Indiana’s Railroad Open House welcomes over 2,500 visitors

Four operating steam locomotives and repainted, vintage diesel highlights first event at Hudson locomotive facility

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HUDSON, Ind. — The locomotive maintenance facility of the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co. in Hudson was a beehive of activity over the weekend as historic steam locomotives, vintage diesels, and over 2,500 attendees swarmed around what was the first Railroad Open House. The July 29-30 event headlined the summer for the 2023 Indiana Rail Experience, a partnership between the shortline railroad and the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society to celebrate 130 years of the region’s history.

Large-scale events which include the gathering of historic and vintage railroad equipment are incredibly expensive and logistically complicated, according to Kelly Lynch, vice president of the Fort Wayne organization which owns Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765. For the 2023 Railroad Open House, all hosts and partners stuck with his motto to, “aim small, miss small, and make the success gradual and risks marginal.”

The motto paid off with all excursions, train rides, and throttle-time sessions selling out well in advance. Lynch said feedback was incredibly gratifying. “A gentleman approached me and said that he and his son were visiting from Pennsylvania and that railroads were his son’s No. 1 passion.

“He said to me, ‘I don’t know what kind of program you guys have, but everyone here has the most remarkable bedside manner, the best out of any organization I’ve encountered in 30 years. They are kind, patient, informative, gentle…’ That remark stood out the most for me because I think we all know how one bad interaction with someone can leave a mark on an entire experience.”

Throughout the weekend, all four steam locomotives were kept busy and performed very well, according to Lynch. No. 765 operated 1.5-hour excursions to South Milford, Ind. Little River Railroad’s Nos. 110 and 1 of Coldwater, Mich., handled the 1.5-hour excursions to Hamilton Ind., and 30-minute train rides to Steubenville, Ind., respectively. Jeddo Coal Co. No. 85 from the Gramling Locomotive Works remained at the Hudson facility for the 30-minute throttle times. Inside the shop, equipment displays were provided as part of the free admission to the public. Amongst the exhibits was ex-NKP, SD9 diesel locomotive No. 358, making its public debut since the recent repaint with restoration work nearing completion.

“In the coming days, we’ll be refining the work list,” Lynch explains. “While we don’t have a timeline for operation [of No. 358], any operational debut will come after a few weeks of testing.”

Not even a day after the event, some commenting on the FWRHS social media pages are speculating the potential growth for future open houses. For Lynch and the non-profit organization, it’s about being mindful of both the railroad and partners and their overall commitments. “It’s a lot to ask of everyone for what amounts to a little shared revenue for the organizations involved,” he said. “Of course, the intangible benefits are important and numerous.

“While we’ll cover our costs thanks to sponsorships, we probably couldn’t scale up an open house and keep it free admission at the same time. There may be additional real estate in Hudson or elsewhere on the railroad to help expand the event, too, but I know everyone involved already has their eyes on their own respective events on the calendar for this year.”

The same goes for the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and No. 765 as the 2-8-4 is scheduled to operate the South Milford Dedication Train on August 19. In preparation for the excursion, Lynch explains that the crew coats the rods in rust-proofing spray while performing the usual cleaning, greasing, and servicing in between runs. “The performance of No. 765 remains admirable.”

Visit the Indiana Rail Experience website for more information and to purchase tickets.