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Featured Museum
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Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad Museum

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One of the earliest railroads that ran through Bellevue in 1839 was the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad, and the first engineer of the "Sandusky", Thomas Hogg. The Mad River & NKP Railroad Society, a non-profit organization, chose this as part of our name when we formed NKP is the AAR reporting mark for the Nickel Plate Road (New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company) which ran through Bellevue from 1882 until 1964, when it merged with the Norfolk & Western Railway. Bellevue was a hub for the Nickel Plate operations and a division point for the railroad's Buffalo to Chicago route. Bellevue housed the principal classification yards, the largest roundhouse in the system, all maintenance of way equipment for the road, the principal icing station, an engine terminal for both diesel and steam, headquarters of the general superintendent, and facilities that were used by four of the Nickel Plate's divisions.

Mad River & Nickel Plate Museum

mrnkprm_state egyptian ocated in Bellevue, Ohio, the Mad River & Nickel Plate Railroad Museum was formed in the 1970s and today maintains a large outdoor collection of static locomotives and rolling stock with ties to the various railroads that once plied central Ohio and the greater midwest region. First and second generation diesel-electric motive power from a variety of roads and manufacturers are featured, as well as the recent acquisition of steamer #757, a Nickel Plate Berkshire — sister mainline power to the better-known Nickel Plate #765. As it was for most of the previous century (Nickel Plate, Norfolk & Western, etc.), the town of Bellevue remains for the Norfolk Southern a major mainline division point, hump yard, and locomotive maintenance facility. A railfan pavilion is located amid several diverging Norfolk Southern lines, near the museum.

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Click to see the Mad River museum grounds plotted on a Google Maps page

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1910 Official Guide ad / collection

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The New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad Company (NYC&StL - Reporting Mark NKP) had a storied 83 year existence. Starting as a single road built with cash, it ended with four districts as a result of acquisitions made over the years. It survived control by the New York Central and a joint venture with the C&O and Pere Marquette, and evolved into a leader in the delivery of freight with its renowned "Nickel Plate High Speed Service" and mighty Berkshires.

Nickel Plate Road Historical & Technical Society

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1989 tourist train guide ad / collection

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2006 tourist train guide ad / collection

Locomotives

Norfolk & Western #2349

  • builder:Electro Motive Division
  • model:SD9
  • type:C-C road switcher
  • built:Apr 1957, EMD #23164
  • series:515 produced 1954-59
  • engine:EMD 567C (16 cyl, 1750hp)
  • notes:
  • blt Nickel Plate Road #349
    to Norfolk & Western #2349
    to Norfolk Southern #52
    to Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum
  • builder
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    Norfolk & Western SD9 2349, formerly Nickel Plate 349, Norfolk Southern 52

    On June 29, N&W SD9 2349, formerly NKP 349, NS 52 was dedicated in honor of the late Dale Elder. Mr. Elder was Bellevue's Terminal Superintendent for Norfolk Southern for many years. The locomotive has been restored to its N&W colors in honor of when Mr. Elder first signed on to the Norfolk & Western.

    Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum

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    See also our complete Norfolk & Western Railway scrapbook in Mainlines

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    collection

    Nickel Plate #329

  • builder:American Locomotive Co.
  • model:RSD-12
  • type:B-B road switcher
  • built:Jun 1957, Alco #81959
  • series:69 produced 1956-63
  • engine:Alco 251B (12 cyl, 1800 hp)
  • notes:
  • blt Nickel Plate #329
    1 of only 9 produced for Nickel Plate
    to Norfolk & Western #254
    to Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum
  • builder
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    from The Second Diesel Spotter's Guide
    / collection

    Nickel Plate #900

  • builder:Electro Motive Division
  • model:GP30
  • type:B-B road switcher
  • built:Jul 1962, EMD #27894
  • series:906 produced 1961-63
  • engine:EMD 567D3 (16 cyl, 2250 hp)
  • notes:
  • blt Nickel Plate #900
    1 of only 10 produced for Nickel Plate
    to Norfolk & Western #2900
    to Norfolk Southern #2900
    to Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum
  • builder

    Milwaukee Road #740

  • builder:Fairbanks-Morse
  • model:H-12-44
  • type:B-B yard switcher
  • built:Jan 1954, FM #12L823
  • series:303 produced 1950-61
  • engine:FM 38D-8 (1200 hp, 6 cyl)
  • notes:
  • blt Milwaukee Road #740
    1 of 40 produced for Milwaukee Road
    to Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum
  • builder
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    milw740b The FM H-12-44 was a yard switcher produced by Fairbanks-Morse from May, 1950–March, 1961. The units featured a 1,200-horsepower (890 kW), six-cylinder opposed piston engine prime mover, and were configured in a B-B wheel arrangement mounted atop a pair of two-axle AAR Type-A switcher trucks, with all axles powered and geared for a top speed of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h).

    A total of 303 units were built for American railroads, 30 were manufactured (between August 1951 to June 1956) by the Canadian Locomotive Company for use in Canada, and 1 unit was exported to Mexico. Initially, H-12-44s were visually indistinguishable from their predecessor model, the FM H-10-44. However, beginning in September, 1952 the Raymond Loewy design elements were removed as a cost-saving measure: cab lines were squared-off, the slanted-nose styling was discontinued, and the roof visor was eliminated. The following year, the fairing over the battery box was removed and louvers added to reduce the possibility of battery explosions. None of the units were produced between May and October 1956, after which time the carbodies were shortened by some three feet and outfitted with a deeper side skirt.

    Sixteen intact examples of the H-12-44 are known to survive today, all of which are owned by railroad museums or historical societies.

    Wikipedia

    France Stone Company #1776

  • builder:General Electric
  • model:45 tonner
  • type:B-B industrial switcher
  • built:Sep 1942, GE #15866
  • series:produced 1940-56
  • engine:(2) Cummins 6-cyl HBI-600
  • notes:
  • blt Green River Ordinance #R2
    to France Stone Company #1776
    to Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum
    Bicentennial paint scheme
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    Unlettered

    Passenger Cars

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    Bellevue, Oh / Dec 2014 or Feb 2016 / RWH

    Rolling Stock

    Norfolk & Western #514900

  • builder:Industrial Works, Bay City MI
  • type:200 ton derrick hoist
  • built:Dec 1923, Build #4490
  • power:blt steam, dieselized 1959
  • notes:
  • blt Norfolk & Western #4966
    later renumbered #514900
    to Norfolk Southern #514900
    to Mad River & NKP Railroad Museum
  • Publications

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    1994 tourist train guide ad / collection

    mrnkprm_tourist98

    1998 tourist train guide ad / collection

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    Links / Sources

    This page was updated on 2019-06-20