The Reading Company once maintained one of the largest railroad shops in the world and employed thousands in eastern Pennsylvania. Remarkably, the Reading shops still stand and have been adapted for other uses, but even more remarkable is this: one of the Company's massive steam locomotives has survived and is now undergoing restoration: http://www.fireup2100.org

https://youtu.be/I-_j-Pk-m3k

KL

Change that to four of the Company's massive steam locomotives have survived and two are now undergoing restoration, 2100 and 2102.

Mike Tillger

Not exactly massive, but don't forget 1251 and 1187!

Thank you Mike!

Here is what the 2012 looked like back in 2010, during the NRHS Convention:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=568176&nseq=37

And here is what she looked like in the Reading & Nothern's shop building during the 2016 Lerro Productions Charter:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=568177&nseq=36

Looking forward to seeing this gal back out on the iron. Unlike some other Northerns that can only run under the good graces of another railroad, the 2012 and the rails she lives on are under the same ownership!

/Kevin

If we are picking nits, we need to list the Black Diamond, Rocket and People's #3. ;-)

Love the video.

I thought this post was about 2100, no?

It is but like most threads here on RYPN it got slightly off track; this time due the wording of the initial post. If it had said something along the lines of - "Four of the Company's massive steam locomotives have survived; one of which 2100, is now undergoing restoration." This topic derail may not have occurred.
If anything I have noticed we are a community of nit-pickers, who will tear apart posts for the smallest bit of information that may or may not be correct.

Hello,

In my life I had the privilege to see 3 of the 4 in steam, including the 00 in Hagerstown, MD, fresh out of resto #1. What struck me at the time was the extreme gloss of her paint resting on the Hagerstown turntable.

I must credit the 02 with sparking my interest in steam when I was possibly 2-3 years old seeing her storming upgrade, going south out of Goodyear PA on the Gettysburg line. Oh my word that's over 50 years ago! I have no memory of her then but after hearing the 02's booming exhaust many years later on the BM&R, I suspect that is what did it when I was a child.

The video at the beginning is interesting. It's also interesting that Yeager Supply, a very old industrial piping supplier now uses the Reading Shops for a warehouse, kudos to them! My company transacted a lot of business with Yeagers and their original store front was very understated and it's interesting they acquired the Reading Shops.

It will be good to see the 00 & 02 back in steam, hoping they can get together.

Cheers!

Randy

Sorry-

Thread drift can be annoying or invigorating. As long as there's no malice, is there any harm?

From my POV the restorations of #2100 and #2102 are cause for celebration. Any conversations these restorations foster are just icing on the cake.

According to Rob Gottschall's book on the T-1s 2100's firebox was accidentally slammed into a support beam inside the Reading shop while the locomotive was under construction. Apparently the dent it left is still there.

As one who first rode behind Reading steam as a kid in the early 50's (though I don't recall much of that) and rode my first iron Horse Ramble in 1961, I look forward to seeing, hearing, and riding behind both 2100 and 2102. The Iron Horse Rambles were the model to which I compare every other steam trip I've ever ridden.