Reading & Northern 2102 Pulls a Revenue Freight | Tamaqua to Reading, PA

[@trainknut]

In just a few months we've seen 2102 haul fifty empty hoppers, ninety nine empties, fifty *loaded* hoppers, an excursion long enough to make Ross Rowland blush, double head with another steam locomotive, and now we've seen her haul mixed freight at speed. They're damn near running her as a revenue locomotive at this point.

[@steelthfighter]

She always was in revenue service. 2102 was never retired. She is the only remaining revenue steam locomotive in the United states

[@trainknut]

@@steelthfighter you know what I mean tho, even these few dozen trips aren’t nearly the work that railroads put these engines through in the 1940s. Also… if you wanna get technical, there’s actually a few locomotives that have “never been retired” Great Western number 90 is also among them… and of course we all know UP 844 was never(formally) retired. (she was withdrawn from service and put in the reserve fleet for about 5 years tho, btw)

[@steelthfighter]

@@trainknut yeah that is true. but i say never left service with this one because at the time this one was in for a boiler refit and was purchased by someone at that time. 2102 is a collectors private locomotive that still runs revenue service after getting a new boiler. 844 is one of the locomotives still owned by a railroad that runs revenue service (on call). and i think GW was sidelined for a boiler rebuild at the time as well when the railroad was purchased. guess i should be a bit more clear with how i say only one in revenue service

[@penginator89]

mixed freight are called manifests

[@trainknut]

@@penginator89 sort of, not all mixed freight trains are manifests, sometimes they can be way freight, locals, or they could be a mix of multiple solid-cuts of cars. For example a train of 50 auto racks and 45 TOFC cars wouldn’t exactly be a manifest, but it wouldn’t exactly be a unit train either. Hence you’d just call it a mixed freight. Well, you might call that one an auto train, but still.

[@1940limited]

I thought 2102 would be resting in the engine house untill the next excursion but obviously Andy found something else for it to do. More than 70 years later, it's still up to the task. Nice to see all the coal going out, too. The well weathered caboose on the end was a nice finishing touch to the train.

[@gregthoms5232]

Seeing a Steam locomotive doing what it was designed to do. Priceless.

[@Railhog2102]

We're living in the steam era again folks

[@therailthing610]

For years I've imagined a steam locomotive pulling a revenue freight train at speed. Never thought I'd actually see it happen.

[@marcharris3237]

Wow!A big steam locomotive pulling a 10,000 ton loaded freight train all by itself!It doesn't get any better than this!I am a big fan of steam locomotives!Keep up the good work!

[@buecomet831]

It is always a good day to see steam trains hauling freight like the good old times, it is to me, the best thing to see.

[@RailsofMichigan]

Railfans and ordinary people young and old got to see and relive a moment of the Golden Age of railroading and 2102 doing what she was built for I hope we will see 2102 handle more excursion and freight trains in the future all over the R&N and someday sister 2100 will join her on these trains. Beautiful and great footage especially music at the yard. Thank you Andy Muller and the R&N for bringing 2102 back to life and for opportunities like this for us to see again of an Era once a common sight.

[@DJinNJ08830]

Excellent job of the following of the 2102

[@atilllathehun1212]

It made it look so effortless. Amazing.

[@09JDCTrainMan]

Wow, they're really putting 2102 to work, I love it!

[@Qigate]

Austin, wow what a great video. The fly-over footage is superb and the music was perfect for the shot. The 2102's horn is something else ... goes right to the soul.

[@jimmyhook4852]

Ahem. 2102 has a whistle (two whistles in fact), not a horn. Know the difference. :/

[@James-Railyard]

@@jimmyhook4852 hey be nice. Some places they’re both called the same thing or mean the same. As long as you know what they’re talking about everyone is fine.

[@jimmyhook4852]

@@James-Railyard Think of it as a pet peeve of mine. But like I said.... it just doesn't make sense to keep calling a whistle as a horn when it clearly isn't.

[@trezjr73]

Andy loves to haul freight with "his" 2102.

[@auglaizecountytruckspottin8766]

😄I’m so glad they brought it back to live!😄

[@donnabarnes2115]

Thank you for your effort and showing this great engine. What an ausome site to see. Thanks again.

[@brianfalzon6739]

Things at the R&N are about to get even more expandable and bigger than ever!

[@TestECull]

3:55 HOT DAMN FOLKS WE GOT A GOOD ONE! HIGHBALL RIGHT TO POTT COUNTY BABY HELL YEAH

[@Dachamp2001]

One thing about steamers ended way before my time. But the other thing is that isn't a super load but ol girl was pulling it down the line with no sweat.

[@maestromecanico597]

Beautiful but she's not even breaking a sweat.

[@AOGWardog1229]

Haven’t stopped by and watched your videos in a few months. These have gotten so good. And the drone footage is awesome.

[@RailJapanStory]

Awesome 😃⤴️⤴️ Fantastic video 😉👍️✨ Thank you for sharing :D

[@yeoldeseawitch]

A STEAM LOCOMOTIVE?! DOING ACTUAL REVENUE WORK?! IN THE 21ST CENTURY?!

[@kenharbin3440]

Alco the Railroad Dog approves of this video. I enjoyed it also.

[@DelmarvaRailProductions]

Managed to get less more shots than I wanted before I got lost North of Tamaqua, but It was really nice to see a steam engine on revenue freight! Really got to thank the Reading and Northern for doing this! What a show they put on! (And I was the one at Leesport, I can see myself in the video lol)

[@Pontiacse93]

I love the sound of steam and how steam is still more powerful then diesel engines of today

[@SRTRUCKINGISBEST]

Hey Austin if u don't see lots of trucks bc through August 21 to 27 I think there doing a pulling over trucks most of them in Canada and Mexico and USA

[@Bentcypress]

Nice job Austin! Thanks for posting this.

[@aspeedqueenfanaticonyoutub7733]

The Hoppers are loaded they're loaded!

[@09JDCTrainMan]

I don't get why the Reading Hooter whistle is so unpopular, I quite like it, and, believe it or not, it's her original whistle she wore while working for the Reading in the steam era.

[@SONICX1027]

It’s interesting to see that 2102 has two whistles in a V. I wonder if that was part of the actual design when it was in service or added on during it’s restoration

[@Railhog2102]

Looks like we're in living 1953 now.

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Awesome 🤩

[@isaaclang6031]

Am I the first commentor? Great shots! Hang out with Rowan at all?

[@jimmyhook4852]

Gotta love Railfan Rowan. He's such a great guy. :)

[@cliffleigh7450]

What a terrible whistle - I expected to see a small logging loco coming along!

[@AustinTrainsOfficial]

Yeah the hooter isn’t my personal favorite. I think the 6 chime they used while reversing really captured what a steam locomotive should sound like

[@l042987]

Wow

[@AfraidMonsters]

Train boi

[@mannyisherwood6833]

Buddy. Were you in the loon line at new ringgold ?

[@AustinTrainsOfficial]

Naw we tried to stay outta that lol

[@samwilliams4176]

Does 2102 have PTC?

[@09JDCTrainMan]

Likely not

[@nelsontoledo8842]

Mi father rai roudman

[@danielunger9340]

Wish A could do ma dream job owning n operating ma own steam train passenger n Freight service A would never retire A would do ma dream till ma last breath A 🤠🤠🙂🙂🚂🚃🚃🚃🚃🚃

[@raphieterminal9841]

ひ