by using its dynamic brakes.
765 entering Van Wert, Ohio. This was an unannounced operation, but several hundred railfans still showed up to watch her run.
The train stopped behind the Van Wert Fire Department so the crew could re-fill the tender with water and give her a thorough inspection.
Tom
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