Current DVD Titles:

Reading & Northern 2102
Autumn Leaf Excursions: 2023

After a busy first year in 2022, Reading & Northern 4-8-4 #2102 was back on the high iron in 2023. The locomotive once again ran the familiar Reading to Jim Thorpe route, pulling three Iron Horse Rambles during the summer and then three Autumn Leaf Excursions in the fall. This program covers all the Autumn Leaf Excursions, plus the second Iron Horse Ramble.

On Sunday August 13th, #2102 took an 18-car train to Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania on owner Andy Muller's birthday. We'll follow the '02 on a perfect summer's day as the locomotive charges up the 1.4% grade north of Tamaqua in the morning, then thunders up the 1.2% grade through Nesquehoning in the afternoon. A month and a half later #2102 pulled the first Autumn Leaf Excursion on Sunday October 1st. With a shorter train, #2102 had no problems climbing the hills on another perfectly clear day. Two weeks later, the locomotive powered the second Autumn Leaf Excursion on Saturday October 14th. On this trip, the big 4-8-4 took 17-cars to Jim Thorpe, putting on a spectacular show in the rain.

The final Autumn Leaf Excursion took place on Saturday October 21st and we'll take a ride inside the cab on this trip. Detailed coverage includes views from a mix of locomotive mounted cameras and, of course, trackside runbys. The climb to Nesquehoning in the afternoon is presented in real-time, and you'll see every punishing slip on the steep grade. With the booster cut-in, #2102 clawed her way up the hill at not much more than a walking pace, finally conquering the grade after reaching the long tangent east of town.

Filmed entirely in HD, this program provides a fascinating and unparalleled look at what it takes to get a heavy train over the steep grades of the R &N mainline. In addition to great trackside action, it features spectacular footage from inside the locomotive's cab during the toughest trip of the year. This program has minimal narration (with the option to turn it on or off) and no distracting music. It's available on standard definition widescreen DVD, High Definition Blu-ray disc, and for rental or purchase through Vimeo's On Demand streaming service.

Running Time: 1 hour 49 minutes

Rent or Buy on Vimeo (HD)

Standard Definition DVD

$20.00

High Definition Blu-ray

$25.00

2102 - Return of the Iron Horse Rambles
Volume 3 - Fall Foliage Cab Rides

After four Iron Horse Rambles during the summer months, Reading & Northern 4-8-4 #2102 closed out her first year back in steam with three Autumn Leaf Excursions in the fall. This program looks at the last two trips of 2022, as the locomotive ran the familiar Reading to Jim Thorpe route at the end of fall color season. These trips are covered in detail, with extensive video from in-cab and locomotive-mounted cameras supplementing the traditional trackside runbys.

On October 29th, #2102 took an 18-car train from North Reading to Jim Thorpe. This was the most exciting trip of the year and the locomotive put on an exceptional show climbing the steep grades in both directions. In the morning, the '02 struggled on the tough 1.4% grade north of Tamaqua, as leaf residue made the rails especially slick. You'll see the crew fight to keep the locomotive moving, as the driving wheels slip over and over again approaching East Mahanoy Junction. In the afternoon you'll see more wheel-slip, as #2102 climbs away from the Lehigh River and thunders up the 1.2% grade through Nesquehoning.

The '02 traveled to Jim Thorpe one last time on November 6th, pulling the final Autumn Leaf Excursion of the year. In contrast to the previous trip, it was wet and rainy all day long. Despite a shorter train, #2102 still turned in an impressive performance. We'll again cover the action in both directions with a unique mix of trackside shots and in-cab footage.

Filmed entirely in HD, this program provides a fascinating and unparalleled look into what it takes to get a heavy train over the steep grades of the R&N mainline. It features spectacular footage from inside the locomotive's cab during the toughest trip of the year. This program has minimal narration (with the option to turn it on or off) and no distracting music. It's available on standard definition widescreen DVD, High Definition Blu-ray disc, and for rental or purchase through Vimeo's On Demand streaming service.

Running Time: 1 hour 52 minutes

Rent or Buy on Vimeo (HD)

Standard Definition DVD

$20.00

High Definition Blu-ray

$25.00

2102 - Return of the Iron Horse Rambles
Volume 2 - Ramble Doubleheader

Two and a half weeks after the second Iron Horse Ramble, the Reading & Northern announced a surprise change of schedule: the third Iron Horse Ramble would be a doubleheader, with Pacific-type locomotive #425 joining #2102 on the August 13th excursion from Reading to Jim Thorpe. This was the only time the two locomotives doubleheaded in 2022, and it was their first doubleheader since the 1988 railfan weekend on the original Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad. The 2nd volume of "Return of the Iron Horse Rambles" begins with coverage of this rare doubleheader. On a picture perfect summer day, #2102 led #425 from the new Outer Station in North Reading to Jim Thorpe in the morning, then back to the steam shop in Port Clinton in the afternoon.

On September 3rd, #2102 pulled the fourth and final Ramble of 2022 on the familiar Reading to Jim Thorpe route. Our coverage of the outbound trip features a mix of trackside footage and cameras mounted in the cab and on the locomotive. As always, #2102 put on an incredible show, marching up the steep grades of the Reading & Northern with deafening stack-talk. While the Rambles were over, it wasn't the end of the season for the big 4-8-4, as there were three Autumn Leaf Excursions scheduled for the fall. This program concludes with coverage of the first Autumn Leaf Excursion on October 1st, as #2102 again ran from North Reading to Jim Thorpe. This segment features more in-cab footage, this time on the return trip in the afternoon. The last 2 trips of the year will be covered in Volume 3 of "Return of the Iron Horse Rambles" with extensive footage from cameras mounted inside the cab and on the locomotive.

Filmed entirely in HD, this program features spectacular steam action with the loudest and most impressive locomotive operating today. This program has minimal narration (with the option to turn it on or off) and no distracting music. It's available on standard definition widescreen DVD, High Definition Blu-ray disc, and for rental or purchase through Vimeo's On Demand streaming service.

Running Time: 1 hour 42 minutes

Rent or Buy on Vimeo (HD)

Standard Definition DVD

$20.00

High Definition Blu-ray

$25.00

2102 - Return of the Iron Horse Rambles
Volume 1 - Freight Trains & First Excursions

After 30-years of silence, the sound of a Reading T-1 echoed through Pennsylvania's anthracite country again in 2022. 4-8-4 #2102 returned to service in the spring after a 6-year restoration at the Reading & Northern’s headquarters in Port Clinton, PA. The locomotive would then pull four Iron Horse Rambles during the summer months, a nod to the famed Reading Ramble excursions of the late 1950's and early 1960's.

This is the first volume in a multi-volume series on Reading & Northern 4-8-4 #2102. It begins with footage of the locomotive being tested in freight service prior to the first excursion in May. A series of successful break-in runs culminated with #2102 pulling a 50-car coal train on April 26th from North Reading to Jim Thorpe and then back to Tamaqua. On May 20th the locomotive was again tested on a coal train, this time taking 100 empty coal hoppers upgrade from Port Clinton to Tamaqua. After dropping the cars in Tamaqua, #2102 took 50 loaded hoppers back to Port Clinton.

The following weekend the '02 pulled the first Iron Horse Ramble, easily handling a sold-out 19-car passenger train from North Reading to Jim Thorpe on Saturday May 28th. We'll also cover the second Ramble on July 2nd as #2102 again put on a spectacular show, blasting up the steep grades of the former Reading and Jersey Central Railroads on another Reading to Jim Thorpe excursion.

Filmed entirely in HD, this program features incredible steam action with what is undeniably the loudest locomotive operating today. This program has minimal narration (with the option to turn it on or off) and no distracting music. It's available on standard definition widescreen DVD, High Definition Blu-ray disc, and for rental or purchase through Vimeo's On Demand streaming service.

Running Time: 1 hour 40 minutes

Rent or Buy on Vimeo (HD)

Standard Definition DVD

$20.00

High Definition Blu-ray

$25.00