Speed Graphic Film and Video | Reading Iron Horse Ramble, 1960 [Silent] @SpeedGraphicFilmVideo | Uploaded March 2019 | Updated October 2024, 2 hours ago.
An unknown railfan, probably from the Philadelphia area, took this and a number of other films that ended up in the Prelinger Collection and the Internet Archive. This film shows an Iron Horse Ramble on the Reading Railroad in 1959 or 1960. There is no location information with the film, so thanks to Youtubers rdg2124 and Oren Helbok for help with the following:
0:00 The title shot appears to be taken out the back of an electric on what is now known as the Norristown High-Speed Line.
0:11 At the Reading's Norristown Station. The HSL runs overhead.
0:40 T1 4-8-4 No. 2124 backs down onto the excursion train, while the diesels that brought the train out from Philadelphia idle down the line.
1:34 on the move at last, leaning out a window on the right-hand side of the train.
1:41 Approaching Port Kennedy, going under the old bridge there.
1:54 Perkiomen Junction.
1:59 Possibly Phoenixville.
2:08 Mingo area.
2:14 Douglassville station.
2:22 Passing Colorado Fuel & Iron at Birdsboro. CF&I 0-4-0 Camelback No. 4, formerly RDG No. 1187, is trackside. In a few years, No. 4 would go to the Strasburg Railroad.
2:26 Coming into Port Clinton.
3:54 Zehners
4:33 Tamaqua.
5:26 Helpers to head west on the RDG Schuylkill Valley Branch to Pottsville
5:38 Four F-units at the head of a long freight train ease their way slowly through the crowd.
6:12 Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster H-24-66 No. 867 slides on by the excursion train.
6:33 Photo runby.
7:28 Pike Street in Reading on the return leg
7:44 Laurel Street underpass
7:49 Back in Norristown as the 2124 comes off the train.
8:34 Headed back home again on the Norristown HSL.
I am still working to identify other locations on this film, so please let me know if you recognize something. I can't even pin down the date of this Ramble--there were over a dozen that year. Trains Magazine for November 1960 says that No. 4 was trackside for the April 30 Ramble, but this film looks to have been taken in midsummer.
An unknown railfan, probably from the Philadelphia area, took this and a number of other films that ended up in the Prelinger Collection and the Internet Archive. This film shows an Iron Horse Ramble on the Reading Railroad in 1959 or 1960. There is no location information with the film, so thanks to Youtubers rdg2124 and Oren Helbok for help with the following:
0:00 The title shot appears to be taken out the back of an electric on what is now known as the Norristown High-Speed Line.
0:11 At the Reading's Norristown Station. The HSL runs overhead.
0:40 T1 4-8-4 No. 2124 backs down onto the excursion train, while the diesels that brought the train out from Philadelphia idle down the line.
1:34 on the move at last, leaning out a window on the right-hand side of the train.
1:41 Approaching Port Kennedy, going under the old bridge there.
1:54 Perkiomen Junction.
1:59 Possibly Phoenixville.
2:08 Mingo area.
2:14 Douglassville station.
2:22 Passing Colorado Fuel & Iron at Birdsboro. CF&I 0-4-0 Camelback No. 4, formerly RDG No. 1187, is trackside. In a few years, No. 4 would go to the Strasburg Railroad.
2:26 Coming into Port Clinton.
3:54 Zehners
4:33 Tamaqua.
5:26 Helpers to head west on the RDG Schuylkill Valley Branch to Pottsville
5:38 Four F-units at the head of a long freight train ease their way slowly through the crowd.
6:12 Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster H-24-66 No. 867 slides on by the excursion train.
6:33 Photo runby.
7:28 Pike Street in Reading on the return leg
7:44 Laurel Street underpass
7:49 Back in Norristown as the 2124 comes off the train.
8:34 Headed back home again on the Norristown HSL.
I am still working to identify other locations on this film, so please let me know if you recognize something. I can't even pin down the date of this Ramble--there were over a dozen that year. Trains Magazine for November 1960 says that No. 4 was trackside for the April 30 Ramble, but this film looks to have been taken in midsummer.
![Reading Iron Horse Ramble, 1960 [Silent]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/D1T2c54KBls/hqdefault.jpg "Reading Iron Horse Ramble, 1960 [Silent]
An unknown railfan, probably from the Philadelphia area, took this and a number of other films that ended up in the Prelinger Collection and the Internet Archive. This film shows an Iron Horse Ramble on the Reading Railroad in 1959 or 1960. There is no location information with the film, so thanks to Youtubers rdg2124 and Oren Helbok for help with the following:
0:00 The title shot appears to be taken out the back of an electric on what is now known as the Norristown High-Speed Line.
0:11 At the Readings Norristown Station. The HSL runs overhead.
0:40 T1 4-8-4 No. 2124 backs down onto the excursion train, while the diesels that brought the train out from Philadelphia idle down the line.
1:34 on the move at last, leaning out a window on the right-hand side of the train.
1:41 Approaching Port Kennedy, going under the old bridge there.
1:54 Perkiomen Junction.
1:59 Possibly Phoenixville.
2:08 Mingo area.
2:14 Douglassville station.
2:22 Passing Colorado Fuel & Iron at Birdsboro. CF&I 0-4-0 Camelback No. 4, formerly RDG No. 1187, is trackside. In a few years, No. 4 would go to the Strasburg Railroad.
2:26 Coming into Port Clinton.
3:54 Zehners
4:33 Tamaqua.
5:26 Helpers to head west on the RDG Schuylkill Valley Branch to Pottsville
5:38 Four F-units at the head of a long freight train ease their way slowly through the crowd.
6:12 Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster H-24-66 No. 867 slides on by the excursion train.
6:33 Photo runby.
7:28 Pike Street in Reading on the return leg
7:44 Laurel Street underpass
7:49 Back in Norristown as the 2124 comes off the train.
8:34 Headed back home again on the Norristown HSL.
I am still working to identify other locations on this film, so please let me know if you recognize something. I cant even pin down the date of this Ramble there were over a dozen that year. Trains Magazine for November 1960 says that No. 4 was trackside for the April 30 Ramble, but this film looks to have been taken in midsummer.")
