Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Managed to catch a rather unique move on the Reading and Northern Lehigh Line as the regularly scheduled Pittston to Mach Chunk Lehigh Gorge excursion got caught up in both the Union Pacific Big Boy #4014 visit and the results of a derailment at Mach Chunk the previous day.
When departing Mach Chunk on Saturday June 13th, the Pittston Lehigh Gorge excursion train picked a switch point in the yard and derailed 3 cars of the 4 car consist. Many assumed the June 14th edition of this train would be canceled due to both the derailment and the needs of the #4014 visit, however the train did run with the usual Reading and Northern 40th anniversary GP38-2 #2023 and a the one coach that didn't derail, #452.
The Pittston-to-Mach Chunk train was running about an hour late and when it showed up on the former CNJ single track south of Mountain Top the direction of traffic on the CTC-line had already been set north for #4014. Because the 1950's vintage CTC system can be finnicky and the RBMN dispatcher didn't want to present #4014 with signal problems, the Pittston-to-Mach Chunk train was given NORAC Form D, Line 6 authority to substitute DCS rules in place of the signaling system. Therefore note that the train movement doesn't stop or slow down for the Stop and Proceed signal displayed on the MP 148S intermediate signal. Also note that the 148N signal releases back up to Clear as soon as the train exited the block.
Managed to catch a rather unique move on the Reading and Northern Lehigh Line as the regularly scheduled Pittston to Mach Chunk Lehigh Gorge excursion got caught up in both the Union Pacific Big Boy #4014 visit and the results of a derailment at Mach Chunk the previous day.
When departing Mach Chunk on Saturday June 13th, the Pittston Lehigh Gorge excursion train picked a switch point in the yard and derailed 3 cars of the 4 car consist. Many assumed the June 14th edition of this train would be canceled due to both the derailment and the needs of the #4014 visit, however the train did run with the usual Reading and Northern 40th anniversary GP38-2 #2023 and a the one coach that didn't derail, #452.
The Pittston-to-Mach Chunk train was running about an hour late and when it showed up on the former CNJ single track south of Mountain Top the direction of traffic on the CTC-line had already been set north for #4014. Because the 1950's vintage CTC system can be finnicky and the RBMN dispatcher didn't want to present #4014 with signal problems, the Pittston-to-Mach Chunk train was given NORAC Form D, Line 6 authority to substitute DCS rules in place of the signaling system. Therefore note that the train movement doesn't stop or slow down for the Stop and Proceed signal displayed on the MP 148S intermediate signal. Also note that the 148N signal releases back up to Clear as soon as the train exited the block.
