During a weekend mid-August, we find the world famous Reading & Northern's 4-6-2 "Pacific" locomotive, 425, returning to the Lehigh Gorge to once again haul passenger trains through the stunningly beautiful Lehigh Gorge State Park. After an uncertain future concerning the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, we finally see steam return to the wide curves, long straightaways, and huge bridges that have become so famous with the Lehigh Gorge. These excursions are extremely popular with railfans alike, as 425, puts on a show on nearly every trip. Giving one the opportunity to hear earsplitting stack talk, loud blasts of the whistle, and lightning speed has become synonymous with locomotive 425. On these trips, 425 would sport a beautiful and melodic Reading 6 Chime whistle that could almost give one chills as the sound would echo throughout the Gorge. A newly painted unit, Reading and Northern's 5018, an SD50 would be on display all weekend at Jim Thorpe as well. 425 would be pulling a freshly repainted Reading and Northern caboose along with 3 freshly painted passenger cars, formerly painted blue for the Lehigh Valley, and other steel sided passenger cars. Please, enjoy an outing with Reading & Northern's steam star, 425.
Reading and Northern #425 is a Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-6-2 "Light Pacific" G-1 class locomotive built in 1928. The 425 was originally built for the Gulf Mobile & Northern Railroad and she became 580 while in passenger service on the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad and also served as Louisiana Eastern 4 after being sold to owner Paulson Spence in 1950. In 1962, she was acquired by Pennsylvania's Valley Forge Scenic Railway where she was renumbered back to her original number, 425. After spending time at the Wilmington and Western Railroad in storage, the locomotive was acquired by Andy Muller along with Reading T1 4-8-4 2102 and was put back into tourist service, hauling passenger trains along the newly formed "Blue Mountain and Northern" Railroad. Later, the railroad became the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, as the 425 would pull many excursions until an overhaul in 1996. Nearly 11 years later the iconic 425 would return to service sporting a blue paint scheme that was implemented in 1992. The locomotive would be repainted in 2015 to the striking colors we see today. Today, 425 with her unique colors and earsplitting stack talk 425 is a locomotive to see for any Rail Enthusiast.
Locations:
0:00 Jim Thorpe
5:28 C.P. Coal
6:27 Glen Onoko
8:40 C.P. Coal
9:48 Jim Thorpe State Park
10:25 Jim Thorpe
A special thanks to everyone along for the trip:
- The Big Banana Railfan:
/ @thebigbananarailfan
- Ethan Trainz Productions:
/ @brodieproductions412
- Tristan Rail Productions:
/ @tristanrailproduction...
- Keeper of Steam Studios:
/ @keeperofsteamstudios6654
- Train Chamber:
/ @trainchamber
- MPT 1225:
/ @mpt_productions
- Pennsy Productions:
/ @pennsypro
- Kurtis Hooey:
/ @kurtishooey
- Stevewivibeevy Railfan Productions:
/ @stevensainerailfanpro...
- JBS:
/ @jbs319
- Steam Z Productions:
/ @steamzrailfan
- Railfan Thommy:
/ @railfanthommy1125
Filmed Saturday, August 15, 2020
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