T-1 continues rehearsals before the first excursion, scheduled for May 28
PORT CLINTON, PA – Reading & Northern has gained more mileage for its former T-1 steam locomotive at Reading Co. № 2102 during the short movement of goods on Friday (May 20, 2022), transporting 100 empty coal hoppers to be delivered to an anthracite forwarder near Tamaqua, Pennsylvania. It was a sequel to the April 26 breakout with 50 empty bunkers from North Reading, Pennsylvania, to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, a prelude to a sold-out May 28 passenger trip on the same route.
№ 2102 joined the train of 100 cars at the R&N headquarters and steam shop in Port Clinton and moved them 20 miles to Tamaqua. There he interrupted as two SD40-2s pulled the train north and pushed it east on the former Lehigh & New England Railroad to LNE’s Arlington Yard to be spotted for loading. In the first tender, № 2102 then returned to Port Clinton, retrieving 50 bunkers loaded with anthracite and delivered to Norfolk Southern in North Reading.
