Reading & Northern #2102 took her last scheduled trip of 2024 on Saturday, October 26, 2024, pulling one of the railroad's last Fall Foliage trips of the year from Outer Station in Reading, PA to Jim Thorpe and return. As usual, the 2102 put on a great show, as seen from a few new (to me) locations, as well as a few favorite spots as well. Some shots are a bit longer because of the fantastic audio the locomotive puts out, especially when running upgrade. Enjoy this look at Reading & Northern 2102: Harvester of Autumn!

When it comes to the Everett Railroad - more often than not, any extended trips will go onto the railroad's Cove Branch, to Roaring Spring or Martinsburg. However, for the first time on April 28, 2024, a steam-powered passenger train traversed the railroad's Bedford Branch, through East Freedom, Claysburg, to a siding at Sproul, at the end of the railroad's active line.

Powered by 2-6-0 #11, the train traversed through backyards and along highways, past numerous business on the branch that still receive freight business. The railroad's steam shops and a transload facility is in Claysburg, so #11 stayed behind for the return leg, and Lehigh Valley NW1 #126 powered the trip back to Hollidaysburg. Enjoy this look at the Sproul Steam Special!

Let's set the scene. With temperatures in the mid-to-high 90's, on a late June day, Reading & Northern 4-8-4 #2102 was set to do something it had only done one other time in it's long and illustrious career - travel up through the Lehigh Gorge to points northward, on what is now the railroad's Lehigh Division. Ever since the Reading & Northern Railroad restored her to operation a few years, ago, for the most part, she's been kept to the railroad's Reading Division mainline, between Reading, PA and Jim Thorpe, PA. However, in early 2024, it was announced that would change - as she would pull two Rambles from the railroad's new Nesquehoning, PA station and campus there, up the Lehigh Division and through the Lehigh Gorge. This first trip, held Saturday, June 22, 2024, ran to the town of Tunkhannock, northwest of Wilkes-Barre, and their Founder's Day event. With a 17-car train, the trip ran essentially flawlessly - there was one planned segment where two of the railroad's diesel locomotives would couple on and lead over a steep downhill segment (to add dynamic braking and control the speed of the heavy train). #2102 sounded amazing on the uphill portions of the trip, and everyone seemed to have a great time. So enjoy this look at The Tunkhannock Ramble: Reading & Northern 2102 on the Lehigh Division! (fonts in the video courtesy of Benn Coifman and www.railfonts.com)

Finally - steam has returned to South Jersey!! The relatively new Woodstown Central Railroad, in Woodstown, NJ, runs trips between Swedesboro and Salem, NJ - and now has a newly-restored steam locomotive to use. In addition to Baldwin and GE diesels (seen in the second half of the video), the railroad can now use former US Army 0-6-0 #9 for many of its excursions!

Seen during the Railfan & Railroad 50th anniversary photo charter event on Saturday, November 9, 2024, this was the first solo operation of #9 on the line - although it was limited due to fire restrictions in place throughout the state. Since the fire restrictions have been lifted, the locomotive should be free to run through the woods along the line to the other photo locations seen.

This was a fun day and I can't wait to get back to see Steam in South Jersey: Woodstown Central #9!