This Nickel Plate Railroad Sign 765 is a sublimation ink sign and reproduction enhanced version of an ad featuring the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, the Nickel Plate Road. This features ALCO PA diesels and the famous 765 steam locomotive. Metal measures 10″ x 12″, with rounded corners and an 1/8″ hole punched in each corner. Metal is .025 gauge aluminum.

The Nickel Plate Road 765 is a historic steam locomotive that was built in 1944 by the Lima Locomotive Works for the New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad, also known as the Nickel Plate Road. It is a class “S-2” 2-8-4 “Berkshire” type locomotive, which means it has two leading wheels, eight driving wheels and four trailing wheels. The Berkshire design was a “superpower” innovation that featured a larger firebox and more heating surface for increased horsepower and speed. The 765 was one of 11 S-2 locomotives that were used for fast freight and passenger service on the Nickel Plate Road until 1958, when they were retired and replaced by diesel-electric locomotives.

The 765 was donated to the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1963 and displayed at the Lawton Park as a static exhibit. However, in 1974, a group of volunteers from the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society (FWRHS) began to restore the locomotive to its original condition and appearance. After five years of hard work, the 765 returned to steam in 1979 and became one of the few operating mainline steam locomotives in North America. Since then, the 765 has traveled across many states and hauled thousands of passengers on excursion trains, as well as participated in special events and programs. The 765 is maintained and operated by the FWRHS, which also owns a historic railroad facility in New Haven, Indiana. The 765 is a National Historic Landmark and a symbol of American ingenuity and heritage.

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