NKP 358 Restoration Nears Finish Line
Written by William C. Vantuono, Editor-in-Chief
All photos: Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society Inc.
After six years of work, volunteers and donors of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society Inc. will soon return Nickel Plate Road EMD SD9 to the rails as an operating attraction, “complementing the non-profit’s preservation efforts and expanding tourism events in the Northeast Indiana region.” Mechanical overhaul of has entered a new phase as Progress Rail, a Caterpillar Company, has transformed it to its original appearance when built in 1957 by predecessor company Electro-Motive Division of General Motors.
No. 358 was one of 20 diesel-electric locomotives built to replace the NKP’s steam engine fleet, which included Nickel Plate Road Berkshire-type steam locomotive no. 765. The Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society has restored, owned and operated since the 1970s. The six-axle, 1,750-hp SD9 (for “Special Duty”) went on to serve Norfolk & Western and Norfolk Southern for decades before it was retired. It will be the only operational NKP SD9 to look as it did when new and the only one to operate in rail tourism service.
Donated by Norfolk Southern to the Fort Wayne Railroad in 2010, the 358 has undergone an extensive restoration. “It has been emotional for us to watch this machine transform from a derelict state to a museum-quality showpiece,” said W.D. Miller, Project Manager. “Progress Rail’s support has been critical throughout the overhaul, and their commitment to making the locomotive look just as it did when it was built by EMD has our heartfelt gratitude. While our organization is known for operating a 1940s-era Nickel Plate steam locomotive, there is an entire generation of Americans who remember the enduring presence of these types of diesel-electrics operating throughout the country. It’s rare to have operating examples of two dramatically different locomotives from the same railroad, and together they’ll help us tell the story of railroad technology throughout the past 80 years.”
Progress Rail noted that it “continues the tradition of EMD® locomotive manufacturing and maintains an assembly plant in central Indiana, where company employees consulted the original diagrams and restored the locomotive to its original Nickel Plate Road livery.” Senior Vice President Art Erbacher called the project “a tribute to the design, durability and quality of EMD locomotives. Supporting an effort like this is part of what makes working in the rail industry so rewarding.”
“Being involved in this project has boosted morale within our team,” added Jose Ruy Sanchez, Locomotive Operations Director at Progress Rail in Muncie. “We are excited to see the finalized unit and tell our family and friends we were part of the restoration. At Progress Rail, we are proud to be part of an industry that connects people and communities, and we are looking forward to crossing paths with this locomotive in the future.”
Upon its departure from Progress Rail, the 358 will be shipped to the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Company’s locomotive shop in Hudson, Indiana, where final restoration work will be completed. “We still have electrical work to do, but we are 90% there,” said Miller. “Once the 358 is completed, tested and broken in, we plan to operate it as part of the Indiana Rail Experience on passenger excursions, at commemorative events, and for guest engineer programs. Some of our youngest volunteers have grown up learning to work on the 358, and now a new generation will have their first experience with railroading thanks to the 358 and our supporters.”
More than 12,000 volunteer hours went into the 358’s restoration. The work was also supported by over $100,000 in financial and in-kind contributions. In addition to Progress Rail and its employees, supporters have included Steel Dynamics, Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway, Nickel Plate Railroad Historical & Technical Society, Crown Battery, Horizon Rail, and numerous private individuals with locomotive expertise. Donations to help complete the restoration can be made at fortwaynerailroad.org/donate.
EMD built the SD9 between January 1954 and June 1959. Its 567C 16-cylinder engine generated 1,750 hp. Externally similar to its predecessor, the SD7, the SD9 was built with the improved 567C engine. EMD built 471 SD9s for U.S. railroads and 44 for export. Many SD9s can still be found in service today on Class II and III railroads and industrial operators. Although most Class I’s retired them by the 1980s, some remain in rebuilt form as switchers. The SD9 was the second model of EMD’s SD line of locomotives, following the SD7, a lengthened, six-axle version of its GP7, and as such a corresponding modification of the GP9. The SD series provide more tractive effort and more-even distribution of locomotive weight compared to the four-axle GP series.
