Doyle McCormack at the throttle of Nickel Plate Road 765

While he's best known for his work on Southern Pacific steam locomotive no. 4449, Doyle McCormack's first love was the Nickel Plate Road. His father worked for the railroad and his first cab ride on steam was aboard No. 743, a sister to our very own 765. Before serving as a consultant on the initial restoration of Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 in the mid-1970s, Doyle served on the crew of Nickel Plate Road no. 759. Over the years, we've been able to host Doyle aboard the 765, most recently during runs at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. With the recent news that Doyle has sold his American Locomotive Company PA diesel locomotive, painted to represent the original Nickel Plate Road No. 190, join us for a cab ride with Doyle at the throttle.

[@fortwaynerailroad]

While he's best known for his work on Southern Pacific steam locomotive no. 4449, Doyle McCormack's first love was the Nickel Plate Road. His father worked for the railroad and his first cab ride on steam was aboard No. 743, a sister to our very own 765. Before serving as a consultant on the initial restoration of Nickel Plate Road steam locomotive no. 765 in the mid-1970s, Doyle served on the crew of Nickel Plate Road no. 759. Over the years, we've been able to host Doyle aboard the 765, most recently during runs at the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. With the recent news that Doyle has sold his American Locomotive Company PA diesel locomotive, painted to represent the original Nickel Plate Road No. 190, join us for a cab ride with Doyle at the throttle.

[@michaelbarrett5149]

Is he still gonna be part of crew of 765 i like to see him on throttle on next excursion?

[@PantherLineProductionsofOhio]

​@@michaelbarrett5149 I'd love that

[@cykablyatman6242]

is he gonna be part of the 2026 american freedom train?

[@aaron-prime117]

@@cykablyatman6242 if the owners of reading and northern 2100 invite him to run with them it’s a possibility

[@aaron-prime117]

I think you guys should invite invite Doyle on the next year’s excursion season. Maybe the tri-state run and the fall color run.

[@jay600katana]

Nobody is telling Doyle how to run. The man has been around....seen things, its great to see him pulling the throttle again.

[@celrailfan4449]

Doyle has been the engineer of Southern Pacific #4449 for a little less than 50 years, of course he knows how to treat a steam locomotive right and operate it correctly

[@bov634]

Hence the previous comment...

[@engineer6325]

The man. The myth. The legend. Love seeing Doyle work magic at the throttle. Thank you for sharing!

[@CrossOfBayonne]

He's also friends with entrepreneur Ross Rowland who ran the 765's sister 759 when the High Iron Co was in business

[@cmbart1]

My Dad ran on 759's crew and is an old friend of Doyle. You can tell he hasn't forgotten a thing.

[@gingerdrizz]

Doyle operating 765 after bidding farewell to 190 is honestly kinda poetic.

[@henryszubielski8601]

Absolutely wonderful to see him work the throttle of this fantastic locomotive!

[@IronhorseSara]

Hahaha love his Rich Melvins 30 MPH story , both of them awesome and to see Grant in the cab again...amazing

[@maribethrouse1394]

We rode behind Doyle when he brought 4449 to Chicago! What a thrill for us. We look forward to this summer to once again ride with our beloved 765❤

[@DylanRailVids04]

Man, Doyle maybe old but yet he’s still kickin’ and knowing his magic operating steam! The way he just does it, it’s like he knows it in the back of his head.

[@ericcrockett479]

He has forgotten more about railroads and running a locomotive than I will ever know. Watching him go about everything like it's as natural as breathing

[@chendersonrailproductions704]

I remember this day well. I was chasing and I remember hearing he was going to run the engine. I saw him twice trackside. Still couldn’t believe it to be honest.

[@TravisCyprien]

Never thought I would see this day come. Wow another legend behind 765.

[@overpoweredsteamproduction513]

All these years later, he gets to go at it again

[@williamlott5717]

Now that’s a real engineer

[@CTK1201]

FACTS!

[@PatrickDoran2319]

Doyle has a really good sense of humor as well. His friend Dick Yager was also a huge Nickel Plate Road enthusiast throughout his entire life before he passed away in 2015.

[@michaelhardin470]

I worked with Doyle after the N&W took over the Nickel Plate. In fact I lived across the street for a while. Good man and fantastic railroader

[@blairterry9435]

While 765 isn’t like 4449 they are both Lima products and Doyle knows how to run the Berk after years of being a Southern Pacific employee and a expert on steam power.

[@CrossOfBayonne]

Doyle is also friends with entrepreneur Ross Rowland, He ran the 765's sister 759 for the High Iron Company from the late 60s until her flues froze and was sent back to Steamtown in 1973.

[@vettebecker1]

Very cool to see Doyle still following his passion!!! We had the chance to meet him years ago for the Skyfire video shoot of the Daylight from Portland to Sacramento. We just happened to be visiting from South Carolina to the West coast, very cool experience

[@unifrax5]

I like the sharp crack of the exhaust! So cool.

[@1chuck96]

God!!! Is there a series coming on here that I can't live without? "Doyle and the machine", might be a cool title for the subscription based mulit-seasoned "Life and Times of Doyle McCormack". Yikes, does this guy have a story to tell right?

[@kremestation80]

There's my boy! Met him back in 2018, such a awesome guy.

[@celrailfan4449]

Doyle is my absolute hero dude, he's my inspiration and i want to meet him in the near future alongside the legendary #4449

[@RichMelvin]

Nicely done, Doyle!

[@PantherLineProductionsofOhio]

We need Doyle for some of the Indiana trips. Would be an honor.

[@FjHenderson]

Can't wait for the nickle to roll through my little village this year.

[@railsandracing]

I'm guessing this was in 2021. That looked like Indigo Lake in the background, and she's wearing the WWII Nathan 6 Chime.

[@northstar2007]

gotta love that sound, nothing like it

[@aaron-prime117]

So this is Doyle McCormack. The Man who lead the operations of running 4449 and 700. Of all the photos and video moments I’ve seen on Facebook and KZbin with 4449 and 700 either at the museum or on the line I never saw one moment or a good shot of McCormack in action. I got to say he’s an excellent engineer and will be a great leader and a teacher to teach new engineers about running a steam locomotive if there were classes for it

[@railsandracing]

Great runby, Doyle! You really had her talking!

[@2quintly]

What GREAT man !

[@deborahmaidon4017]

Great to see Doyle at the throttle of 765...

[@brianfalzon6739]

Great runby, Doyle!

[@wardy98px1]

Doyle is a great engineer

[@jackmahle8680]

Wow the sound gives ya goose bumps✌😇

[@dennisb-trains23]

That's pretty cool. Would of loved to get a glimpse of the engine!

[@fortwaynerailroad]

That’s what the rest of our channel is for 🚂🤓

[@Emmaolsson-sh2zy]

Can you put the Pennsylvania railroad Q2 3 chime whistle on the first whistle nickel plate road 765?

[@danbedford5419]

Good video

[@davidhack4515]

"Listen to them jingle, rumblin and the roar, As they doublehead long the woodline and along White River shore. They're the ladies of the Nickle Plate keeping Hoosier steam alive, Talkin about NO # 587 and # 765!

[@steamgent4592]

Wow that was awesome! Doyle and Ross Rowland are the true legends of the excursion era! Both great engineman too!

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Awesome video! Thank you for sharing 😊

[@evanf1293]

Now I know another steam engine Doyle has operated.

[@maestromecanico597]

I'm thinking he's done this once or twice before. 😁

[@Ohiotrucker1]

765 has her dancing shoes on today.

[@nicom4996]

Taaabarouette! This man knows how to drive!

[@CSXT8482]

neat

[@robkrasinski6217]

I wish you guys could come to PA again like to Reading and Northern and Steamtown. The 765 has a unique whistle, with that loud blast. Is that a Nathan six chime? Reading and Northern has 2102 back but Steamtown currently has no mainline steam locomotive running, just the 0-6-0. I rode behind the 765 twice in PA, May 2013 Horseshoe Curve Special and Aug 2015 Lehigh Gorge Special. I live just west of Allentown. NS stopped hosting steam excursions after 2017, the newer ones started Sept. 2011 at the TVRM in Chattanooga. If you would run on the Reading and Northern again, you could use some of their open window coaches since you wouldn't be running on NS during excursions. Maybe you could do a Reading to Pittston excursion with a stop at Jim Thorpe. I met Kelly Lynch on the train in 2013 and Rich Melvin in the gift shop/snack bar car and in front of the 765 at Jim Thorpe in Aug 2015. He retired from engineer after the Sept. 2016 excursions at CVSR in Ohio.

[@CPKCRAILROAD]

Doyle mcCormick was the engineer on southern pacific no 4449

[@richcox6427]

Not “was”. He still is.

[@1940limited]

Ft.Wayne was offering an opportunity to spend some time behind the throttle for $1000. I don't know if they still do it or how many signed up. It was a few years ago.

[@1chuck96]

'Ya know what nobody seems to mention in ANY cab video...is the strength that it takes to pull the throttle back. Doyle is a rather large guy, yet he (and multi-others I've seen), have a considerable amount of difficulty pulling that grapevine back and I somewhat get-it, (since I've never had the opportunity). There "ain't" NO power assisted throttles on ANY machine, right? Me, and at age 70...? I'd have to put my left foot against the back head, (or something nearby), and strain like hell just to get it to creep along, (not to mention in running mode).

[@Tripper714]

I have various locomotives USA (diesel and steam) and many European (in all about 200 exemplars) that I make to circulate in my model (name channel "Giancarlo Murer"). This locomotive (Berkshire) of the MTH ,with smoke and dynamic whistle, has already been presented and, soon, will be made the test on the model, with its video KZbin. Is it possible to download from your site the photos of the card (will be summarized the text with the indication of your site, on which to deepen the knowledge of this beautiful locomotive)? Congratulations for your site and for the videos I’m watching with much interest! Greetings Giancarlo Murer

[@mikeyhowell5449]

Nickel plate 765 steam engine whistle is it 3 chime or 5chime Nathan

[@JOEMAMA_534]

6 chime. It’s a Nathan, but made of cast iron, thus it sounds different

[@VincesArtDesigns]

What happened to the 4449? Does she still run?

[@Redwagon2012]

She still runs

[@richcox6427]

Unfortunately the Oregon Rail Heritage Center, home of the SP #4449 and the SP&S #700, does not own trackage for excursions. The adjacent Union Pacific Railroad tracks are not available at this time. But, yes she is operational.

[@JOEMAMA_534]

no way

[@tomstarcevich1147]

🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃👍

[@JohnSchuster-yc6dp]

How hard is it to drive a locomotive?

[@richcox6427]

Let’s put it this way. Several weeks of classroom instruction, followed by several years working as a conductor, then about six months of on the job training to achieve engineer certification.

[@JohnSchuster-yc6dp]

@@richcox6427 oh.

[@JohnSchuster-yc6dp]

@@richcox6427 I want to work for NS as a conductor. So yeah.

[@CTK1201]

This is just my personal opinion and I mean absolute no disrespect to ANYone as I say this,,, but to me, Running Steam Locos separates the Men from the Boys.

[@sylumgand]

Not many occupations where you're operating what is potentially a 100 ton rolling BLEVE anymore thats for sure.

[@michaelhardin470]

I worked with Doyle after the N&W took over the Nickel Plate. In fact I lived across the street for a while. Good man and fantastic railroader