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(DAYTON, OH)— July 17, 18, 19, & 20, 2003. Airshow featuring the USN Blue Angels, USAF Thunderbirds, and Canadian Snow Birds flight teams. Do a Google search for more information.

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(NEW HAVEN, IN)— August is the annual Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society's Open House. See the progress of NKP Berkshire 765, NKP caboose 141, and the many other projects going on at TrainTown. For dates and times...

Editorial

Freedom Fest-2003
Goshen Air Show

July 5, 2003, I attended the Goshen, Indiana, annual air show for the first time. I didn't know what to expect. I love aircraft and once attended flight school. After 25 hours dual instruction, 22 hours solo flight, and a passing grade on the FAA written exam, finances finally forced me out. But, boy, I still love aircraft.

The show was great! There were many unique aircraft. The USAF west coast A-10 Thunderbolt II demonstration team was in attendance and showed a wonderfull historical tribute to USAF flight when an A-10 Warthog flew in formation with a P-51 Mustang. A B-25, a fleet of AT-6 Texans, a Pitts Special stunt biplane, a Super Stearman complete with wing-walker, and even a MiG 17 and MiG 21 flew that day. Of course, there were more including the Indiana Skydiving Team, a 36,000-hp jet truck that raced down the runway at 321 mph, and a giant fire-breathing, car eating, transforming robot machine. There was also a classic car show and helicopter rides. Oh, and they wrapped up the evening with a fantastic fireworks display by the Mad Bomber. It began with fountains that spewed forth their glory more than three hundred feet into the air and proceeded into a chest pounding arial display.

I've been to many airshows, mostly military, but this one was very different. It was more like an air carnival with lots of great food. Most of the performers were civilian pilots that tour the country doing this stuff. They're pros. A spectacular display was the Lima-Lima Team, the only six person/aircraft civilian formation flight team in the world, performing during both the daylight and the night sky!

I plan to again fuel my desire later this month in Dayton, OH. On July 17, 18, 19, 20 in Dayton, Ohio, will be a fantastic airshow. They will have, for the first time ever anywhere, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and the Canadian Snow Birds. Check it out!

Feature

July 1949 - A Nickel Plate Fireman's Story

This article is based upon NKP fireman Floyd "Bum" Kneller's 1949 Saddler's log book. The engine and train assignments are accurate and the names of the engineers are real.

July 1, I get engine 12 at 7:00 AM in Chicago with engineer Morris at the controls. We do yard work until 3:50 PM.

July 2, I'm on engine number 7 at 6:00 PM in Chicago with Hatfield as engineer. We work the yard until 12:00 M.

July 3, Still in Chicago with Hatfield and myself on engine 12 from 4:00 PM until 12:00 M.

July 4, Our nations birthday is spent aboard engine 14 with engineer Hatfield and myself from 4:00 PM to 12:00 M.

July 5, Hatfield and I are in Chicago aboard engine 8 from 4:00 PM to 12:00 PM.

July 6, Hatfield and I still in Chicago on engine 7. We are on the clock from 4:00 PM to 12:00 M. We get paid 100 miles for yard work for the eight hours.

July 7, Chicago. Engine 8. 4:00 PM 'til 12:00 M. Hatfield and me.

July 18, Hatfield and me on engine 7 in Chicago from 4:00 PM until 12:00 M.

July 20, Engineer Doughman and I get train 39 led by engine 737. We leave Fort Wayne, Indiana, at 4:00 AM enroute to Chicago. We get in at 7:40 PM.

July 21, I get train 32 pulled by Mikado 507 in Chicago at 12:15 PM. Engineer Doughman gets us into Fort Wayne at 10:25 PM.

July 22, I draw train 21, Extra East, pulled by 170. Pappert is the engineer and we leave Fort Wayne at 11:35 AM. He gets us back to West Wayne at 1:45 AM.

July 23, Train 55 is led by Berkshire 758. W.J. Marks is my engineer and we leave Fort Wayne at 4:00 PM and get in to Chicago at 10:35 PM.

July 24, W.J. Marks and I get train 34 pulled by 766 and leave Chicago at 12:00 Noon. We roll in to West Wayne at 9:20 PM.

July 25, Engineer Keaser and I draw train 39 with 766 again on the point. We depart Fort Wayne at 5:30 AM and arrive Chicago at 8:50 PM.

July 26, Keaser and I get train 32, Extra West, pulled by Mike 528. We leave Chicago at 10:30 AM and arrive back to Chicago at 4:15 PM.

July 27, Keaser and I get train 56 with 766 on the point. We leave Chicago at 8:00 AM and get to West Wayne at 2:40 PM.

July 28, I get train 39 with Berk 754 and W.J. Marks as engineer. We leave Fort Wayne at 3:45 AM and get to Chicago at 7:40 PM after 220 miles paid.

July 29, W.J. Marks and I get train 32 with engine 761 in Chicago at 10:30 AM. We arrive in Fort Wayne at 9:00 PM.

July 31, Marks and I get Berk 758 pulling train 51 in Fort Wayne at 12:35 AM. We roll in Chicago at 9:50 PM.

July 31, W.J. Marks and I draw train 52 pulled by Berkshire 765 in Chicago at 7:30 PM. She gets me home to Fort Wayne at 2:00 AM.

For the month of July, 1949, fireman Floyd H. "Bum" Kneller accumulated 2807 miles that paid out $333.46, some of that being overtime pay. All told, Mr. Kneller worked 20 days that month.

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