This program shows NKP 765 from Huntington to Hinton, WV and return on the New River Trains on several weekends in October 1993 disguised as C&O Kanawha 2765 compiled into 1 roundtrip between Huntington and Hinton.

This program and "2765 on the C&O" by Greg Scholl Video Productions have some notable similarities and differences:

There is a cab ride on both programs. The only difference was that Pentrex's production showed the cab ride from Montgomery to Thurmond while Greg Scholl rode in the cab from Russell, KY to Limeville.

Both of these programs have Rich Melvin interviewed. But in the Pentrex production, Rich Melvin gives a detailed reason why 765 was disguised that only people who own this program will understand.

One of the things that's interesting in the Pentrex program that Greg Scholl did not cover is that there are vintage C&O photographs that include the real 2765 (which had been scrapped) and her sister locomotives. They also provided an in-depth detail of the Van Sweringen locomotives, including a table showing which railroads purchased them and from which builders.

Overall this is a great steam program that anyone will enjoy, especially those who have ridden the New River Trains behind steam or like the NKP 765 or C&O steam in general.

Additional remarks by Nikhil Murthy:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Definitely!
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Excellent Value!
Recommend to others? Definitely.

I was giving this as a Christmas present last year new river masquerade follows former nickel plate road Berkshire no.765 on the new river train from Huntington to Hinton wv unlike the years that it ran it was giving a different look as a Chesapeake & Ohio Kanawha no.2765 the highlight features a cab ride with engineer rich Melvin to Montgomery with informative talk on how he ran the engine during the conditions 1993 was also the last year the 765 ran as it was starting to show some tear and former Milwaukee road steam locomotive no.261 took over for the new river train the following year and that was the last time steam operated on csx rails and Amtrak runs over the line where the steam engines ran so I would say this is a great buy for anyone who likes to look back at the days of the new river train and how the 765 went out in a bang with the new river train

Additional remarks by chris collins:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value:: Fair.
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!

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Great DVD. The cab sequences in the new river gorge are excellent, and engineer RIch Melvin's commentary while operating the locomotive are really insightful. A must buy for steam and C&O fans.

Additional remarks by Luke:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Yes.
Image quality: Good.
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? Definitely.

In the pentrex version of the NKP Berkshire in disguise for the rest of the 1993 season which not only that southern California based company was there for the trips, but also main line motion pictures, skyfire video & Greg Scholl, the program starts with the engine itself idling in the siding, then it slowly moves forward so that more passengers can board the rear coaches. The locomotive is also wearing a hooter whistle as well as its own NKP whistle. Note the wheel slip. Once stopped, the passengers who were traveling by buses from various areas, are boarding the steam special for another day long trip down the line. A map of the entire New river gorge line from Huntington to Hinton West Virginia is included & the 2765 gets underway as the clock stroke 8:00 while leaving the yard at milepost 504. More passengers will be boarding the special at St. Albans & Montgomery. Throughout the entire journey, note the operation lifesaver logo on the water tender. While leaving Huntington, the pentrex narrator Dave Drui does some history on the 765 which does mention the freight runs in 1980. In East barboursville on October 24, 1993, the special creates a smoke show at milepost 494 while negotiating the bends. Moments later, the engine is at hurricane near milepost 479 on October 16. A mention of the 1991 NRHS convention with 765 & 1225 was heard. Afterwards, the hooter whistle was activated at Scott's curve near milepost 474 on October 23. Next, all of the people wanted to not only get a close up look at the special arriving at St. Albans, but also being boarded on the coaches near milepost 465 on October 16. With more passengers onboard, the locomotive continues east while heading for the gorge. Listen carefully for the wheel slip. The 2765 performed an excellent job with no diesel helpers. Another look at the map of the New river gorge line is included & the engine is at the state capital of Charleston while creating a smoke show. For a while, the main road is adjacent to the tracks. For pacing, the mainline runs alongside state highway 61. With pacing completed, the engine whistles for the arrival at Montgomery near milepost 422. More passengers will be boarding the train once again before heading for the gorge on October 24. Some passengers are waiting at the Amtrak cardinal station. The cardinal operates on Chesapeake & Ohio tracks which does contain all of the new river gorge line. While passengers are boarding the train, the volunteer fire department helps out with refilling the tenders while engineer Rich Melvin takes a coffee break. Another look at the map is included & a cab ride from Montgomery to Thurmond is shown with some commentary from the engineer himself. On days when Melvin isn't on the throttle of the coal burning Berkshire, he is a long time 3 rail and/or 2 rail O gauge model railroader, as well as being a narrator for titles by Hopewell productions, machines of iron, & O Gauge railroading magazine videos. Fireman Steve winicker not only looks at the gauges, but occasionally uses the alternate hooter whistle. Whenever a locomotive makes a wheel slip, the needles on the gauges move like a bullet. The steepest grade on the new river gorge line is at .48% between gulley & cotton hill. Taking a quick break from the cab ride, 2765 is being viewed from the hawk's near overlook on October 23 near milepost 409 as the engine struggled on greasy rails While crossing the bridge at 17 miles per hour as the hooter whistle is heard. From hawk's nest to Sewell, the double track mainline through the gorge have to be split up due to narrow conditions of this portion on the Huntington to Hinton line. Back in the cab, the engine crosses the bridge over the river While a helicopter is in the sky. Then it zig zags to the previous trip from the overlook, & back in the cab with more commentary from Melvin. The 2 tracks reunited together at Sewell in milepost 398. With the cab ride finished, 2765 arrives at Thurmond near milepost 390.8. Thurmond is located in the middle of nowhere deep in the gorge between hawk's nest & Hinton. There is a coaling tower from the steam years, historic storefronts, an abandoned branch line which splits across the river, & also a 2 story station which is Amtrak's second least used depot. Once Melvin brings the Berkshire/Kanawha to a stop in Thurmond, the passengers will get off for a photo runby. The photo run is underway as the engine activates the hooter whistle. With everyone back onboard, the locomotive will be removed from the special at meadow creek While diesels carry the passengers to Hinton. Before that happens, 2765 whistles through stretchers neck tunnel next to the Amtrak cardinal station at Prince. This is the only tunnel on the new river gorge line. At one time, there was a switch tower, but it's since been demolished. Prince also has a branch line known as the piney creek subdivision to Beckley. Between Prince & Hinton, 2765 passes by some fallen flag diesels from both the chessie system & seaboard family lines system on October 24 at milepost 379 in Quinnimont. At meadow creek near milepost 369, 2765 was removed from the special as it heads for the wye to be turned around While CSX 6209 handles the entire consist as it approaches Hinton, the eastern terminal of the new river gorge line. Another interview with Rich Melvin is included as he talks about transforming 765 into a Kanawha While other crew members service the engine in the background. A black & white still image of Kanawha 2784 on a freight is shown, as well as another Kanawha on a coal train. A chart consisting of the big 3 builders of steam engines: alco Baldwin & lima are shown. On the nickel plate, lima build 65, & alco made 15 bringing a total to 80. On the wheeling & lake erie, only alco built 31 of these Berkshires. The pere marquette Berkshires were only built by lima as 39 were constructed. Baldwin built 20 for the Louisville & Nashville. Chesapeake & Ohio has 20 from lima & 70 by alco. The Richmond Fredericksburg & Potomac have 10 by lima & the Virginian built only 5 by lima. Once the total chart is over, Melvin talks about the differences between the NKP Berkshire & the C&O Kanawha. A still image of the real 2765 is shown but it's since been gone for scrap. In 1937, the railroad's president George D. Brooke took over the design plans for the modifications of the Kanawha type engines. A still image of a head on shot of 2744 is included. A side shot of 2754 is shown, as well as a different scene of the real 2765 on a freight, then it later operates on passenger service with a motor car on the right. With the comparison segment over, 6209 arrives at Hinton near milepost 357. The Amtrak station there was burned down in flames in 1996 or 1998. Once at Hinton, the passengers took a walk downtown for participating in the town's railroad days weekend. There are booths, music, food, & even hand carved items that were made out of coal as well as artifacts. While everyone is enjoying a great time down there, 2765 heads for Hinton after being serviced & turned on the wye. At sandstone on October 24, the engine goes into reverse at milepost 366, then it arrives at Hinton where it'll reunite to its coaches. Once all of the passengers who booked this special after visiting railroad days downtown, they are back onboard as 2765 passes by the coaling tower on October 16. It'll be an hour before midnight by the time the locomotive arrives back at Huntington. Meanwhile at Quinnimont near milepost 379 on October 24, CSX diesels & bay window cabooses are parked on the siding to let 2765 pass by. Afterwards, the special whistles through Prince station & entering stretchers neck tunnel near milepost 380 on October 23, then it arrives in Montgomery at milepost 422 as night falls. Passengers who booked the trip from that town was removed, & the engine continues to st. Albans & Huntington after a water stop and to be made from the local fire department in Montgomery. For the remainder of the return trip, Tom Stevens took the throttle for the westbound trip home. Leaving Montgomery, the hooter whistle is activated as everyone in this area says farewell forever to the engine that came from the fort Wayne railroad historical society in Indiana. All to soon, the month long new river trips came to a close on October 24 just less than a week before Halloween, as 2765 arrives back in Huntington While passing by the CSX yard office. Once at the Huntington station, all of the last remaining passengers on this all day long trip through the gorge says thanks to Rich Melvin & the rest of the crew.

While the real 2765 have since been gone for scrap, there are several Kanawha class 2-8-4s that are still with us today. The only active Kanawha from the C&O is 2716. 2716 used to operate on the original Norfolk southern steam program in 1981 & 1982 only before the engine had cracks in the firebox, then later for a really short time in Indiana during 1996 while 765 is out of service due to the 1472 day/boiler inspection, & after 18 years of standing silent at the Kentucky railway museum in New Haven, the engine is at its third restoration in Ravenna alongside 587. Prior to the masquerade as 2765 in 1993 a couple of months earlier, 765 doubleheads with 587 to Chicago for that year's NRHS convention.

Even though 1993 was the final year for 765 on the new river train due for an out of service boiler inspection, the following year, 1994 was sadly the official final run of steam on the New river train as Milwaukee road 261 traveled all the way from the Minnesota twin cities to pull the last time steam operated on this incredible easternmost route.

While the case says 90 minutes, it's actually 80 minutes while the extra 10 minutes feature previews of other pentrex titles.

All in all, this program would officially Mark the final time 765 powers the new river trips as well as the final time that pentrex captured the Berkshire/Kanawha since 1989.

Additional remarks by Steamboy:
Narration: Just enough.
Would kids enjoy this? Definitely!
Image quality: Excellent!
DVD Value: Good Value
Recommend to others? A "Must Have"!