Reading & Northern 2102: Early Autumn on the Anthracite Road

In Autumn 2022, the Reading & Northern's famous Fall Foliage excursions were headed by T-1 2102 for the very first time. The boisterous locomotive filled the skies with thick black smoke, blowing leaves and branches off the trees as she made her way to Jim Thorpe. The locomotive was sporting her original Reading Hooter and her famous Reading 6 Chime. Due to a mechanical issue with her firing table, the 2102 was taken off the head end of the train on October 8th, leading to only one shot from that day being included in this video.

The Reading 2102 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1923, originally designated as an I-10sa class 2-8-0, 2044. By 1945, the Reading's growing demand for more powerful locomotives was answered, the locomotive was rebuilt into a T-1 class 4-8-4 in their very own shops. The T-1s performed beautifully, hauling coal trains across miles of track and up steep mount grades. This tenure eventually came to an end in 1956, when the Reading ended steam operation. The future was bleak, as 2102 became a steam generator for a steel plant. However, on April 29th, 1962, the locomotive exited an extensive restoration, pulling the Iron Horse Rambles along sister T-1 locomotives. By 1965, the Rambles ended, and 2102 was sold off. Again, she would not sit idle for long, as she ran all across the Northeast. In 1985, 2102 was sold to Andy Muller, owner of the up and coming Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad. 2102 ran for another six years, making her final run on October 27, 1991. While she was moved around here and there, the locomotive sat dormant until January 2016, when it was announced the locomotive would undergo restoration in the Reading, Blue Mountain, and Northern's steam shops. After six years, the locomotive is once again riding the rails of the steel road.

Special Thanks:
Reading, Blue Mountain, and Northern Railroad
RBM&N Passenger Department
The Crew of 2102
Reading & Northern Shop Crew
Andy Muller

RBM&N Passenger Department:
https://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/

0:00 Leesport, PA
1:19 Berne
2:10 Fork Mountain
3:07 Reynolds
4:20 Lake Hauto
5:31 Jim Thorpe, PA
6:46 Milepost 121
8:06 Milepost 116
9:43 Lake Drive
10:23 Hometown, PA

Filmed on October 1st & 8th, 2022.
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