Superb! Right at the top of steam excursion videos; and, as it sadly happened, it's historic as the program has ended. Extremely helpful time-log cued comments. The Nicholson Viaduct segment is spectacular, tied for "best" in my opinion, with the Portageville Trestle bit - that waterfall!!, sadly, also now gone. This video belongs in every steam passenger fan's library.
Thanks Dennis. Railroading just isn't as interesting as it was. I realize I'm speaking from a very modern perspective, but it's still not the way I remember it from my childhood. Thanks for taking the time to view the video!
It's too bad the official program ended, I was on three of the excursions, 765 Horseshoe Curve w/stop in Altoona, 765 Bethlehem to Pittston w/stop in Jim Thorpe on return, and 611 Manassas to Front Royal, VA last Saturday. I live just west of Allentown so last year's 765 trip was the closest for us. My father worked in the Bethlehem Steel plant for 20 years until his passing on March 8, 1986. For last year's 765 trip they had us park by the old steel plant in a public lot, and bused us to the train on school buses down Riverside Drive to the old intermodal lot where there is a siding where the train parked to load, and unload at the end of the trip. We stopped in Jim Thorpe for an hour on the return trip. This year I wanted to ride behind 611 in case they can't run after this year, and the Manassas trip was the closest for us. The other excursion departure points such as Roanoke is 400 miles from us, and Spencer 500 miles. Manassas, about 180 miles from us. We also went to two caves in Virginia Monday and Tuesday before going home, Luray Caverns, and Skyline Caverns. We didn't make it to Shenandoah Caverns. We had to drive out of our way to get to Luray, and Skyline is in Front Royal near the NS tracks, we turned in Riverton at the wye nearby on Saturday on the 611 trip. We stayed overnight twice going home, Monday night at a Hampton Inn off I-81 in Virginia, and Tuesday night at a Country Inn near Harrisburg, PA. Maybe next year I will ride behind #2102 at the RBMN for the first time since Sept. 1991 when I rode behind it from Emmaus to Pennsburg on the Perk branch. That was another rare steam train ride that was close to me. The #2102 was out of service from Oct. 1991 until probably 2017 when it will pull excursions again. At least on RBMN you have open window coaches and are allowed to open the windows unlike recent NS excursions where hanging out of vestibules is prohibited. But RBMN excursions are limited to their own lines, #2102 won't be able to run to Harrisburg or Philly like it did in the 1980's. NS probably wouldn't accept the #2102 due to it being mostly friction bearing, and almost none of RBMN's coaches are suitable to run on NS because they're older, have openable windows, and are friction bearing. Plus NS cut back it's new steam program in December to include only 611. Who knows if 611 will be able to run on NS after this year, last weekend was the final excursions with 611 for the year. If they can't run on NS, then that severely limits where they can run because Virginia has very few regional railroads or shortlines. It's all NS through Roanoke, 611's home base. The renovated NS coaches with large windows and bigger bathrooms are nice, but it's a disappointment to not hear the steam engine very well due to being so far back on the train and lack of open windows. Also, there wasn't any public excursions recently on the segment from Allentown to Reading, the ex-Reading RR line now owned by NS. It was a part of Conrail from Apr. 1, 1976-June, 1999. Amtrak had a trip in Nov 2014 from Philly to Harrisburg via Reading on NS's ex-Reading main. Lehigh Limited with M&E, NJT and NS ran from Hoboken to Bethlehem in Aug 2013. Both were diesel trips. I didn't ride those.
It’s upsetting how mainline steam excursion operations aren’t like this anymore. Wish they will just come back to the mainline in the future! Who agrees with me?
At least now that Hunter Harrison is gone for good out of our lives, now all we have to do is get that piece of trash Richard Anderson fired for doing unforgivable things to Amtrak by getting a better and friendly CEO to replace him and then everything will be fine so we can have steam excursions back on Amtrak and Norfolk Southern!!!!!
Superb! Right at the top of steam excursion videos; and, as it sadly happened, it's historic as the program has ended. Extremely helpful time-log cued comments. The Nicholson Viaduct segment is spectacular, tied for "best" in my opinion, with the Portageville Trestle bit - that waterfall!!, sadly, also now gone. This video belongs in every steam passenger fan's library.
Thanks Dennis. Railroading just isn't as interesting as it was. I realize I'm speaking from a very modern perspective, but it's still not the way I remember it from my childhood. Thanks for taking the time to view the video!
Wish the mainline steam excursion operations will just come back to life in the future!
Ahh 21st century steam program "stack talk" it always sounds so beautiful and loud
It's too bad the official program ended, I was on three of the excursions, 765 Horseshoe Curve w/stop in Altoona, 765 Bethlehem to Pittston w/stop in Jim Thorpe on return, and 611 Manassas to Front Royal, VA last Saturday. I live just west of Allentown so last year's 765 trip was the closest for us. My father worked in the Bethlehem Steel plant for 20 years until his passing on March 8, 1986. For last year's 765 trip they had us park by the old steel plant in a public lot, and bused us to the train on school buses down Riverside Drive to the old intermodal lot where there is a siding where the train parked to load, and unload at the end of the trip. We stopped in Jim Thorpe for an hour on the return trip. This year I wanted to ride behind 611 in case they can't run after this year, and the Manassas trip was the closest for us. The other excursion departure points such as Roanoke is 400 miles from us, and Spencer 500 miles. Manassas, about 180 miles from us. We also went to two caves in Virginia Monday and Tuesday before going home, Luray Caverns, and Skyline Caverns. We didn't make it to Shenandoah Caverns. We had to drive out of our way to get to Luray, and Skyline is in Front Royal near the NS tracks, we turned in Riverton at the wye nearby on Saturday on the 611 trip. We stayed overnight twice going home, Monday night at a Hampton Inn off I-81 in Virginia, and Tuesday night at a Country Inn near Harrisburg, PA. Maybe next year I will ride behind #2102 at the RBMN for the first time since Sept. 1991 when I rode behind it from Emmaus to Pennsburg on the Perk branch. That was another rare steam train ride that was close to me. The #2102 was out of service from Oct. 1991 until probably 2017 when it will pull excursions again. At least on RBMN you have open window coaches and are allowed to open the windows unlike recent NS excursions where hanging out of vestibules is prohibited. But RBMN excursions are limited to their own lines, #2102 won't be able to run to Harrisburg or Philly like it did in the 1980's. NS probably wouldn't accept the #2102 due to it being mostly friction bearing, and almost none of RBMN's coaches are suitable to run on NS because they're older, have openable windows, and are friction bearing. Plus NS cut back it's new steam program in December to include only 611. Who knows if 611 will be able to run on NS after this year, last weekend was the final excursions with 611 for the year. If they can't run on NS, then that severely limits where they can run because Virginia has very few regional railroads or shortlines. It's all NS through Roanoke, 611's home base. The renovated NS coaches with large windows and bigger bathrooms are nice, but it's a disappointment to not hear the steam engine very well due to being so far back on the train and lack of open windows. Also, there wasn't any public excursions recently on the segment from Allentown to Reading, the ex-Reading RR line now owned by NS. It was a part of Conrail from Apr. 1, 1976-June, 1999. Amtrak had a trip in Nov 2014 from Philly to Harrisburg via Reading on NS's ex-Reading main. Lehigh Limited with M&E, NJT and NS ran from Hoboken to Bethlehem in Aug 2013. Both were diesel trips. I didn't ride those.
I was also riding the train on August 22nd. The Lehigh Gorge Special!
It’s upsetting how mainline steam excursion operations aren’t like this anymore. Wish they will just come back to the mainline in the future! Who agrees with me?
wow @ 6:14 the cars are rockin like a boat in stormy waters
21st Century Steam Program 2011-2015.
Nice video dude
You have to hand it to those folks in PA, they do turn out to see a historic train!
Only 611 will still run with NS next year!!!!!!
So do they have an “official steam program”? Just like the UP has
I believe they 'did', emphasis on the 'did' as since 2017, the steam excursions have ended.
Once the amtrak excursion Policies are lifted, Maybe the steam excursions will return
I hope so ya friend
At least now that Hunter Harrison is gone for good out of our lives, now all we have to do is get that piece of trash Richard Anderson fired for doing unforgivable things to Amtrak by getting a better and friendly CEO to replace him and then everything will be fine so we can have steam excursions back on Amtrak and Norfolk Southern!!!!!
Just a fair video, not great. would have been better if you spent less time on the train and more time filming the train from the outside.