Steam & Excursion > 2102 And 4014 Side By Side +++

I rode Reading and Northern 2102 trip July 1 Nesquehonnig (near Jim Thorpe) to Pittston (near Scranton.  Fabulous trip and for $100 you can't beat the value in Big Steam.  I rode Standards coach aka Open window.  These are old DLW and Reading Co. MUs.   They are in GREAT condition.   The train was 24 cars long.  When is the last time you rode a 24 car train?   Standard coach seats are not assigned seats.  A slightly late arrival put me in coach 309, 9 cars back, a little too far back for my liking.  There were 2 diesels behind 2102, 2102 did the vast majority of the work.  

The trip northbound was straight forward.  Mostly upgrade so 2102 is working hard.   We detrained at R&N Pittston station in the center of the big WYE.   They would turn the entire train at Pitston.   UP 4014 and train backed into Pittston.  It was HOT!!  About 100F air temp.  A first tor me, in that my cell phone over heated.  A kind vemdor gave me a cup of ice and by the time we boarded a slight cloud bank moved in to help cool all the overheated phones.  But I had few pictres or video. 

We were able to get up close and personal with Big Boy.  I enjoyed chatting with a young UP Special agent.  )RR police)  He was really enjoying the trip and never envisioned this when he applied for the job.   4014 departed first then 2102.  The side by side running is actually leap frog.  One train goes ahead stops, then the other passes.  It is most impressive having the Big Boy pass that close and few people alive today have experienced that.  

The Video.   Being 9 cars back really dtracted.  I used my cell phone Samsung S22 on a selfie stick out the window.  Don't worry there is a safety harness on the cell phone.  I only included southbound from Pittston.  I hope this gives you a sense of riding.   Note the R&N ROW is in excellent condition.   We mostly traveled 25-30 mph according to my GPS.

Never thought this East Coast boy would be up close to a moving Big Boy in PA.

More to Follow



 

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1Our R&N Train
2> 2102 taking water Pittston
3.  Boarding in Pittston

More to follow

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1&2   The only 4013 shots I got before the phone overheated

3.  The Food vender with deeo fried hot dogs $2  SOLD OUT before I could try one.  


More to come
 

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1.   Coach 309 is a DLW MU car.  40+ years on R&N     Inside one of the tunnels.   Close the windows Northbound 2102 working through the tunnel

2.  Cafe car.   R&N DOES NOT PRICE GOUGE.   Drinks $2

3.   This is my favorite imagage.  I just turned a shot the train unloading.  I like the crew man and family in background.

THE END   

Tom Parkins  
Newark, DE

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Nice series. i really enjoyed your video.

I am glad you enjoyed yourself. R&N passenger trains are a great value for the money.

Maybe I missed it in the posts, but has anyone said who the engineer was on 2102 when it was pacing the 4014?

Jeff Gast
Greenwood, Indiana  

Generally it's either Shane Fredrickson or Ryan Bousher at the throttle of 2102.

Great video!!

-Fred-