Just when everyone thought it would never happen and then BOOM out of the blue.

https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews ... k9PKsB9_O0

Never happen? Seems to me an obvious event opportunity waiting to happen. Great that it will.

I'll be on board and looking forward to the thunder they both produce on the 1.5 % grades in both directions. Hope someone gets a good video of it as I'm confident it will be a show for the ages !!!

Thanks Andy Muller and to your steam team !!!

Ross Rowland

I hope they hang enough tonnage behind them to actually make them thunder. Wish I could be there.

They will have a 20 car train weighing approx. 1450 trailing tons. That will be enough train to make them both work hard to maintain track speed up the 1.5% grades in both directions.

It will certainly be quite a show. Ross Rowland

Not enough weight. Put up some retainers.

For the record, the official RDG Co. tonnage rating for a T-1 from Tamaqua to Lofty was 2,000 tons. That would include Haucks. So 1,450 is a piece of cake.

Remember when you're doing these tonnage rating gymnastics that the railroad's freight tonnage rating was often set to the maximum that class of locomotive could be expected to reliably take over a given stretch of track often requiring lengthy segments at very slow speeds.

I rode the 7/2 R&N 2102 trip hauling a 19 car consist and trust me the 2102 was giving it her all and while there was never a doubt that she would make it in both directions I don't think she quite achieved track speed in either direction on the hard pulls.

No doubt with the 425 helping they'll achieve track speed easily.

Ross Rowland

Track speed on some of the line is 60... will be well worth any drive.

Most of the R&N's track is rated Class 3 which has a 45mph speed limit for passenger trains. It isn't 79 but in today's reality it is as close as you can get to the " full monty" ( no diesel(s) in the consist, full tonnage train, open windows, runbys) and well worth the price.

Thanks to Andy Muller and his crew for all they do to keep the steam flame burning brightly.

Ross Rowland

As of 7/15/22, Class 3 track was 60 m.p.h. for passenger. When did it get reduced?
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-II/part-213/subpart-A/section-213.9
(I haven't checked speed limits due to signals or lack of them, but they don't depend on track class.)

Mr. Rowland has quite a history of confusing track speeds...

My apologies. I checked and most of the track between Outer Reading depot and Jim Thorpe is in fact Class 3 which is good for 60 mph passenger. There are of course lots and lots of curves and other restrictions along the way calling for various slower speeds.

As I posted,.... in today's steam fan reality this is as close as you can get to the " full monty" and worth every penny of the $ 99 it costs to sit in an o/w coach and absorb the sounds and sights of steam hard at work.

Looking forward to the 8/13 double header. Thanks, Ross Rowland

I'm hoping they double head again on Sept. 3rd when I'm up there, but either way I'm really looking forward to my first visit to the R&N. Decent speed behind a 4-8-4, open windows and a heavy train on a mountain railroad. Who could ask for more? I'll be taking my daughters (6 & 8) on this one. Neither have experienced a "mainline" excursion and I'm really hoping they are as impressed as I was when the bug bit me at about their age. Fingers crossed.

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Mr. Rowland has quite a history of confusing track speeds...[/quote]

NJT would still like to have a word with him....