Earlier this week steam locomotive no. 765 was fired up for testing at the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society’s restoration facility at 15808 Edgerton Road. One of the most common statements we hear there is “we never knew this was out here” or “we never knew this existed” and they were heard from visitors several … Continue reading
Filed under Culture …
Our Very Own Polar Express
In the last three years of publicly advocating for Headwaters Junction, I’ve made trips to a variety of railroad-related attractions throughout the country to see how the most popular and successful tourist railroads and attractions do what they do. Prior visits had been to the Strasburg Railroad, which grabs 400,000 riders a year, Tennessee Valley … Continue reading
River, Rail, and Trail at TEDxFort Wayne
Headwaters Junction’s project manager Kelly Lynch gave a speech at TEDxFortWayne on the need to start challenging the “what’s in it for me?” mentality “with a shift to making imaginative and authentic investments – fusing arts and culture, trails and rivers, historical cornerstones and inspiring considerations of who we can become.” Below is the original … Continue reading
Headwaters Junction part of Legacy task force recommendation
The Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly reports… “A task force of 15 volunteers has evaluated nearly 1,000 suggestions for projects and initiatives that could help shape Fort Wayne’s future. Members have narrowed that number down to 24 they believe could get the most bang out of a $77-million financial legacy the city has coming. Fort … Continue reading
Headwaters Junction and Legacy Fort Wayne
Read the Headwaters Junction Light Lease Proposal. In the initial years between 2006 and 2008, Headwaters Junction acquired a name, a dozen site sketches and layouts, and spent most of its time existing somewhere between imagination and college ruled paper. Its potential would be briefly seen in the efforts of the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical … Continue reading
Vision
Headwaters Junction is a strategic endeavor to enrich the Fort Wayne experience by harnessing untapped potential north of 4th Street and its surrounding neighborhoods. It will: establish a new, dramatic gateway to downtown Fort Wayne create a romantic entertainment and education driven regional attraction define a new historic and cultural corridor create a walkable mixed … Continue reading
History
At the turn of the 20th century Fort Wayne, Indiana was a vibrant railroad town, hosting six railroads including the New York Central, Wabash, Nickel Plate Road, Pennsylvania Railroad, Grand Rapids & Indiana, and Fort Wayne Union Railway. The city also had an enviable interurban network that linked it to the rest of the state. … Continue reading
Background
On October 4th, 1955 the Nickel Plate Road opened a two-track overpass that elevated its busy rails above city streets and unleashed city development northward. Breaking the ribbon on that day was a Berkshire-type steam locomotive, no. 767. The 80 fast freight Berkshire-type steam locomotives constructed for the Nickel Plate Road earned the company a … Continue reading
Inception
Steam locomotive 765 already represents a remarkable national tourist attraction with a proven 30 year track record. Far from marginalization in a textbook, the 765 is not just living history, but our history, existing in operation, immersion, atmosphere, and experience. That experience happens with every sense: from the sounding of a steam whistle echoing gently … Continue reading
The Collection
Locomotives Two rare, local steam engines find a home among a growing stable of revenue generating locomotives that include steam, diesel, and streetcars. Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 – the centerpiece to Headwaters Junction is landmark steam locomotive no. 765, a world-famous passenger excursion locomotive restored to operating condition in 1979 and completely … Continue reading
Headwaters Junction 