Reading & Northern 425: Steam Thunder Through the Lehigh Gorge (HD)

During a weekend mid-August, we find the world famous Reading & Northern's 4-6-2 "Pacific" locomotive, 425, returning to the Lehigh Gorge to once again haul passenger trains through the stunningly beautiful Lehigh Gorge State Park. After an uncertain future concerning the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, we finally see steam return to the wide curves, long straightaways, and huge bridges that have become so famous with the Lehigh Gorge. These excursions are extremely popular with railfans alike, as 425, puts on a show on nearly every trip. Giving one the opportunity to hear earsplitting stack talk, loud blasts of the whistle, and lightning speed has become synonymous with locomotive 425. On these trips, 425 would sport a beautiful and melodic Reading 6 Chime whistle that could almost give one chills as the sound would echo throughout the Gorge. A newly painted unit, Reading and Northern's 5018, an SD50 would be on display all weekend at Jim Thorpe as well. 425 would be pulling a freshly repainted Reading and Northern caboose along with 3 freshly painted passenger cars, formerly painted blue for the Lehigh Valley, and other steel sided passenger cars. Please, enjoy an outing with Reading & Northern's steam star, 425.
Reading and Northern #425 is a Baldwin Locomotive Works 4-6-2 "Light Pacific" G-1 class locomotive built in 1928. The 425 was originally built for the Gulf Mobile & Northern Railroad and she became 580 while in passenger service on the Gulf, Mobile & Ohio Railroad and also served as Louisiana Eastern 4 after being sold to owner Paulson Spence in 1950. In 1962, she was acquired by Pennsylvania's Valley Forge Scenic Railway where she was renumbered back to her original number, 425. After spending time at the Wilmington and Western Railroad in storage, the locomotive was acquired by Andy Muller along with Reading T1 4-8-4 2102 and was put back into tourist service, hauling passenger trains along the newly formed "Blue Mountain and Northern" Railroad. Later, the railroad became the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, as the 425 would pull many excursions until an overhaul in 1996. Nearly 11 years later the iconic 425 would return to service sporting a blue paint scheme that was implemented in 1992. The locomotive would be repainted in 2015 to the striking colors we see today. Today, 425 with her unique colors and earsplitting stack talk 425 is a locomotive to see for any Rail Enthusiast.
Locations:
0:00 Jim Thorpe
5:28 C.P. Coal
6:27 Glen Onoko
8:40 C.P. Coal
9:48 Jim Thorpe State Park
10:25 Jim Thorpe
A special thanks to everyone along for the trip:
- The Big Banana Railfan:
/ @thebigbananarailfan
- Ethan Trainz Productions:
/ @brodieproductions412
- Tristan Rail Productions:
/ @tristanrailproduction...
- Keeper of Steam Studios:
/ @keeperofsteamstudios6654
- Train Chamber:
/ @trainchamber
- MPT 1225:
/ @mpt_productions
- Pennsy Productions:
/ @pennsypro
- Kurtis Hooey:
/ @kurtishooey
- Stevewivibeevy Railfan Productions:
/ @stevensainerailfanpro...
- JBS:
/ @jbs319
- Steam Z Productions:
/ @steamzrailfan
- Railfan Thommy:
/ @railfanthommy1125
Filmed Saturday, August 15, 2020
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© Keystone Rail Productions (Formerly Eastern PA Railfan Productions) 2020
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Apologies for the ads, however they help fund for more trips like these.

[@keeperofsteamstudios6654]

Great video Vince! It was awesome getting to meet up with you again!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thanks Ashton! Nice seeing you and everyone else again

[@TrainChamber]

Great work with this. It was nice meeting you!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thanks man! Nice to meet you as well.

[@BenBensonStudios]

Awesome video! I love that she’s wearing 2102’s Reading 6 Chime!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thanks!

[@brianfalzon6739]

Sounds different compared to Strasburg 90’s Reading 6 Chime!

[@astevenskrug4626]

Beautiful shots.

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you, Mr. Krug!

[@SteamZRailfan]

Amazing video! I love the opening shots especially, top notch! Shows what an amazing locomotive this is!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@riverlinerailphotoproductions]

I saw two accidents about to happen at that crossing bc people are too impatient to wait for the train to pass but otherwise this video is spot on well done I’m looking forward to see 425 sometime in Jim Thorpe and yes nice to hear 2102s 6 chime and that SD50 looks amazing nice work by the RBMN

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you!

[@rogerlollar4325]

BTW she hit a car once

[@NortheastRails]

Awesome!!! I really want to get out there and see her someday!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

If you can someday, it is surely worth it

[@NortheastRails]

@@KeystoneRailProductions Sweet!! I was hoping to this fall, but sadly I don't think that will be happening. Hopefully next summer or fall!

[@berkshirerailfanproduction5155]

Really Great Video! You got some pretty incredible shots! Very well done!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you!

[@southernpacificproductions530]

Excellent shots, the whistle sounds gorgeous. So glad to see 425 running out of Jim Thorpe again, I was a little worried for awhile that it may never happen again. Thankfully I was wrong.

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you!

[@MPT_Productions]

Great job! Nice seeing you out there!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you! Nice seeing you as well!

[@businesscar10productions57]

Great Stuff! I was riding on the train at 5:56. They went wild with the whistle when the people at that crossing got too close.

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Business Car 10 Productions thank you! Some people did get too close for comfort

[@EngineerDaylight]

2:58 Crazy Bell 😆

[@dennisw9108]

great job I even saw my self a couple of times

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you Denny!

[@PatrickKCompton]

I absolutely love the 425 and hope to take a ride one day. Fabulous video! :)

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Patrick K Compton thank you! If you get the chance it is surely worth it l!

[@Keystone_State_Rail_Films]

Great shots! It was fun seeing there again!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thanks again!

[@commandingofficerkanawha7546]

This is great! Amazing work!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you very much!

[@mincamp]

Beautiful locomotive, that plows through the beautiful American land.

[@whistle.productions]

Amazing dude great job!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you Will!

[@readingandnorthernrailfan]

Nice!

[@zphotography7305]

Awesome video

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you!

[@dwkcamman611]

Great work!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thanks!

[@EdWhizAviationTrains]

Beautiful train & footage - HUGE Like 😎👍

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thank you!

[@brianfalzon6739]

It would be awesome if 425 doubleheads with 2102 from Reading to Philadelphia or Sayre, Pennsylvania in the future one day.

[@stuartadamsrailfanningvideos]

Yep! It sure would be!

[@northpennvalleysteamrailroad]

Awesome video!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Thanks!

[@denziiey]

Besides the pollution these trains are amazing

[@tristanrailproductions5820]

Amazing Video Buddy! Had such a Great Time With you! Great Video as always!

[@KeystoneRailProductions]

Tristan Rail Productions Thanks! It was awesome seeing you and everyone else!