It has some interesting looking drifting valves on it.

Why does it have 3 cylinder cocks per cylinder?

Hearty congratulations to Andy Muller and his team for staying the course and bringing this beautiful locomotive back to life. She certainly looks and runs great, testimony to the thorough job done on her restoration.

For us serious steam lovers the R&N is as close as you'll get to the "Full Monty" ( no diesels, open windows, real runbys, and close to mainline track speed) and the only place in today's America where you can get it, and, at reasonable prices to boot !!!

Many thanks to Andy Muller for keeping the steam flame burning brightly.

Ross Rowland

McGrath618, you aren't quite correct. The T-1's as built carried the whistles of their I-10 predecessors. I rode several of the original Iron Horse Rambles and saw/chased quite a few others. When 2100 joined 2124, it had its hooter, while 2124 had the passenger whistle. The next year, following 2124's retirement, 2100 and 2102 both carried passenger whistles from scrapped Reading Pacifics. Except for the whistle from Baldwin 60000 at the Franklin Institute, those were what was heard. To my knowledge, the double whistles came along later on. I remember when 2102 was running in West Virginia, it carried a C&O hooter and a deep steamboat whistle, and when it ran the Farewell to the Reading trips, it also featured two whistles.

Thank you for the correction.

.

As I posted before on another thread here, the "steamboat" whistle that was on 2102 in the 1970s was reportedly off NYC Ten Wheeler 1234, and was owned by the late Al "Windy" Shade from the Cleveland area. He made sure everyone around knew that and that he owned it. As reported by others on here, apparently it ended up being orphaned in the Cleveland B&O W. 3rd St. roundhouse at some point after about 1980, and the Midwest Chapter NRHS people operating Cuyahoga Valley Line 4070 had it donated to a "NYC Museum" somewhere. I have no idea if it went to the Elkhart, IN NYC museum or somewhere else, or what happened to it after that. If anyone knows, please enlighten us. I think it would be neat to hear it back on the '02 after all these years. It was an impressive sound, and with three whistles, 2102 almost sounded like a calliope rolling down the track. Al once gave me a recording he made of it arriving in Cass during the trips they ran from Ronceverte, WV to Durbin with Cass Scenic Shay #5 saluting it back echoing off the mountains, and it was epic.

Congrats to the R&N team! I always found the Reading T-1 to be somewhat of an ugly duckling but 2102 is really looking nice. The whistle she wore yesterday is also growing on me. It seems very loud with a get out of my way vibe. Almost a cross between a hooter and a Banshee. I've never been a fan of dual whistles or guest whistles. The whistle is the voice of the engine, part of its identification.

I'm really looking forward to riding behind 2102 in September. Big steam, respectable speed, open windows and photo-runbys. It doesn't get much better than that!

I honestly think it would’ve been fun to see 2102 painted blue, like 425

Just for fun though. I definitely prefer the original paint job on the locomotive.

Congrats to all those involved!

I noticed the cab had woodlining. Did it always have that?[/quote]



No.

It sounded like the plan was to put in the original Rambles livery at one point. There's still time I suppose.

RDG G-1-s-b Pacific 201 was painted blue for the King Coal at one time. And B&O's blue P-7 Pacifics ran over RDG between Bound Brook Jct. and Park Jct. with Royal Blue Line trains.

Phil Mulligan

Slight correction: There was an open-sided coach with "chicken wire" in the 'Erie Limited' consist. I know because I sat in it for part of one of the trips. The wire openings were wide enough to stick your head through and I sure was glad I brought goggles because the cinders felt like they were blasted out of a shotgun.

As Mr. Ross previously mentioned (and he should know!) there were open window coaches. I assume I sat in one of these but was under the impression it was "first come, first served". I didn't stay too long in the car so as to give others a chance.

And as far as whether or not 2102 & 425 would look good doubleheading, I don't know. But I do know that they look good when sitting next to each other! (My photo from 1990)

I beg to differ with you, Mr. Freer. On the two first trips, there was no open car. I believe the car you refer to came on the later trips, but looking at my photos, there is no evidence of an open car on the trains. I rode the Saturday trip and chased part of the Sunday trip.

All of the Pt. Jervis trips ( 1996-98) trips had at least one open window car in the consist.

To alleviate the crowding in one open window car starting in the second season ( 1997) we added 2 P-70 open window coaches and charged a modest premium for a seat in them. We put them near the head end ( westbound) and insisted that everyone in those 2 cars wear googles as the cinders at track speed ( 79 mph) can really hurt and if taken in an eye can cause injury.

It worked out quite well and we received lots of kudos from the serious steam lovers who thoroughly enjoyed 3 hours of the " full monty" treatment.

Ross Rowland

Hello,

Seeing foamer chatter, the 02 will be performing a loaded mainline test on Tuesday 4/26 to Jim Thorpe? …..with 50 coal hoppers? (TrainOrders)

Considering the grades it may see, did I hear 2% at Haucks? Are the T1s rated for 50 loads on this type of grade (assuming booster use) ? If these are 100 Ton cars, seeing they are approximately 30 tons tare……If loaded, 6500 tons seems like a good bit. (In addition I understand they restored the booster.)

Any seasoned folks here have a view? Maybe Ross?

Either way, on grade and hearing the kettle drum smoke box booming again would be highly therapeutic.

Regards,

Randy