Indiana Rail Experience concludes summer schedule out of South Milford and Pleasant Lake, Ind.

Preparations underway for upcoming Fall and Holiday excursions

Get the newest photos, videos, stories, and more from Trains.com brands. Sign-up for email today!

SOUTH MILFORD, Ind. — The summer schedule of the Indiana Rail Experience’s 2023 season concluded on Aug. 19-20 with two excursions operating out of South Milford and Pleasant Lake, Ind. The Experience is a multi-year partnership between the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society and the Indiana Northeastern Railroad Co.

The society’s Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive No. 765 was in South Milford on Saturday as part of the town’s rededication of the Veterans Memorial Monument. At the eastbound head of the South Milford Dedication Train, the 2-8-4 ran two 1.5-hour trips – one for invited guests, politicians and VIPs, with the other for the public. For Kelly Lynch, vice president of the Fort Wayne organization, it was rewarding to see No. 765 as the backdrop to the ceremony as it sat on the former Wabash Railroad bridge over Indiana Route 3.

“The owners of the Indiana Northeastern have a long family history with the town, and it was gratifying to see the railroad and our locomotive play a role in making community events possible in a way that was very commonplace 80 years ago,” he said.

Sunday found the excursion train – minus No. 765 – in Pleasant Lake for the diesel-powered Tails, Ales, and Rails. The trips welcomed over 180 dogs to ride the train and take part in the festivities as a fundraiser for the Dekalb Humane Society and Community Humane Shelter of Steuben County. The excursions are the first to operate out of the town’s 141-year-old railroad depot which has been recently acquired by FWRHS to serve as headquarters for the Indiana Rail Experience.

“It’s surreal to finally have a depot and site we can call our own and it’s only the second piece of real estate that we have purchased in 51 years,” Lynch explained. “It’s also a curiosity for a lot of townspeople and visitors who have never seen the window shutters or doors open before and we’ve heard a continuous refrain from the locals that are happy that we are there.”

According to Lynch, over $50,000 of work will be put into the depot in 2023 with site engineering and surveying for a resurfaced parking lot, foundation work, paint, and a boarding platform. The society is also looking into constructing a passenger car servicing station either at the depot or nearby with a 480-volt electrical drop to keep the excursion train plugged in during colder weather.

Speaking of colder weather, preparations are also underway for the Indiana Rail Experience’s fall and holiday excursions. Routine maintenance will take place on No. 765, while the passenger cars will receive HVAC work and minor improvements, Lynch states. Also added to the list are firming up layover details in Hilldale, Mich., and Angola, Ind., for the Fall Color Trains in October. “Taking care of parking areas, shuttles, working with local restaurants and vendors, and we’re contemplating adding a third weekend with a shorter fall color trip in as well,” he said.

Regarding the society’s ex-NKP, SD9 diesel No. 358, Lynch confirms that no plans will be made to have it power an excursion in 2023 until the locomotive completes several weeks of testing. “Some truck and traction motor work will take place in the coming weeks.”

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