This is a railroad channel that based in eastern Pennsylvania, an area rich in railroad history and home to many operating steam locomotives and other vintage trains. You'll see a lot of Reading & Northern and Norfolk-Southern trains here, but I also travel to other railroads, both freight and passenger. I feature model trains too, especially my growing N scale collection and the new switching layout I'm building.
I love biking on our area rail trails, many of which follow the old mainlines of the Lehigh Valley, CNJ, and LNE railroads. These trails offer beautiful scenery, railroad and canal relics and history, abandoned structures, and other points of interest. And of course there's the scenic drives I share with my dash cam; those have been a staple of this channel since I first started.
Chasing trains and building models is hard work! You can help me refuel and support my adventures at: www.buymeacoffee.com/jamiemakin
I rode the BR&W many years ago. It was, in fact, down to Lambertville. Have you heard anything about the railroad rebuilding the track to Lambertville? I thought that I read something about it. BTW, great video!
No steam right now? The Phillipsburg operation has been diesel for a couple years now, but 142 was supposed to return this year. BR&W owns the track at Phillisburg to Milford, but the tourist trains are operated by the NY, Susquehanna and Western Technical and Historical Society. The tourist trains at Ringoes and Flemington are operated now by the Black River Railroad Historical Trust an all volunteer group. I rode the BR&W one time from Flemington to Ringoes and a GP9 or whatever pulled our train, this was over 15 years ago. Then, we went down to New Hope and the steam train was running to Lahaska and we rode it. I rode New Hope & Ivyland (now New Hope Railroad) a few times, first time in Oct 1991 with my aunt and grandmother, my late mom's sister and her late mom, my aunt lived in Newtown from 1979-June 2019 and moved to Lancaster to be closer to her son and daughter, and grandkids, her son lives in West Chester and her daughter lives near her in Lancaster County. All the times we rode New Hope it was 40 pulling the train. One time we rode a photo freight to Ivyland with my mom and her man friend. They haven't run past Buckingham Valley for a few years now. In the spring of 2019 we rode behind 40 on SEPTA at North Wales and it went south about a mile and back. What PA tourist railroads are running steam besides R&N and Strasburg? Not much? Everett and EBT?
That's a nice ride I try to get there a couple times a year im patiently waiting for the steam engine to come back 60 I haven't seen or rode on it since 2018 they are familiar with your videos there and they spoke very highly of you
Great video Jamie, yeah the BRWRR is a decent little RR you have to see one of their event days like the triple header or multiple train day like it used to be many years ago. Things get really interesting when they can use #60...
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! That would make a fantastic diorama, and let me know if you ever build it. I'd definitely recommend checking out the BR&W, great little railroad!
Nice video Jamie! Very cool to see your childhood railroad, I’m sure it was nice to make a visit again. I also really like how you shot and edited this video, showing a preview of most of the locations before the train arrived, gave a nice sense of what the area is like. Well done!!
Thanks so much, Collin! This was a really special outing for me, and I imagine it's much like you feel about going to Kempton. Glad you enjoyed the extra footage of the area too.
Good afternoon Jamie. What a great video. Had no idea you were a Jersey girl. I absolutely love the Flemington branch. Hiked the inactive portion from Lambertville to Hamp rd. so much amazing infrastructure on this line. Beautiful culverts and bridges. Would love to see service reinstated to Lambertville. They would give the New Hope and Ivyland a run for their money. Can't wait to see the ride along. Is that engine former Lehigh Valley by any chance. Have a great night.
Hey there Kevin! Cool that you're familiar with the Flemington Branch and have done some hiking there. It's a lovely area, so opposite of what most people think of NJ (most of NJ is seriously awesome!). I've lived in PA most of my life now, but still have many fond memories of where I grew up. BR&W #438 is a former Erie locomotive. They also have an ex-Reading & Northern one, but I didn't get to see it when I was there.
Oh shoot. I didn't know you were in my area. Even I have to take rt.31 to get to Ringoes. I remember riding it about 20yrs ago with BR&W 752 ex NP GP9. Had to work that day.
as a former NJ resident jamie, i always used to think BR&W was literally going down the tubes 30 years ago. they barely ran any trains back then and the track and infrastructure was really going to hell. but once social media and partnering up with the bel del and other things. BR&W has really been thriving which i am glad to see. it's sad that liberty village under Namdar's ownership has went to hell and now just like the pburg mall. liberty village is gonna get turned into apartments supposedly. i just hope the apartment complex people realize they will be next to an active tourist railroad. think BR&W can get R&N's passenger dept staff to make those coaches shine? lol 😉
I'm equally glad to see the BR&W doing better these days, and I think they've got a great future. And I just might know someone from R&N who would be willing to help spruce up their fleet lol!
Good morning Jamie! That's a pretty good distance from your home Jamie. Are used to visit Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania quite frequently. Just across the bridge from Milford. Not too far away. That's so cool. You got to spend some time with your sister. Model trains, and a family all the way from Cambodia! Great job friend. Hope you're doing well and having a fantastic day.
Good evening Dennis! It's funny how an outing like this makes me realized I moved further away from home than it feels like. I don't get back to that area often, but it was really nice to do so on this day. That blew my mind that a family from Cambodia was riding the train, really made me happy, and they seemed to be having a good time.
Cool video! I was planning to come down to the railroad to help out with some projects but got caught up with other things. Being I’m from New York, traveling can be complicated.
@@JamieMakin been trying to make time on a couple of occasions. There were times I wasn’t scheduled to work the train but did some mini projects that I took on myself. Most of the time was picking up garbage and cleaning and sweeping the facilities.
Glad to see it somewhere it’s going to be taken care of and appreciated! Are the 22 & 6134 (what we used to call the “Can of Purple at TVRM) on the list for returns to service?
Thanks! I'm thrilled we're getting these back into service. #22 (our #9165) should be up next for restoration, though I'm not sure the plans for #6134 (our #9163) yet.
Exciting to watch - I recognize so many of those locations having grown up in the Pittston area (Dupont). I wish you could get a better view of where the tracks cross with the CP and under the highway entering Dupont.
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it! I would have liked to get a better view of that area too, but I wasn't well set up for it. Hopefully on another trip soon.
