RailNews

Reading & Northern purchased the former Norfolk Southern executive units – F9A number 270 and F9B number 275 – late last year. They made one of their first runs on the July 4 weekend. Photo by M.T. Burkhart.

Reading & Northern F9s to Make Public Debut on Autumn Excursion

By M.T. Burkhart

PORT CLINTON, Pa. – The Reading & Northern has announced two trips in late fall that will be pulled by the railroad’s F9 locomotives.

The Oct. 31 and Nov. 14 excursions will run round trip from Reading, Pa. to Jim Thorpe. These represent the first public outings behind the former Norfolk Southern executive cab units after a pair of all-day specials planned for earlier in the year were cancelled due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

The trips depart Reading “Outer Station” at 9 a.m. with a 3.5-hour layover in historic Jim Thorpe, returning at 6 p.m.

Reading & Northern purchased the cab units – F9A 270 and F9B 275 – late last year from NS and modified the paint scheme. They have been used on several office car specials for railroad management over the summer. Tickets range from $199 for first class/dome to $49 (depending on boarding location) and are available at rbmnrr-passenger.com.