Nostalgia & History > RDG 2102 in Phillipsburg, NJ -what year?

This photograph was passed on to me by a friend's wife whose husband had passed away. She knew of my interest in railroading and thought I would appreciate this scene. On the back of the print was the written caption "Reading 2102 2/2/19?2". The question mark is my way of indicating when this photo might have been taken as the written number is tough to determine what it is. Also could this have been a fan trip? Any info is appreciated.

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I'm sure Wes Camp or some of the other High Iron guys here would know for sure. A February 1972 Railroad Enthusiasts/High Iron Co fantrip is referenced in this thread:
http://www.rypn.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34998

I think 1972. I photographed the 2102 at the Bethlehem Engine Terminal, IIRC 2-1-1972. All surrounding Diesel power had been moved, so it made for a photograph that looked like it could have been taken 25 years earlier.

TJY

1972? Was the CNJ still using semaphores in 1972? Maybe they were!
Just wondering - could this be The Queen Of The Valley in 1942 ? 
Probably the 1972 trip as stated, but I'm still wondering about the semaphores!

Also, the date "2/2/19?2," if it was 1972, February 2 was on a Wednesday that year.
Why would there be a fantrip on a Wednesday or any weekday? Interesting!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/22 13:31 by CPMorris.

I am also guessing 1972 as the ex-Reading 2102 had been down in Ronceverte, West Virginia prior running on the C&O Railroad, then the engine came up to Maryland in February 1972 for trips on the Western Maryland Railway, and from there it seems to me that the engine went up to New Jersey for some excursions before it made a trip over the B&O (Chessie System) down the old "Royal Blue Line" to Baltimore and to Washington, D.C. in May 1972.
John in White Marsh, Maryland



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/23/22 13:47 by ClubCar.

May 1972 ?  Was that the trip from Elizabethport on Memorial Day weekend?

Trip was in1972.  Remember it running both Saturday and Sunday.  I was on Sunday trip.  Trip was before CNJ stopped running freight trains in Pennsylvania.  Semaphores in place between WE Hampton and P'Burg.

John

My brother and I rode that trip and it was in February 1972.  We had a coach almost to ourselves as we opened the windows and hung out.  It was cold, but we had a great time.  I believe we rode the Saturday trip!  Great memories and I think we had a photo runby at Hampton, N.J.

Ron

CPMorris Wrote:
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> May 1972 ?  Was that the trip from Elizabethport
> on Memorial Day weekend?

You're kidding, right? Does that part of New Jersey get that much snow and very cold temperatures in May?

It's humorous that it's obviously a winter scene yet most of the windows in the first coach are open! Crazy railfans! 

I remember both trips.  I'm not sure of the exact dates, but I chased the Elizabeth ~ Bethlehem Saturday trip, and rode the Sunday trip.
I remember the weather,on the Saturday trip, was miserable.  For the engine crew it could not have been worse.
At Bethlehem, while spotting 2102 on a siding, its trailer wheels spread the rails, putting them on the ground.  It must have taken a couple hours to re-rail them.
The Sunday trip was a lot better, both scheduled run-bys were in full sunlight, albiet in the bitter cold and sloshing around in the snow .  For me, both were captured in 'spectaculer' 8-MM home movies.
Bob