2025 is shaping up to be an exciting year on the Reading & Northern Railroad! We've dubbed it "The Year of Steam" with continued 2102 trips and the highly-anticipated return of 425 later this year.
Our kickoff came the day before the Superbowl when we had our first ever winter Iron Horse Ramble from Reading Outer Station to Jim Thorpe and back. On February 8, 2025 #2102, the T-1 4-8-4 Northern steam locomotive, pulled a consist of 16 cars through Berks, Schuylkill, and Carbon Counties in Pennsylvania.
While the route may be familiar, winter completely changed the landscape. Operationally there were a few differences with passengers being allowed to ride the wye move for the first time, the water tanker being stored indoors at Nesquehoning, and the switch to diesel power in Port Clinton for the final leg of the trip.
0:00 intro
1:21 "Little Peacock's Lock Viaduct", Bern Townshipe
2:44 Happy Valley Road, Molino
4:09 Route 443/895 New Ringgold
5:23 Nesquehoning Junction, Lehigh Gorge State Park
7:04 2102 turns around on the wye
16:40 NQEX (Nesquehoning extra), Jim Thorpe Junction
19:34 3 pm Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, Nesquehoning Junction
21:45 NQEX Nesquehoning Junction
22:49 having fun with Narrator Russ Scianna at Jim Thorpe Station
25:49 2102 cab tour
29:04 hanging out with fans and friends
31:33 3 trains moving at once!
35:00 NQEX heads to the rail yard
36:18 2102 pulls into Jim Thorpe Station for boarding
38:26 Jim Thorpe rail yard
40:41 Route 309, Tamaqua
41:55 Route 443, South Tamaqua
42:45 switching from steam to diesel in Port Clinton
48:34 departure to Reading Outer Station
50:30 end screen
Chasing trains and building models is hard work! You can help me refuel and support my adventures at:
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jamiemakin