Steam & Excursion > Jim Thorpe Trifecta

Jim Thorpe, PA is a great place to watch trains, especially passenger trains.  It is the destination for most Reading and Northern passenger trains. Saturday, Oct 25 saw 4 different passenger trains to/from different locations.  I rode the 2102 steam special from Reading and Port Clinton.  

In this video, 2102 has just watered and serviced the engine. (The white tank car is a water car)  The Lehigh Scenic Gorge train is departing.  This train is hourly on fall weekends.   It goes 7.5 miles into the gorge and returns.  I rode the 2PM and it was late arriving and departing due to capacity trains.  It stepped out pretty good near 40 mph.   A pair of RDCs pulls down following 2102.  They run most weekends from Pottsville and Port Clinton.  

I know this is a steam board but enjoy the sound of GP38-2 2013 accelerating the Gorge trip out of Jim Thorpe.  15 cars is not too shaby.  I'm not sure there is anywhere else in America where you can see the variety and quantity of passenger trains in one sitting.  

---

You must be a registered subscriber to watch videos. Join Today!

Wow, that is really a fantastic scene with that many trains in action.  Thanks for sharing this video with all of us.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

And you too can watch it all unfold on the Jim Thorpe live stream.  On the weekend of October 18-19, I saw 2102 depart on Saturday for Port Clinton, then watched RBMN's two F units and an SD50 depart on Sunday for Pittston, plus watching the Gorge trains come and go.  Even if you bring up the stream and no trains are there, it's somewhat entertaing just watching the tourists walking and cycling through the parking lot and crossing the tracks at the grade crossing!  The only thing missing is the infrequent Jersey Central through freight between Allentown and Wilkes-Barre!

Jeff Gast
Greenwood, Indiana

Mainline RDC trips as fantastic as the steam locomotive.

I am often glued to the JimThorpe YiuTube livestream on weekends. 

New additions and changes in passenger coinsists are constant, making for an ever-fascinating railroad experience (especially for this passenger train fan), and all from the comfort of my living room.

Art House

Unfortunately, R&N's webcams have no sound.

Posted from Android

Chris Bost
Leesport, PA

CP8888 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Mainline RDC trips as fantastic as the steam
> locomotive.

I won't go quite that far but I'll agree that the RDC's provide an enjoyable and unique, somewhat intimate experience compared to a conventional passenger train, be it steam or diesel powered. No other North American operator offers the quality and variety of passenger rail travel as does the RBM&N, all while doing so at very reasonable cost. I'm very thankful to see them continue to thrive.