RailNews

Reading & Northern F9s Make Public Debut

Reading & Northern’s F9 locomotives power the Oct. 31, excursion at Zenners, Pa., along with a recently repainted SD50. Photo by M.T. Burkhart.

Reading & Northern F9s Make Public Debut

By M.T. Burkhart

PORT CLINTON, Pa. – The Reading & Northern showcased its cab units over the weekend and there’s still one more chance to see the locomotives in action later this month.

The railroad announced that tickets are still available for the Nov. 14 excursion from Reading, Pa. to Jim Thorpe. The trip will depart Reading’s “Outer Station” at 9 a.m. and have a three and a half hour layover in historic Jim Thorpe, returning to Reading at 6 p.m.

The Oct. 31 run was the first public outing behind the former Norfolk Southern executive cab units after a pair of all-day specials planned for earlier in the year were canceled due to the global coronavirus pandemic.

Reading & Northern purchased the cab units – F9A 270 and F9B 275 – late last year from NS. They were used on several office car specials for railroad management over the summer. Tickets for the upcoming trip range from $49 to $199 for first-class/dome and are available at rbmnrr-passenger.com.

The railroad also recently announced additional runs powered by its Budd RDC cars and that 4-6-2 425 will pull Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway trips on Nov. 6, 7 and 8.

This article was posted on: November 2, 2020