Steam-powered locomotive is Galesburg bound for Railroad Days

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Train lovers have a 15-foot-tall, 400-ton reason to head to Railroad Days next month in Galesburg.

The Nickel Plate Road no. 765 steam locomotive will stop by Galesburg on June 25 and 26, operating the Galesburg Zephyr. The all-day, round-trip excursions depart Chicago Union Station.

Jim Clayton serves on the Galesburg Railroad Museum Board and helps put on Railroad Days. He tells FM95 the 765 is a piece of history.

“It was built in 1944 and the museum there in Fort Wayne (Indiana) acquired it somewhere in the late 70s,” Clayton says. “They rebuilt it twice. They did the other rebuild in (2006).”

On both days, about 800 people are expected to ride the Zephyr line into town — what Clayton says should be a “big boost” for Galesburg Railroad Days.

The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society owns, operates and maintains the locomotive with an all-volunteer crew. No. 765 has been operating passenger excursion since the locomotive was first restored in 1979.

According to an FWRHS blog post, an Amtrak diesel locomotive will be on the train to generate electricity for lighting and air conditioning on the passenger cars.

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