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PHOTOS: FIRE UP PITTSTON |
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Posted by Jersey Mike on Thu Sep 4 22:58:11 2025 With the reactivation of Reading T-1 class 4-8-4 steam locomotive #2102, the Reading, Blue Mountain and Northern has been on a tear finding new places and ways to run main line steam excursions. In 2024, the RBMN used its August slot to take fans from its new "Regional Transportation Center" in Nesquehoning, PA to the Scranton-adjacent town of Pittston, PA in conjunction with its annual Tomato Festival. Seeing as how I had been looking to ride an excursion up the Lehigh Gorge to the Wyoming Valley, I booked tickets with a friend and set out from the Baltimore area at 5am for the RBMN's 9am departure. If you are interested in the video content, you can catch it here and if you want to browse the full set of photos you can find that here ( mirror ).When industry consolidation closed the Kovatch Mobile Equipment Corp. factory in Nesquehoning, PA, the Reading and Northern seized the opportunity to purchase its sizable manufacturing campus for conversion into an omnibus rail operations base with shoppe facilities and administrative offices. A side effect of this purchase was a new location to stage rail excursions that was both closer to Scranton and wouldn't interfere with the popular Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railroad, which was already parking limited in the busy tourist town of Mauch Chunk.  To this end, RBMN owner Andy Muller built and christened the Nesquehoning Regional Transportation Center on the property with the official ribbon cutting taking place before the day's Iron Horse Ramble.  Also on hand for the event was the RBMN's black bear mascot and Andy's personal M5 light tank.  While I had ridden on this part of the RBMN Main Line as part of the 2102+425 ramble in 2022, I turned onto new route milage at JIM THORPE JCT, crossing the Lehigh River on the state funded bridge that finally connected the two halves of the RBMN Main Line between Reading and Pittston. Except for a few small gaps, this Main Line is equipped with CTC signaling and interlockings.  Although the day was overcast, the former Lehigh Valley Railroad path through the Gorge offered ample photo opportunities.   One legacy issue with the line is the near complete lack of signaled passing sidings in the 60 odd miles between Tamaqua and Mountain top. This makes trains having to pull into hand operated sidings and spur tracks the only way to achieve a meet. Here #2102 meets RBMN GP38-2 #2023 and the southbound Pittston to Mauch Chunk tourist train at the TANNERY siding.  #2102 crossing back to the west side of the Lehigh River at White Haven.  With 16+ cars and a steep grade to the Pocono summit at Mountain Top, the 5000hp T-1 class consumed a lot of water and has to stop to top up at the old CNJ yard at Mountain Top, which also hosts the RBMN Penobscott Station.  The yard is home to RBMN's locomotive deadline with freight units like SD50's #5033 and #5022, but also a pair of former SRNJ F3's cab units that used to work the Salem Branch before being stored at Windows Jct for over a decade.    Since Andy Mullers isn't made of brake shoes, a pair of "Fast Freight" painted SD50's (#5019 and #5018) are attached to the head end at Mountain Top so that the consist can enjoy the benefits of dynamic braking into the Wyoming Valley.  At Pittston the Ramble train was greeted by loads of railfans as well as local buses drafted into transporting the passengers to the town's Tomatoe Festival during the four hour layover. Even in his 70's, Andy Muller is a consummate businessman and we suspected that he had worked out some deal with the town to bring an extra 1500 or so odd captive tourists to their local event.  The festival was conceived in the 80's as a way to revive the local scene after the collapse of Anthracite coal mining. In addition to the typical carnival fare, the local "Old Forge" pizza style was also on offer.  The Pittston station, which sees regularly scheduled Lehigh Gorge tourist trains to Mauch Chunk, had also been styled as the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Regional Transportation Centre.  When we got back to the station #2102 was getting serviced, including an ash pan dump.    Pittston has been the base of RBMN's Scranton area operations for decades with the passenger service being the relative newcomer. GP30 rebuild #2533 and caboose #92817 were on hand for local operations.  Speaking of local operations, there was no way that Andy was going to let a steam passenger Ramble get in the way of normal freight operations. As a result GP30 rebuild #2534 and SD50M #5049 were out getting a single lumber car out for delivery.   #2102 returned from servicing triggering a pair of vintage grade crossing wigways. These electro-mechanical warning lights were once common, but have become pretty much extinct on the North American rail network in recent years. #2102 proceeded out to Pittston yard to couple up to the Ramble consist before heading forward to platform the train.   Heading back up the grade, we eventually passed the returning Mauch Chunk weekend excursion train with GP38-2 #2015, waiting at CP--SOLOMONS GAP.  Passing Crestwood Road at Milepost 153 one can get a good feeling for the traveling circus of railfans that always accompany these mainline steam excursions.  Passing the intermediate White Haven station. The Poconos have lodging and attractions over a wide area so Andy Muller has added intermediate stops to attract ridership.  The Interstate 80 Lehigh River Bridge replacement project is under way.  People who pine for the days of steam and coal have probably never ridden a trip like this and don't realize how dirty coal is as a fuel.  #2102 after a hard day's work at Nesquehoning.  The parking situation still encourages one to hang out for a bit and get some additional photos. I'm not sure what role GP38-2 #2014 was going to play getting the Ramble train back to Port Clinton, but it looked nice sparkling in the twilight.  KME's main assembly building has been converted into a locomotive repair hall with new tracks being cut through the former parking lot.  Since I was continuing on to South Jersey, I wasn't in a position to get my steam excursion buddy home that day. Instead I put him on an NJT Atlantic City Line train at Cherry Hill, where he would connect to Amtrak via 30th St. The ACRL link was powered by GP40PH-2B #4204.   Well that's it for my big RBMN Main Line Steam excursion of 2024. Next time I'll be getting my steps in visiting some of the neat railfanning locations in Washington, DC. |
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| (1643630) | |
Re: PHOTOS: FIRE UP PITTSTON |
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Posted by terRAPIN station on Sun Sep 7 21:02:35 2025, in response to PHOTOS: FIRE UP PITTSTON, posted by Jersey Mike on Thu Sep 4 22:58:11 2025. Excellent photos and write up! |
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| (1643740) | |
Re: PHOTOS: FIRE UP PITTSTON |
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Posted by Jersey Mike on Fri Sep 12 09:36:13 2025, in response to Re: PHOTOS: FIRE UP PITTSTON, posted by terRAPIN station on Sun Sep 7 21:02:35 2025. You should go on one of these trips. |
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