Old Habits. Die Hard. Here’s to eighty-two years of moving hearts, minds, people, and occasionally, still freight.
On September 7th, 2026, Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 galloped out of Pleasant Lake, Indiana, with an 85-car revenue freight train, bound for Reading, Michigan, in a throwback to the engine’s halcyon days as a freight and passenger engine for the New York, Chicago and St. Louis Railroad. The 3,200+ trailing tons included our restored Nickel Plate Road SD9 No. 358 to bring the consist home, and the train’s already assigned vintage EMD power from the Indiana Northeastern Railroad.
765 took the opportunity to recall its once-signature role in stride, with 358 chiming in only occasionally during the 2-mile, 1.2% grade into Reading to keep track speed. Today, September 8th, is the 82nd anniversary of the 765’s construction, and here is proof that it hasn’t lost a step.
