Skip to main content

BAB54BA5-1386-460C-B4F2-ACC8DEE3BF44Reading and Northern has announced that 2102 will be pulling “Iron Horse Rambles” excursions later this year. Tickets go on sale February 15th.  Here’s a link for more information: https://railfan.com/reading-21...-rambles-excursions/

Attachments

Images (1)
  • BAB54BA5-1386-460C-B4F2-ACC8DEE3BF44
Last edited by J 611
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

@Hot Water posted:

I would think that if you read the original post carefully, and clicked on the link provided, it would lead you to how to purchase tickets (don't know about how to "get tockets").

All smarminess aside, tickets go on sale February 15. Your post made it seem like you already secured tickets. I was curious, if you had gotten tickets, whether you would share alternative methods.

I do not mind waiting. No big deal. I almost prefer watching from the outside, rather than riding.

Either way @Hot Water, I hope you have fun and enjoy such a momentous occasion–tockets in hand.

@TheRambles posted:

All smarminess aside, tickets go on sale February 15. Your post made it seem like you already secured tickets. I was curious, if you had gotten tickets, whether you would share alternative methods.

I do not mind waiting. No big deal. I almost prefer watching from the outside, rather than riding.

Either way @Hot Water, I hope you have fun and enjoy such a momentous occasion–tockets in hand.

I got my ticket the other day. Because they cancelled the f unit trip the other year and I had a credit

Great news!  The other T1,2101 pulling the freedom train on the ICRR is one of my earliest memories and first steam locomotive experience as my dad paced in along RT 50 in Monee/Peotone ILL.

His words were  "thats all going away you know, never gonna see that again" How wrong he was, thank goodness.

Up next, 1361?  I know "1218 will never run again", but it would seem at this point, never say never.

@TheRambles posted:

All smarminess aside, tickets go on sale February 15. Your post made it seem like you already secured tickets. I was curious, if you had gotten tickets, whether you would share alternative methods.

I do not mind waiting. No big deal. I almost prefer watching from the outside, rather than riding.

Either way @Hot Water, I hope you have fun and enjoy such a momentous occasion–tockets in hand.

Individuals who had purchased tickets for last years canceled F Unit Excursions were contacted directly by the railroad and given the opportunity to be first to obtain tickets for the 2102 excursions. General ticket sales begin the 15th of February.

Last edited by J 611
@J 611 posted:

Individuals who had purchased tickets for last years canceled F Unit Excursions were contacted directly by the railroad and given the opportunity to be first to obtain tickets for the 2102 excursions. General ticket sales begin the 15th of February.

@tom21pa posted:

I got my ticket the other day. Because they cancelled the f unit trip the other year and I had a credit

Thank you for sharing. That's great customer service!

I only rode behind #2102 twice, South Hamburg to Temple spring 1988 and my uncle from Emmaus and his then 2 year old youngest son were there. Then, we rode behind it again from Emmaus to Pennsburg Sept. 7, 1988. Those two routes will never be used by the #2102 ever again. Or on any former Conrail/Reading lines that are now NS. I missed all the BM&R excursions on Conrail and other lines in the mid-late 1980's and the #2102 excursions on SEPTA at Lansdale Oct 1991 right before it was retired. I had just ridden behind it at Emmaus which is a few miles from me and no my uncle Dave from Emmaus was not on that train. I really want to see it or ride behind it this year, but my mom has breathing issues and we would have to stay at a hotel in the Reading area and bring her home oxygen concentrator for the hotel room and tanks and a battery concentrator for the train. Reading is only 27 miles from me but it would be fun to make a weekend out of it and stay two nights like Friday and Saturday nights and ride the train on a Saturday on one of the dates. They should have one or two open air coaches behind the #2102. Maybe they will offer shorter rides at some point for those who don't want an all day excursion. Like Reading to Port Clinton or Jim Thorpe to Old Penn Haven. And how about on the lines lesser used by excursions like toward Schuylkill Haven and toward Ashland? And up the Lehigh Gorge line? The original Reading Rambles had some interesting routings that could not be done today due to track abandonment and other railroads owning track that wouldn't allow excursions now, like Norfolk Southern. Liability, open window coaches, and friction bearings are why. It was a different situation in 1985, 1987, and 1988 when #2102 ran on Conrail. In fact, an insurance crisis killed most off line excursions for 1986 and in 1989 the off line excursions on Conrail came to an end, 1988 was the final year. #2102 will only operate on track RBMN owns or leases. Is the Haucks-Packerton ex-CNJ line owned or leased by RBMN?

Last edited by Robert K

Does the more modern looking coach with nicer seats have opening windows? It’s $11 more than the old 1917 coaches. But the dome and other coach are $199, too expensive. It doesn’t look like any ex-Reading arch roof coaches or open air cars will be on the train. RCT&HS could have lent them theirs to have several authentic Reading coaches on the train. I suppose the ones for the gorge train at JT will be used on the gorge train.

The red ex-Lackawanna coaches date to 1917 and need a facelift inside and out. The coach with bus like seats looks nicer to ride in and apparently the windows open for fresh air and to hear 2102 chuff and whistle. They should do excursions from Jim Thorpe to Pittston as well, now there are wyes at both ends. They could also do North Reading to Tamaqua and turn 2102 at Haucks wye.

Last edited by Robert K

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×