Oh wow, I didn't realize you were out! Good coverage, yes it's almost impossible to chase a train up Route 61 with all the lines, best to pick a spot and wait.
Thank you, yes, and not only that, this was my first time visiting this territory... Unfortunately I miscalculated my return trip :/ I was literally the last one back lol. Good to see that you're out shooting also! Heading over to watch yours now! :)
It's always a great day when Rowan uploads a new video, particularly when it's the first run of a steam locomotive like Reading & Northern 2102 back in service! -AZRails
Nothing sounds better than a steam whistle. They all have their own unique sound so you can definitely tell them apart. This one has a one of a kind sound that will be with her from now on. Thanks for standing in the rain and bringing us another great video. God Bless and take care.
In a word....... Beautiful !!! 2102 is easily up there with UP 4014, 844 and N&W 611, she is a fantastically looking machine, well done to those two boys (the paintjob looks brilliant), and everyone else who restored her. Another great video Rowan, much love from Down Under mate, take care, and the same to your family too. Oh, by the way, did you manage to get a drone, looks like you did at the end? And yes, the new Intro and Outro is great too. Cheers.
Always a treat to watch a Rowan video. Even more so when it features two passenger cars that used to be extensively used in the original Southern/NS Steam Program. Both the round ended observation in the background when you were talking to those paint crew guys at Reading Outer Station and the open air heavyweight car in the background at 15:18 were used on many, MANY excursions for the original Steam Program. Round end observation is the Mardi Gras, and the heavyweight is the Lookout Mountain.
THANK YOU so much for sharing this. I did not know 2102 was so close to finished!!!! I rode behind 2102 in the 1970's on the C&O Greenbrier branch from Ronceverte to Durbin and back. After the train was turned at Durbin we headed south. Between Durbin and Cass the front truck of the tender slipped between the rails. We were about 45 minutes getting things right, not long really. 2102 looks FANTASTIC and I am thankful to you. The Greenbrier branch from Ronceverte to Cass is now history........so seeing her run again is great!!!! THANKS!
Rode Ronceverte to Cass, got off at Cass instead of going to Durbin. Stayed at the General Lewis, back then it was affordable. What a great trip it was!
I heard stories and rumors, but I never thought I would see the day when the Iconic Reading and Northern T1 2102 would be under her own power in the modern era. Man, there are sure a ton of steam locomotives being brought back from the dead and returned to services. I really hope it stays this way at least throughout my lifetime and the lifetimes of many future generations to come. ^w^
It's my understanding Reading Blue Mountain & Northern has done so well with his passenger operations it was decided restoring 2102 would be well worth the investment.
Its really great to have RBMN 2102 back in service. Even though the other steam engine they have # 425, its cool to have another great steam engine back. I've railfanned the RBMN for years now as they are about 5 minutes from my home.. can't wait to catch the 2102 Leading the NRFF (North Reading Fast Freight) A daily freight from North Reading Pennsylvania to Pittston Pennsylvania with a return trip going to North Reading. Catching NRFF in general is great.
Hello Rowan, was a great fun 🤩 Live session. Love the new Intro & Outro. The content of this video is excellent, exciting with exceptional editing. Well done 👍 my friend!
Yet another great video Rowan! In 1978 I lived in a high rise apartment in Silver Spring, MD. We had a great southern view that took in the B&O station, and a wide vista of Washington DC's skyline. One Saturday morning eating breakfast I noticed a fire near Capitol Hill. I kept an eye the smoke only to realize the fire's black smoke was moving! It turns out the fire was the magnificent 2102 pulling into Silver Spring with about 20 coaches, to pick up riders on an excursion to Cumberland. Well it was too late to catch a ride, but I was waiting in the station when this beautiful beast returned that evening. These were sights and sounds from 44 years ago, but well remembered. Long may you run old Northern!
OMG. This is so amazing. I’m literally crying because it looks and sounds so beautiful! I remember riding one out of Kempton many years ago when my son was a tyke. He is now in his 50’s. Thank you for the memories!
WOW. Awesome machine and that horn is uh...different. Just try to imagine when these things were the norm and all over the place. What a time that must have been.
WOW another great video, Rowan. It always amazes me to think of the all the ingenuity that went in to building any steam locomotive! I like seeing N&W 611 traveling the rails nearby and hope to again soon! Thanks so much for sharing this video along with your time and effort to get the best shots available! I remember as a kid riding from Rochester NY to Syracuse NY on a passenger train pulled by a steam engine. Yup, it was in revenue service for the New York Central System. Got to ride free, cause my Dad worked for the NYCS!! Loved it then and also now!
Top notch Rowan. The finest what I would call "traditional style" American steam locomotive I have ever seen. An incredible restoration, it looks stunning. For me, many will not agree I am sure, but this is way above cigar shaped locos like 611. Absolutely cannot wait for the next update on this superb locomotive. Congratulations on this Rowan, I always look forward to your productions. Many thanks
And that is what 2102 had, back in Freight service days in the 1940s & 50s. Pretty much standard whistle on Reading Freight Steam Engines. Their Passenger Engines had the famous Reading 6-chime, which we’ll get to hear later this year.
At the throttle of the locomotive is Chairman, Owner, and CEO Andy Muller Jr. at 3:47. He was the engineer for the engine’s first test run. I still have to meet that guy someday.
Thanks for posting this, it's been a pretty amazing decade so far for the return of a lot of big steam. I love these home cooked T-1 engines, it's hard to believe they started life as Wooten firebox 2-8-0s. Reading & Northern did an amazing job with this restoration.
It is so cool to see the mighty legend Reading T1 is riding the rails that Reading Freight Hooter is music to my ears Bro All I can say is " Welcome Back, mighty legend Reading T1 2102". After 30 years, the legend T1 is back on home track She is a legend of the legend of the Reading Lines. 🤘🎸🤘 Keep on Rockin Rockstar Bro 🤘🎸🤘 Matthew
I live in NZ, and my first ever exposure to American steam engines was a documentary on the old Blue Mountain and Reading railway where it featured 425 and 2102 heavily. Seeing that 425 had been restored was heartwarming and was even more excited to hear that 2102 was on her way to being restored as well. She looks as beautiful as she did in that old VHS documentary I had. What a phenomenal restoration work
That paint job is immaculate, from an automotive painter that is so impressive. That black looks dripping wet its so glossy, I can't imagine how many hours they spent cutting and buffing this
An old friend, spent many hours with her back in the 1980's. Rode Ronceverte to Cass, many trips around Ohio + PA. Erie RR Kent OH to Greenville PA(?), the Pitsburgh + Shawmut trips, Horseshoe with 4070. R+N guys did a fantastic job! Exactly 1000th like!
Great to see the Reading rr 2102 back in operation, there are 4 class T1 locomotives left in existence & now one example is back in service. Later on this year hopefully the 2100 will see operation after it's rebuild has been completed.
Thank so much Jake, you're awesome, thanks for sharing your knowledge with all of us, it has been a huge success already! Thanks again, and see ya soon!
Thank you Rowan for another great video especially having steam in it. Still haven’t gone rail Fanning since we moved to our new home in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina but we’re finally getting things unpacked and put away and organize so I can finally start doing some rail Fanning, But to go rail fanning I have to drive over a hour north of me to see Norfolk Southern or CSX main lines. Oh well that’s life in the big city. Anyway take care Rowan good to hear you on RU-vid. 🤓
Great video Rowan and its amazing to think of the man power and ingenuity that went in to building a steam locomotive! They're definitely a work of art and quite a sight to see traveling the rails! Thanks again for sharing your videos along with your time and effort to get the BEST FOOTAGE!
Reading and Northern is a great railroad. They actually care about us railfans. When I went there I got a shop tour, a cab ride, and a number board all for free! I got to see 2102 in its restoration process. I am planning on seeing it during the iron horse rambles. Also, I heard that they will probably restore 225 next!
Rowan,your usual excellent editorial and PROFESSIONAL camera work,is really showing up!! Having 2102,in steam,is really icing on the cake 🎂! The weather co-operated because there was nice even lighting,and it showed off the paint,and running gear,to perfection!! Cloudy weather under some circumstances helps,rather than hinders photography 📸!! Great work,and did you do some uprating on your equipment,there is a real jump in the definition department!! Thanks again for your determination and diligence!! THANK YOU 😇!!
Thanks for being there Rowan and taking us along! That was a fast 16 minutes! I don't like to use this overused word often, but 2102 is an awesome machine. I knew it'd be back someday, it's just too good to be kept in a shed forever. Kind of like what the late Jim Boyd said when he was asked if a Big Boy would ever run again: "Of course! Why? Like Mount Everest, because it's there!" Interesting, but the general look of the locomotive reminds me very much of the unstreamlined Class J's the Norfolk & Western built during World War Two. Check out a photo of one and see what you think.
I’m coming all the way from northern Georgia (Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum member. Really want to see Lookout Mountain. Wish it had gone to the TVRM instead of the RBMN to reunite it with Man O’ War, 4501, 630, and some other pieces of the Southern Steam Program Excursion consist.) in August to ride behind 2102, along with hitting up Steamtown, Strasburg, and Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.
Great video, been a fan and subscriber for almost 6 years now love ur channel and everything that u post Ik you’ve caught all 20 heritage units I’m working on getting number 10 but keep up the great work Rowan
One more comment - the scene of 2102 pulling an excursion at 1:00 was in 1985 on the ex-CNJ RR in Lehigh Gap, near Palmerton, PA. I was on that train!! Along with my fellow railfan and long time friend Harris Tower. This was an excursion from Reading to Allentown - Jim Thorpe via Conrail. We arrived at Jim Thorpe hours late due to 2102 derailing on the wye at Hellertown, and even later when the boiler foamed due to water taken on at Lehighton (in emergency due to running late). The train stopped in Emmaus around 12:00AM. Conrail sent a rescue set of diesels that got us back to reading around 5AM. It was quite a trip!!
It's amazing what And Mueller has done. That look like him behind the throttle. The whistle sounds the same as it did when he pulled the coal train in 1991.
Great job on the vid! I bought a ticket to ride for July 2nd. I can't wait. The paint job is gorgeous!.( Riding the Western Maryland 1309 on the 1st). It looks very similar to Milwaukee Road 261. Not a big fan of the shrill whistle, I loved the Frisco 1522's throaty, mournful whistle . I helped restore that ole 1926 Mountain type in 1988. Kenton Kloos, Affton Mo.
Dreaming..... Annual weekend Rambles between Harrisburg and Hagerstown with 2102 and 1309 alternating starting location from Saturday to Sunday? Thanks for everyone's toil and help in both organizations for their beautiful restorations.
One of her sisters, Reading 2100, is also being restored in Cleveland, Ohio. She'll be done between the end of this year and 2024. She'll most likely run next year.
Man it's weird (and awesome) to see a T1 in high definition. My memories of 2102 are all Polaroids from when I was 6 years old. Can't wait to ride behind her again!
Huuuooooooh!!! That whistle though!!! Wow!!.....like a ghost train....just......uuuuh!! So cool!!! So cool! Aaaand what a beauty of a steam Loco!! Its amazing seeing more an more steam locomotives being rebuilt an comin back to life like this one here!
What's so crazy about this is this steam engine came through my little down about 35 years ago. Me and my dad caught it here on the at the time Conrail Mon Line that runs to the coal mines in PA and WV. Then we ran up to the Pittsburgh Line and caught it there.
