Then I headed down to Leesport to await the North Reading Fast Freight. Fortunately, R&N is nice enough to publish the schedule of the NRFF on Facebook. Seriously. What other railroad does that?
When the NRFF came into view, I will admit to slight disappointment in that the Fast Freight SD50s, #5018 and #5019, weren't assigned to it. Probably being held for tomorrow's steam run. In fact, there weren't any SD50s in the consist. From what I hear, R&N has been buying up SD40-2s from NS and slowly putting the SD50s out to pasture. In the lead was #3051, an SD40-2 originally from the Missouri-Kansas-Texas (MKT) followed by an unpainted ex-NS SD40-2 and then two ex-UP SD40-2s, for 12,000hp with about 30 cars. They were really wheeling when they hit Leesport, faster than the passenger runs I've seen.
East Mahanoy Junction. Even with plenty of power and a fairly short train, the grade and curve had them working pretty hard. I would have gotten a better angle here but there was another R&N crew on the Mahanoy & Hazelton line waiting for NRFF to clear and I didn't want to get yelled at for trespassing.
Then over to Jim Thorpe, where they're crossing the Lehigh Gorge on the new bridge. That bridge was a pet project of Andy's, making a eye above Jim Thorpe and allowing freight from Reading to run up to Pittston without having to run down into Jim Thorpe and then run around the train. The train was wreathed in brake smoke, since it's pretty much a constant downhill grade from Barnesville to Jim Thorpe.
Then it was on to New territory that I've never seen before. Once it gets north of Glen Onoko, it goes off in some remote territory. Rugged too, lots of winding curves and stuff grades. This was taken in White Haven, and they had those 40s in Run 8 grinding up the hill. I heard them long before I saw them. They run the Mountain Top Rotary Club trips through here with steam, and I might have to check that out next year.
Passing under the old signal bridge and by Penobscot tower at Mountain Top, PA. This was as far north as I went. By then it was 6pm and I had an hour and a half drive back to Reading still, plus the light was gone.
Stored power at Mountain Top. You can see all the ex-NS SD40-2s that have arrived on the property. Business is up, with R&N now handling frac sand trains that I hear are real cash cows, and they're even stealing away some customers from NS.
So, today was R&N #425's big day to shine, slated to be her last run before overhaul. I tried to hit some of the spots that I knew worked while trying out some others. So, I skipped my usual stop at Leesport and went to Hamburg instead. Hill Road runs right the right of way, with a neat S-curve.
I skipped Port Clinton and went up to New Ringgold, but then remembered that the one good spot to shoot in New Ringgold is a nightmare to get out of. So I then went straight to East Mahanoy Junction, since there is always a good show there. This turned out to be a serendipitous move because after I cleared Tamaqua they kicked off their Veteran's Day Parade that snarled traffic up even more than usual. The #425 made plenty of noise at the Junction, with the Fast Freight SD50s and 15 cars, including two SuperDomes, in tow.
Then it was a hop over to Hometown, to catch the #425 barking up Hometown Hill with just a skosh of wheelspin.
Then I caught the arrival at Jim Thorpe.
Two of the RDCs were also onsite, having brought passengers in from Pottsville earlier.
And the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad was also in full swing, running 12 car trains in push-pull with ex-Southern SD40-2 #3059 (originally a high-nose machine, NS rebuilt it with one of their Admiral Cabs) and GP38-2 #2013 (also ex-Southern, ex-high-nose)
Feeling slightly guilty for not riding any R&N trains this year, I bought a cab ride ticket for the Lehigh Gorge Scenic, which they sell for $50, a very reasonable price. I swung up onto #3059 and settled in for the run. Compared to Alco #5's cab, the NS Admiral Cab is downright luxurious. Admiral Cabs are an NS rebuild program to replace high-nose units with a modern, low, narrow nose design that has better crash safety. The look original at first blush, but the edges are much more sharp, versus the mild fillet of the EMD noses. According to the engineer, the Admiral Cabs also weigh 12,500lbs versus the 3,500 of an EMD cab.
The engineer from the #2013 had ridden up with us in #3059 and he offered to take me back to the #2013 on the return trip. I assumed we would wait until the train came to a stop, then climb down and walk back. Uhhh, nope, he had me swing down off the #3059 while it was in motion, albeit slowly, and then grab the #2013 as it went by. I assume that's probably not what they're supposed to do with guests, but I managed to not get hurt and you kind of feel like a badass when you grab the handrails and swing aboard as it is in motion.
Simmering in Jim Thorpe yard
Managed to catch all three aspects of R&N passenger ops in one photo: steam, diesel, and RDCs
#3059 slipping out behind #425
I left Jim Thorpe and went to Nesquehoning, where I had finally located the Nesquehoning Tunnel. It was jam-packed an hour before trains were even due through. First out was the RDCs, headed back to Pottsville.
Fifteen minutes later, #425 headed up through.
Leaving Nesquehoning, I was a witness to some of the most egregiously reckless driving I think I've ever seen. Someone was doing pacing shots of #425 and was holding up traffic, causing a number of other railfans to attempt some really horrendous passes. Like, going around 9 cars on a blind curve in solid yellow territory. I witnessed three near head-on collisions in as many minutes, and at least one of them I would have been collateral damage. The whole thing put me in a sour mood. It's just not worth killing yourself or someone else for photos and videos.
I again ended up at East Mahanoy Junction to catch them drifting south.
Racing into the sunset at Molino, blowing that gorgeous CNJ 3-chime whistle.
At Port Clinton they cut #425 off, and the Fast Freight SD50s took it the rest of the way.
I hung around though to watch them turn #425 on the turntable and then park her next to #2102, which was being steamed up for tomorrow.
With #425 backed up next to #2202, it turned into an impromptu evening photoshoot session.
Probably no takers her, but ....
NMNA - 1934 MT-19 Fairmont Speedster. Find a group of like minded folks and some abandoned track, all set. I find followers of these more RR Engineer wannabees and are quite serious, unlike the people I met with a Rail Cart.
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