Railroad Forums 

  • Reading & Northern 425 to pull Autumn Leaf Excursions

  • The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (reporting mark RBMN) (a.k.a. Reading and Northern Railroad) is a regional railroad operating in eastern Pennsylvania. Website: http://www.rbmnrr.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (reporting mark RBMN) (a.k.a. Reading and Northern Railroad) is a regional railroad operating in eastern Pennsylvania. Website: http://www.rbmnrr.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 #428999  by bwparker1
 
Via TRAINS Newswire:

Reading & Northern 425 to pull Autumn Leaf Excursions

July 27, 2007
PORT CLINTON, Pa. - The Reading & Northern Railroad will operate fall foliage excursions from Port Clinton to Jim Thorpe, Pa. This year's trips will mark the return to excursion service of former Gulf, Mobile & Northern 4-6-2 Pacific No. 425 after a rebuild to return it to service. Baldwin built the engine for GM&N in 1928.

This year, three excursions are offered: Oct. 13-14, pulled by No. 425, and a diesel trip on Oct. 20. The trips depart from Reading & Northern's Port Clinton headquarters at 9 a.m. The train travels north along the Little Schuylkill River, then enters the Anthracite region, passing Tamaqua and through a tunnel and over the Hometown High Bridge. At Jim Thorpe, passengers have 3½ hours to tour the town. The train returns to Port Clinton at about 6:30 p.m.

Prices for steam coach seats on either Oct. 13 or 14 are $69. Diesel coach seats on Oct. 20 are $39. Call 610-562-2102, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time weekdays for Pullman Reservations (limited seating). A ticket order form can be downloaded at http://www.rbmnrr.com

 #429217  by 56-57
 
how are they turning the 425?? hometown wye??

 #431698  by Schuylkill Valley
 
They just might , or they will run backward like in the past.
I know I'll be chasing the train. on the 13th.

Len.

 #446174  by OCtrainguy
 
I will be up in the Lehigh Gorge that weekend. I've only been there a few times, so I am not sure of the names with respect to the routing. Will these trains pass through Nesquehoning on its way to/from Jim Thorpe? Where is the Hometown High Bridge? Is that the bridge over the NS track and the river that the Lehigh Gorge trains take out of Jim Thorpe?

 #446188  by pumpers
 
I have never been on this trip, but it seems there is only one way
to do it: From Port Clinton, the train goes north on the former Reading line in direction of Tamaqua. A few miles NW of Tamaqua (past Tamaqua), at East Mahanoy Jct, it goes north on
former Reading line which used to go to Catawissa. A few miles N of there at Haucks it connects to former CNJ Nesquehoning Branch. THen it goes over the Hometown trestle all the way to Jim Thorpe. About a mile before Jim THorpe is where the Nesqhehoning branch connects with the CNJ mainline. THe mainline goes north over the restored Lehigh River Bridge, but to get to Jim THorpe you go south and not over the bridge. If you go to maps.google.com, all the RR lines are on it at reasonably high zoom.
On another forum a RBMNRR employee said they are running tender-first going back to PC.

JS

 #446224  by Steamtown Observer
 
The latest word filtering out seems to indicate the 425 will not be done in time.

 #446231  by blockline4180
 
Steamtown Observer wrote:The latest word filtering out seems to indicate the 425 will not be done in time.
Hmmm, i figured that would happen.. Good thing i didn't buy tickets...

 #447024  by OCtrainguy
 
pumpers wrote:I have never been on this trip, but it seems there is only one way to do it: From Port Clinton, the train goes north on the former Reading line in direction of Tamaqua. A few miles NW of Tamaqua (past Tamaqua), at East Mahanoy Jct, it goes north on former Reading line which used to go to Catawissa. A few miles N of there at Haucks it connects to former CNJ Nesquehoning Branch. Then it goes over the Hometown trestle all the way to Jim Thorpe. About a mile before Jim THorpe is where the Nesqhehoning branch connects with the CNJ mainline. THe mainline goes north over the restored Lehigh River Bridge, but to get to Jim THorpe you go south and not over the bridge. If you go to maps.google.com, all the RR lines are on it at reasonably high zoom.
Thanks for the information and the link. I got a chance yesterday to check it out and put places and names together. So the train will pass through Nesquehoning on its way to/from Jim Thorpe. How is the lighting in the area for morning and afternoon trains? Depending on the time of my soccer game on October 13th, I hope to get up there before sunset.

 #447772  by harmon44
 
Received a call from the RR and they advised the engine might not be available. They offered refunds to anyone who wanted steam only. They will run diesel if 425 is not ready. Diesel price being charged no matter what happens. Looking foward to the trip no matter what pulls it.

 #447873  by Schuylkill Valley
 
I contacted the Railroad today. I was talking to a person up stairs in the office, He told me that I'm not to believe every rumor that is going around. The locomotive is coming along very nicely, that's all the man told me.

Len.

 #448076  by chuchubob
 
Schuylkill Valley wrote:I contacted the Railroad today. I was talking to a person up stairs in the office, He told me that I'm not to believed every rumor that is going around. The locomotive is coming along very nicely, that's all the man told me.

Len.
Good advice. However, I wouldn't place a phone call from the railroad in the rumor category. I also got the call and was told that it's still possible that 425 would run, but unlikely. I chose to take the trip anyway.
Needless to say, I'd rather ride behind 425.

 #449831  by mst145
 
I found this on the Reading Northern Website:

September 19, 2007
Dear Fall Foliage Excursion Patron:

The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the fact that it is unlikely Steam Locomotive 425 will be the motive power for our October 13 and 14, 2007 fall foliage excursions from Port Clinton, PA to Jim Thorpe, PA. Steam locomotives are very complicated, and the rehabilitation of them can be both arduous and time consuming. Sometimes, the best-laid plans of men go awry – such is the case with 425. Please be assured we tried, and are continuing to try at the time of this writing, to complete the rebuilding of this fine steam locomotive.

We do not want to take your money unfairly. We are, therefore, charging only $39.00 per person (our usual fare) for the upcoming fall foliage excursions.

If, by chance, 425 is successfully completed in time, you, our faithful rail patron, will benefit and ride behind steam at the discounted fare of $39.00 per person.

Thank you for your kind understanding on this matter.

Sincerely,

Therman Madeira
Executive Vice President
Passenger Services


Here's the link:
http://readingnorthern.com/passenger_ji ... tice.shtml



M.T.