2023 marks 40 years since the Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad, now the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Company, started operations. Since 1983, the Reading & Northern has become a prominent freight business and tourist passenger railroad, serving over 6 counties in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Today, Reading & Northern is always finding new ways to expand their business and is currently one of Pennsylvania's largest operating railroads.
On Sunday August 13, 2023, which was also Andy Muller's birthday, former Reading T-1 4-8-4 no. 2102 was in charge of train OSJT, an "Iron Horse Rambles" round trip excursion running between Reading Outer Station and Jim Thorpe. 2102 was decorated in an immaculate Rambles inspired scheme and is still equipped with a single-chime Reading hooter whistle along with a Reading 6-chime.
At the Jim Thorpe Junction Wye, 2102 and OSJT met JTPI, a tourist train running between Jim Thorpe and RBMN's new station in Pittston. 2102 would meet another train when it approached Port Clinton on the return trip to Reading Outer Station. NRFF with three EMD Locomotives would be waiting for the 2102 to finish its station stop before proceeding northbound.
RBMN 2102 History:
2102 was originally built as I10sa 2-8-0 no. 2044 by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA in 1923. 2044 would be tasked with hauling freight trains throughout the Reading system. During World War II, the Reading Company needed stronger longer locomotives to handle all the wartime freight. Due to wartime restrictions, the railroad could not build a brand-new locomotive class from scratch, however, a loophole in the restrictions allowed them to rebuild 30 of their 45 I10sa 2-8-0s into T-1 4-8-4 locomotives. 2044 was rebuilt in 1945 at the Reading shops and would be renumbered to 2102.
Following its rebuild, 2102 operated freight trains until the late 1950s when it was placed into storage, but then was temporarily brought back into service in 1962 for the Reading Company's "Iron Horse Rambles". Following the conclusion of these excursions in 1964, 2102 was retired from service.
After a lengthy excursion mainline career from 1966-1984, 2102 was sold to Andrew Muller for use on his Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad. 2102 operated on the BM&R from 1985-1991. In early 2016, Reading & Northern announced that 2102 would be restored to operational condition, with her first official test run completed on April 6, 2022.
Timestamps:
0:00 Mohrsville [NB to Jim Thorpe]
1:51 Molino
3:00 Tuscarora Park Road
4:14 Hometown
5:53 Jim Thorpe Wye
18:38 Nesquehoning [SB to Reading]
20:10 Hecla
21:15 Port Clinton
23:16 NRFF
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