Saturday, May 28, 2022 marked a very special occasion, as Reading & Northern 4-8-4 2102 pulled the first “Iron Horse Ramble” since the final Reading Railroad Iron Horse Ramble on October 17, 1964. The T-1 performed flawlessly hauling a nineteen car train, without diesel assistance, from R&N’s Outer Station in Reading northward to Jim Thorpe and return. There were more than 800 passengers aboard the sold-out inaugural R&N Iron Horse Ramble, and many got to enjoy upscale accommodations never available on the original Rambles, including seating in R&N’s two Super Domes, deluxe coaches and a boat-tailed observation lounge.
Departure from Reading was on-time to the second at 9:00 a.m. with arrival in Jim Thorpe before noon. Prior to the 3:45 p.m. return departure from Mauch Chuck, R&N hosted a photo run-by at the station so that riders could see and photograph the locomotive rushing by. The first run-by was just “light engine” with the second the 2102 bringing in the train consist in a spectacular display of steam and smoke.
The Reading Railroad always included a mimeographed trip itinerary and a souvenir for each rider. R&N’s Passenger Department went one better with an eight-page, color booklet (at right) with a history of the Reading Rambles, including a listing of the 51 trips, with destinations and dates, operated by the Reading from 1959 to 1964.
The weather, which had been atrociously bad in the morning, began to improve by mid-day, and offered some decent photo ops for lineside photog-raphers, as shown on these pages. Enjoy the show, and the next three R&N Iron Horse Rambles this summer, scheduled for July 2, August 13, and September 3. All aboard!