In recent years I have been using the Thanksgiving travel season to document more of the signaling on the Reading and Northern main line which now runs between Reading and Scranton on former Reading, CNJ and Lehigh Valley trackage. These trips provide me the chance to catch some action on the old PRR Main Line near Harrisburg as well as the RBMN's Scranton to Mach Chunk excursion service in the Poconos. 2024 was no different and I came away with ( mirror ) an informal train chase between CP-ROCKVILLE and CP-CANNON as well as RBMN photos at CP-LAUREL RUN.
My first goal was to catch Amtrak's westbound Pennsylvanian Train 43. Arriving at a highway overpass at the eastern end of CP-ROCKVILLE, I saw NS AC44C6M locomotives #4314 and #4256 moving slowly towards a Restricting signal indication ahead on track #2 of a manifest freight consist. A Clear signal on track #1 was presumably for the Pennsylvanian.
My assessment proved accurate when Train 43 arrived on the scene with P42DC #119 and pulled past the NS freight.
While I knew there was no way I could catch up with the Pennsylvanian, the NS freight was still moving at a crawl so I jumped in my car and hightailed it across the Susquehanna River to CP-BANKS.
Since it was still moving pretty slowly I figured I could get ahead of it again at the old Cove, PA signal location. Sure enough when I got there I saw an approaching headlight, but to my surprise instead of the pair of AC44C6M's and trash cubes, I saw NS SD70ACe #1149 and AC44C6M #4190 ahead of a different manifest freight on track #1. This train was likely running ahead of the one I had previously seen, which explained the Restricting signal indication, and then crossed over to Track #1 at CP-BANKS.
As it slowly moved passed, likely still on signals for Train 43 ahead of it, #4314 and #4256 appeared again, still on track #2 and making up ground on the train in track #1.
With the reactivation of Reading T-1 class 4-8-4 steam locomotive #2102, the Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern has been on a tear finding new places and ways to run main line steam excursions. In 2024, the RBMN used its August slot to take fans from its new "Regional Transportation Center" in Nesquehoning, PA to the Scranton-adjacent town of Pittston, PA in conjunction with its annual Tomato Festival. Seeing as how I had been looking to ride an excursion up the Lehigh Gorge to the Wyoming Valley, I booked tickets with a friend and set out from the Baltimore area at 5am for the RBMN's 9am departure. If you are interested in the video content, you can catch it here and if you want to browse the full set of photos you can find that here ( mirror ).
When industry consolidation closed the Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. factory in Nesquehoning, PA, the Reading and Northern seized the opportunity to purchase its sizable manufacturing campus for conversion into an omnibus rail operations base with shoppe facilities and administrative offices. A side effect of this purchase was a new location to stage rail excursions that was both closer to Scranton and wouldn't interfere with the popular Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad, which was already parking limited in the busy tourist town of Mauch Chunk.
To this end, RBMN owner Andy Muller built and christened the Nesquehoning Regional Transportation Center on the property with the official ribbon cutting taking place before the day's Iron Horse Ramble.
Also on hand for the event was the RBMN's black bear mascot and Andy's personal M5 light tank.
While I had ridden on this part of the RBMN Main Line as part of the 2102+425 ramble in 2022, I turned onto new route milage at JIM THORPE JCT, crossing the Lehigh River on the state funded bridge that finally connected the two halves of the RBMN Main Line between Reading and Pittston. Except for a few small gaps, this Main Line is equipped with CTC signaling and interlockings.
Although the day was overcast, the former Lehigh Valley Railroad path through the Gorge offered ample photo opportunities.
One legacy issue with the line is the near complete lack of signaled passing sidings in the 60 odd miles between Tamaqua and Mountain top. This makes trains having to pull into hand operated sidings and spur tracks the only way to achieve a meet. Here #2102 meets RBMN GP38-2 #2023 and the southbound Pittston to Mauch Chunk tourist train at the TANNERY siding.
#2102 crossing back to the west side of the Lehigh River at White Haven.
With 16+ cars and a steep grade to the Pocono summit at Mountain Top, the 5000hp T-1 class consumed a lot of water and has to stop to top up at the old CNJ yard at Mountain Top, which also hosts the RBMN Penobscott Station.
The yard is home to RBMN's locomotive deadline with freight units like SD50's #5033 and #5022, but also a pair of former SRNJ F3's cab units that used to work the Salem Branch before being stored at Windows Jct for over a decade.
Since Andy Muller isn't made of brake shoes, a pair of "Fast Freight" painted SD50's (#5019 and #5018) are attached to the head end at Mountain Top so that the consist can enjoy the benefits of dynamic braking into the Wyoming Valley.
At Pittston the Ramble train was greeted by loads of railfans as well as local buses drafted into transporting the passengers to the town's Tomatoe Festival during the four hour layover. Even in his 70's, Andy Muller is a consummate businessman and we suspected that he had worked out some deal with the town to bring an extra 1500 or so odd captive tourists to their local event.
The festival was conceived in the 80's as a way to revive the local scene after the collapse of Anthracite coal mining. In addition to the typical carnival fare, the local "Old Forge" pizza style was also on offer.
The Pittston station, which sees regularly scheduled Lehigh Gorge tourist trains to Mauch Chunk, had also been styled as the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Regional Transportation Centre.
When we got back to the station #2102 was getting serviced, including an ash pan dump.
Pittston has been the base of RBMN's Scranton area operations for decades with the passenger service being the relative newcomer. GP30 rebuild #2533 and caboose #92817 were on hand for local operations.
Speaking of local operations, there was no way that Andy was going to let a steam passenger Ramble get in the way of normal freight operations. As a result GP30 rebuild #2534 and SD50M #5049 were out getting a single lumber car out for delivery.
#2102 returned from servicing triggering a pair of vintage grade crossing wigways. These electro-mechanical warning lights were once common, but have become pretty much extinct on the North American rail network in recent years.
#2102 proceeded out to Pittston yard to couple up to the Ramble consist before heading forward to platform the train.
Heading back up the grade, we eventually passed the returning Mauch Chunk weekend excursion train with GP38-2 #2015, waiting at CP--SOLOMONS GAP.
Passing Crestwood Road at Milepost 153 one can get a good feeling for the traveling circus of railfans that always accompany these mainline steam excursions.
Passing the intermediate White Haven station. The Poconos have lodging and attractions over a wide area so Andy Muller has added intermediate stops to attract ridership.
The Interstate 80 Lehigh River Bridge replacement project is under way.
People who pine for the days of steam and coal have probably never ridden a trip like this and don't realize how dirty coal is as a fuel.
#2102 after a hard day's work at Nesquehoning.
The parking situation still encourages one to hang out for a bit and get some additional photos. I'm not sure what role GP38-2 #2014 was going to play getting the Ramble train back to Port Clinton, but it looked nice sparkling in the twilight.
KME's main assembly building has been converted into a locomotive repair hall with new tracks being cut through the former parking lot.
Since I was continuing on to South Jersey, I wasn't in a position to get my steam excursion buddy home that day. Instead I put him on an NJT Atlantic City Line train at Cherry Hill, where he would connect to Amtrak via 30th St. The ACRL link was powered by GP40PH-2B #4204.
Well that's it for my big RBMN Main Line Steam excursion of 2024. Next time I'll be getting my steps in visiting some of the neat railfanning locations in Washington, DC.
Looks like its time to fire up Reading and Northern T-1 class 4-8-4 #2102 for another main line steam excursion in the anthracite coal region of eastern Pennsylvania. This year the August offering for the RBMN's Iron Horse Ramble was a round trip from the new Nesquehoning Regional Transportation Centre to the end of their Main Line in Pittston, PA such that the railfans could spend a few hours enjoying Pittston's annual Tomatoe Festival (which started in 1983 when the decline in coal mining required a rebranding). Because I still need some time to finish the photos I'll be starting things off with a video post.
Sitting on the left hand side of the train, which would face the Lehigh River on the outbound trip, I chose to focus on still photos due to the superior scenery and lighting. The exception to the aforementioned scenery was the part of the trip between Glen Okono and CP-M&H JCT, which is located on the east side of the Lehigh River. Also lacking signals to photograph, I turned my digital camera to its video mode.
Once back across to the east side of the Lehigh River I switched over to stills and allowed my travel buddy Ferrocastor to shoot phone video as he saw fit. The grades on this part of the trip had former Reading T-1 #2102 working hard as it used its full 5000hp to elevate the 19 car consist.
After arriving at Pittston and spending the better part of 4 hours eating Old Forge style Pizza and associated carnival food, it was time to return to the Nesquehoning Regional Transportation Centre. There we found #2102 getting some mid-run TLC from the crews including an ash pan wash.
The locomotive then ran lite up the north end of the yard to fetch the 19-car consist for the return trip south. Most of the standard fare coaches were former Reading "Blueliner" electric MU's built in the 1930's. If one wanted to pay more to not hear or feel the main line steam action, one could ride in one of the post-war "lightweight" cars towards the end.
Intending to capture most of the return trip on video I pulled out my trusty old GoPro and got to work. This first part covers the most dramatic part of the trip as T-1 #2102 attacks the stiff grade of the old LVRR Mountain Cutoff between Pittston and Mountain Top, PA. North of CP-LAUREL RUN the former Conrail Lehigh Line switches to the old Central RR of NJ Alignment to its yard at Mountain Top where we pause to take on water.
All topped up with water, #2102 and friends depart Mountain Top under the old CNJ signal bridge and proceed to the community of White Haven, PA where the Lehigh Line shifts back to the former Lehigh Valley RR alignment. Note the square CNJ mileposts.
Back in the scenic Lehigh Gorge I get to face the cliffs and forests due to the RAMB spinning the entire trainset at Pittston. This video covers the former Conrail Lehigh Line from White Haven to CP-M&H JCT.
Crossing the river I get to pair my earlier video with its opposite facing towards the Lehigh River and the parallel CNJ bike trail located between the river and the LVRR. The video finishes up with our train taking the sweeping curve of the brand new bridge to connect the northern and southern ends of the Reading and Northern Main Line.
From this point on I already had video coverage of #2102 hauling a similar Ramble back in 2022 so I shut down the studio to enjoy the final few miles into the Nesquehoning RTC. Tune in next week for the equally exciting and informative still photos from this trip.
The Reading and Northern continues to be the only bright spot when it comes to interesting signaling with its deployment of CTC and use of both searchlights an recovered Reading vintage hardware like bracket masts. Over the last few years I have been making regular incursions into Reading country to document this signaling, but with all of the low hanging fruit now harvested I have been having to travel a bit further onto the former Lehigh Valley portion of their "Main Line" between North Reading and Pittston. In the winter of 2023 I used a trip to see my vintage radio/TV and railfan friend Phil, to access the former Conrail Lehigh Line passing point around Mountain Top, PA with its associated interlockings, block signals and RBMN passenger operations. You can find the full gallery of these photos here ( mirror ).
On my way up to the East Branch Susquehanna valley I stopped off at CP-ROCKVILLE north of Harrisburg to catch the late running eastbound Amtrak Pennsylvanian Train 42 as it came off the famed Rockville Bridge with P42DC #104 leading.
I stopped off in Sunbury, PA to hike out and photograph the surviving D&H bracket mast on what is now the NS Sunbury Line. Previously serving as the southbound signal for a CTC siding, the old signal was converted into a fixed distant for CP-KASE on the NS Buffalo Line when D&H successor Canadian Pacific downgraded this part of the line to TWC. More recently NS removed the bracket and fixed searchlight from service to be replaced by one of its own standard cabinet masts.
The next morning I drive directly to CP-SOLOMON at Mountain Top, PA where I was greeted by a former New Haven RR cabin car #C566 which had been acquired by a local preservation group and set up to honor the various coal region railroads. Members of the group were on hand to set up an extensive holiday display, which seemed to be the justification for the ample parking facilities.
A Clear signal indication was displaying on the 2E searchlight mast at CP-SOLOMON for the morning run of the Reading Northern's weekend Pittston to Mach Chunk tourist train via the Lehigh Gorge. Historic Mach Chunk has emerged as a significant food and shopping destination as well as a gateway to the Pocono outdoor recreation scene and the RBMN now serves the community with weekend/holiday passenger services from both the north and south. The name CP-SOLOMON is in reference to Solomon's Gap, the geologic feature that both the Lehigh Valley and Central RR of NJ took advantage of to access the Wyoming Valley coal fields and the Scranton metropolitan area.
The three car train of Budd lightweight stock was being easily handled up the stiff grade by R&N GP38-2 #2023. When Conrail came on the scene it used the best parts of the former CNJ and LVRR main lines to create its new Lehigh Line. The alignment changes from CNJ to LVRR just north of the rock cut seen in the photo.
R&N #3023 and the southbound train to Mach Chunk passing through CP-SOLOMON.
