Hello! (again)
To end the 2018 steam season for me, the day after my adventures at the Strasburg Rail Road, I purchased two cab rides aboard Reading & Northern, former Gulf Mobile & Ohio and Louisiana Eastern, pacific #425. This Christmas season #425 was pulling Christmas specials from the Reading & Northern's Outer Station in Reading, PA to their headquarters in Port Clinton, PA. All of the trackage #425 ran on for these trips was the former Reading Company's mainline. This was an early birthday present and it certainly did not disappoint. Here are a few pictures and a video (a little bumpy in some parts, but I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I hope you enjoy it! It was a great ride).
"A Team of Two": Enginemen Ryan Bausher and Shane Frederickson are working hard as a team to keep Reading & Northern #425 rolling through the Dutch countryside of Berks county, Pennsylvania.
"The Office"
Engineman Shane Frederickson climbs down from #425 as current and former R&N employees and their friends catch up prior to the 3:30 pm departure.
Two generations of motive power. I prefer the one on the right.
"Resume Speed": Engineman Shane Frederickson looks over his locomotive outside of the Outer Station in Reading, PA in preparation for one more departure to Port Clinton. Resuming speed for this locomotive will be no hard task.
#425's running gear and drivers shine in the beautiful golden December sunset we had while simmering away next to the Outer Station in Reading, PA.
"Classic": Enginemen Ryan Bausher and Shane Frederickson tend to a few odds and ends on their locomotive about 1 hour prior to a late afternoon departure from the Outer Station in Reading, Pennsylvania.
And here's a video to enjoy:
