Reading and Northern
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- Опубликовано: 3 авг 2024
- On Saturday, June 22nd, 2024, Reading and Northern Railroad's 4-8-4 "Northern" type steam locomotive, ex-Reading T-1 #2102, led the second Iron Horse Ramble of 2024 from the new Nesquehoning Regional Railroad Station to Tunkhannock, PA and return!
This trip would prove to be full of new experiences for the railroad, passengers, and railfans alike! Firstly, this was the first Iron Horse Ramble to travel on a different route besides the traditional Reading to Jim Thorpe route, as well as the first train to depart the new station at Reading and Northern's Nesquehoning Campus. Additionally, it was the first time since 2102 was restored to operation in 2022 that it traversed on any trackage north of Jim Thorpe.
Perhaps the most impressive thing about this trip, however, was the fact that it was likely the first time that a locomotive as large as 2102 traveled between Pittston and Tunkhannock, PA since the days of the Lehigh Valley Railroad in the early 1950s!
This Iron Horse Ramble excursion proved to be an 11-hour all-day venture for its passengers! Departing promptly at 9am, 2102 led its 17-car train of 700 passengers north through the Lehigh Gorge to White Haven, over Penobscot Mountain, through Pittston, and North along the Susquehanna River to Tunkhannock. Once arrived, passengers were able to disembark the train and explore the events of Tunkhannock's 43rd Annual Founder's Day Festival during a three-hour layover.
There were also some unique operations that took place to make this excursion successful. In the early morning, 2102 as well as diesel locomotives #2014, #270, and #275 shoved the entire rambles consist south from Jim Thorpe to Nesquehoning prior to passenger boarding. Once arrived at Nesquehoning, the diesel locomotives were set off on a side track to be used in the evening for night switching maneuvers, and 2102 reversed to connect to the passenger consist and prepared to depart at 9am.
Additionally, when the train got to Penobscot, two SD50-2s connected in front of 2102 and were utilized for their dynamic breaks on the steep downgrade from Penobscot Mountain going into Pittston. Once arrived in Pittston Yard, the diesels were removed for 2102 to lead north to Tunkhannock. These operations were reminiscent of the original Iron Horse Rambles of the Reading Railroad days, which utilized diesel helpers or motive power during portions of the excursions.
Overall I feel that this chase went decently well; I was not able to get every shot I had planned, however, I was able to capture several epic moments, especially on the southbound trip!
If you're curious to see what the perspective of this trip was like from onboard the train, please feel free to check out my good friend @JamieMakin's channel to see her video of the ride!
Additionally, if you are interested in riding behind 2102 yourself or would like to ride a train along this route, feel free to visit Reading and Northern's website at www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/ to get more information.
I hope that you enjoy this historic Iron Horse Ramble with the famous T-1 #2102!!
0:00 JTNQ and JTEX shove Iron Horse Rambles Consist south from Jim Thorpe to Nesquehoning
1:56 Setting off diesel locomotives 2014, 270, and 275 to allow 2102 to connect to the passenger consist
5:26 Intro to the day
6:39 A brief look around Nesquehoning Station/Campus
7:50 The crew adds the White Flags to 2102
9:06 5-minute warning whistle
9:51 2102 Departs Nesquehoning as train NQTK
12:55 Climbing through White Haven at D&L Trail Access
14:18 Passing through Glen Summit
15:39 Diesel crew PETK is added to 2102 in Penobscot (#5018 and #5019)
18:58 Passing the Wilke-Barre/Scranton Regional Railroad Station
21:19 Cruising through Ransom Township
22:14 Arrival in Tunkhannock, PA
26:24 PETK arrives to take 2102 south for servicing
30:16 2102 returns later to couple to the rear of the train
32:42 Preparing to depart Tunkhannock tender first
33:33 Just me and a curious deer waiting for the 02' in Falls, PA
36:19 Turning 2102 on the wye in Pittston with the wig wag crossing
37:38 Departing Pittston to head South
40:18 Oak St, Pittston (Wide open throttle!)
41:44 Solomon's Gap
42:58 JTPI departs for Pittston
43:28 2102 departs Penobscot for Nesquehoning
45:16 White Haven, PA
46:46 Nesquehoning Tunnel
48:42 Outro
I know this wasn't your easiest chase, but it really turned out well! Your Nesquehoning departure shot was cool getting to see the F units and 2014 in the background. It's a whole new territory up north, and I enjoyed seeing some all new shots in that area. I enjoyed your commentary along the way too. That was wild having that deer stare you down like that, then I noticed another deer jumped over the tracks at the Nesquehoning Tunnel as 2102 was blowing her whistle. Even though we both enjoyed the day differently, it sure was a fun one!
Thanks Jamie! Overall, it did turn out to be a pretty decent chase even if it wasn’t the easiest one. Definitely glad I came out for it though and it was super worth it to once again witness history in the making with 2102! And yeah, that deer and I stared at each other for at least 5 or six minutes before 2102 arrived lol, it was very interested in me. Thought it was a nice touch to show some wildlife, because that is part of the experience too. Glad to hear you had a fun day as well!
Nice coverage throughout the day. I definitely enjoyed the return shot at Nesquehoning tunnel and nice catch of the deer. Hope you stayed hydrated throughout the day, it was a warm one.
Thanks! Yes I was very pleased with both of those shots as well; and believe it or not I drank close to 5 big bottles of water that day!
despite the heat that day (especially in coach), this was a great excursion!
Glad to hear you had a good time!
Did you hear something rare with a tractor trailer and an ambulance? A tractor trailer did the first half of shave a haircut and then the ambulance did the second half. Usually the steam, diesel or electric locomotives would do shave a haircut whistle or horn
This was the first time that the Fast Freight SD50s pulled the Iron Horse Rambles since 2022. Both 5018 and 5019 covered for 2102 on October 8, 2022 after 2102 sustained a mechanical issue. Great video and chase on 2102!
Great catches awesome chase and capture and nice video collin
Thank you very much!
Great Video Collin! You got some great shots!
Thanks Seth! It was a pretty awesome day!
Very nice and interesting. One of my fellow model railroad club members went on this very same trip, and showed us video footage (that he took with his phone) of the view from his passenger coach.
great video, it was an awesome ride! best excursion i was ever on! hope you enjoyed the airshow in Tunkhannock 😎
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it; and yeah, that was pretty unique in Tunkhannock!
Awesome excursion catches!
Thanks!
Great work
Thank you!
Excellent work brotha! Also just now noticed you got me & my truck getting into the station haha, Cody & I were so late 😅 great seeing you out there buddy! Excellent chasing!
Thanks man! And oh geez I didn’t realize I caught you guys lol; glad you made it to get on though!
2102 - это самый красивый паровоз! Я, можно сказать, в него влюблён! Спасибо за видео!
9:52 Highball!
THERES ME BEHIND THAT THAT WOMAN WAVING!! AT 20:16 ! thanks
Caught me walking in the black diamond store @7:36 of the video what are the odds lol
Quite the coincidence lol
PA railfan 2102 is my favorite 4-8-4 northern
Great video. Quick question. I’m curious why 2102 didn’t let out any hot air or steam really when departing nesquehoning. Any reason behind this?
Thank you! To be honest, I wondered the same thing. A few minutes before they departed the engineer did open the cylinder cocks to blow out most of the condensation, so there is a good chance that most of the moisture got out then. I also watched as he went by and saw the throttle was just barely cracked open, so not much steam was going to the cylinders anyway. So, I’d say a combination of the two. Just goes to show how powerful 2102 is that it can move a 17-car passenger consist with the throttle only cracked!
@@PANortheasternRailfanIt's because the track is actually downgrade through Nesquehoning toward Jim Thorpe Junction, so basically they coasted the train out of the station without applying much power
I’m curious, why didn’t they turn the whole train in Pittston? Are the legs of the wye that short?
I think what it really came down to was the tight schedule of the day, as well as the fact that if 2102 would’ve taken the consist around the wye, then it would have to run around the train as well, which would’ve took even more time. It definitely could be done though if they wanted to in the future, but this time made sense to just turn 2102
@@PANortheasternRailfanI didn’t think of it that way. You are right it can be done but too many moving parts needed at the wye to prevent the need to run around. This is also what the car host on Hickory Run was referring to during the May Ramble as she said we would be facing backwards on the way home to Reading and I was confused as heck. I guess she got her trips mixed up.
I’m waiting for the Ashland trip in July. Will you be chasing that one or not worth it?
@@James-Railyard I might get a couple shots of it; since I chased the RDC charter in April I don’t think I’ll do the whole day, but I could catch some of it.
It's because RJ Corman owns one leg of the wye and somebody decided not to let passengers on that section. To turn the coaches would have required the passengers to ride on the track. RBMN in recent years has almost never run passenger trains over any section of track that they do not own. In fall 1987 and 1988 the 2102 and PRR and Reading diesels ran excursions over Conrail as well as Sept 1985 with 2102 with Reading Tech and borrowed BM&R coaches and two ex-Reading coaches. Something like that can't happen again over NS. The NS 21st Century Steam Program (2011-2015 and 611 only 2016-2017) was an exception. I rode behind Fort Wayne 765 from near Bethlehem to Pittston on Aug 22, 2015 and the entire train turned on the Pittston wye. They loaded Subway sandwiches onto the train at Pittston to hand out for free. I guess lunch was included with the cost of the tickets.
@@robkrasinski6217 but the cars are usually empty when the cars are turned. In Jim Thorpe the cars are turned on the Wye at Mauch Chunck while everyone is in town.
Well atleast reading and Northern 2102 running on Norfolk southern former Lehigh valley line to Pittston and reading and northern Tunkhannock branch line!
Norfolk Southern has no ownership of any of the tracks 2102 ran on. They wouldn't be able to operate any excursions on NS owned track. NS owns the line paralleling the RBMN track through the Lehigh Gorge for several miles and at Old Penn Haven the NS track veers off toward Hazleton and RBMN goes toward White Haven. NS only has an Allentown-Hazleton local left. They used to use 45 miles of RBMN track to Dupont where they used a connector track to go to Binghamton, NY but not anymore. They bought the track from CP now CPKC in Sept 2015 from Schenectady, NY to Sunbury, PA. I rode on some of the NS track during a 765 excursion from near Bethlehem to Pittston and return on Aug 22, 2015.
Well NS and RBMN share together the track along the old Lehigh valley mainline to Scranton Pennsylvania where we can see the NS Taylor yard just 4 or 3 mile outside Scranton PA
NS suppose to continue Binghamton NY but it own by cp(now CPKC) for bridge line from Scranton to Binghamton NY. Your information maybe sometimes right sometimes wrong because some track with single track you saw it just RBMN Pittston subdivision but its actually NS track From Taylor yard to Allentown sub with freight marker numbers 31Z because there is a junction just 1.5 miles in Pittston connect to NS and RBMN Track.
What time did the train show up to the station and how early were passengers able to board?
Passengers began boarding this train shortly after its arrival at 7am. This video shows it arriving in Tunkhannock at 1pm
@@PANortheasternRailfan I’m riding on August 17th I want a window seat so I wanted to know how early to be there, thank you so much!
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Why does it have white flags? Because it had American flags in 2022
The white flags are a call back to the days of the original Reading Railroad Iron Horse Rambles; they designate the train as an “extra” train