Definitely this, especially for mainline-type excursions where your cost structure can be dramatically different. However, having a pool of cars is a major, major savings...owning the real estate helps too. In recent experience without these dedicated resources, you need to often guarantee 95-100% sell outs to get a good 50/50 ratio. Everyone can breathe a lot easier the sooner you're sold out, too...




I can attest that coach seats are often the hardest to move or the last to sell in mainline excursion experiences of late. Those first-class, lounge and dome classes are premium, unique experiences/accommodations. The lower-priced coach seats are good to have on hand to an extent -- especially if you want to keep the event accessible with different financial means.

Looking forward to being a passenger myself.

Breathe easier? I can’t breathe at all until I’ve sold at least 50% of an event! Haha.


One benefit the RBMR has when it comes to coach seats is that they have open windows which some will prefer. Although maybe not in July!

I suspect R&N has it down to a science regarding how many trips to run and optimal ticket price since they run these excursions so often. I'm actually a little surprised that they haven't tapped out the market given how often they run the Reading-Jim Thorpe route.

I'm really hoping to get up there for this one. Literally every prior commitment I have for the summer falls on the dates of these runs. I was shooting for fall but just learned the Oct. trips do not include run-bys. Ugh!

Last I heard, 425 was down and out for the count. I think they got started on her inspection early.

Oh that’s a shame. Was hoping we’d get to see her and #2102 together before she went down. I can’t imagine they will be in any rush to get her up and running again.

I wouldn't expect #425 to fall by the wayside. There's a lot of recognition there and she's pretty well loved, even by the non-railfan sorts. The plan is to use #425 for the Lehigh Gorge trips and other short runs, while #2102 is to be used on the longer hauls like Reading-Jim Thorpe or the rumored Wilkes-Barre service. It'd certainly be neat to ride behind #2102 to Jim Thorpe, then ride behind #425 through the Lehigh Gorge during the layover, then go back to Reading behind #2102. Just don't expect any doubleheaders, from what I hear Andy Muller thinks the two look silly paired up due to the size difference.

Also, R&N has said that #2102 will make her debut run in freight service. So look for that to happen some time before May 28th

The two engines are also on different 1472-day cycles. While one is down for repairs and inspection, the other is running.

Phil Mulligan

Trains said mid-March.

According to the website, 425 will be running the 1st weekend of November. Not really advertised but if you click buy now under the autumn leaf excursions and scroll to the bottom it shows up.

No reason 425 couldn't be back up and running before then. I haven't seen her myself, only heard from a colleague. FWIW, I've also seen pictures of her lately with the smokebox door removed and tender separated.

Hello,

To all on this board, it’s good to see the 02 T-Hog back on the road!

A big thank you to Mr. Laepple on this forum for identifying THE event that very well got me hooked on these coal breathing monsters. He graciously pointed out to me a scene from a Ramble film that pegged it.

The date was May 2nd, 1964, I was 2 years old, about to turn 3, 2 days later on May 4th. Mr Laepple thought he saw a man holding a boy in his arms at a crossing near Starners Station just south of Goodyear on the old Reading branch to Gettysburg. The film was recorded from inside the train looking outward. After reviewing the film down to frame by frame, yes indeed, my father was holding me, my oldest sister was standing in front of us, my brother was standing beside us! Thank you Wayne for the memory I cannot remember!

I will be 61 on May 4th, it’s hard to believe the O2 has lasted as long as me and hopefully will live longer than me! It is also amazing the O2 has not run for 30 years??! WHAT?

In the eighties, when Charlie would really accelerate the 02 hard on the BM&R, I distinctly the booming exhaust from the 02’s huge smoke box, they same impression may have amazed me when I was two years old!

Got to get up there to see my old friend!

Regards,

Randy

Got my tickets for the August ramble after I saw the announcement. Can't wait to get down there again. Last trip I was on was the 765 Bethlehem to Pittston trip.

I don't think 2102 and 425 would look any more "silly" double heading than did Southern's ex-T&P 2-10-4 No. 610 did with No. 4501 back in the '70s!

It'd be interesting to know if that's also the case for those places running coaches with open windows. Part of the rise of premium seats may be because if you're going to ride in essentially a hermetically sealed car it might as well be in style.