Uploaded November 2015 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Reading & Northern 425 and crew put on one of the greatest, and loudest, steam shows in the country. On October 17, 2015, we visit a few locations not previously captured in our collection of 425 videos, on the annual running of the Autumn Leaf excursion between Port Clinton and Jim Thorpe, PA.
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facebook.com/CentralPennRailProductions
Fan funding: The icon in the upper right corner allows you to make donations to this channel. We'd be more than thrilled by your extra support!
Train trains departs Port Clinton in the morning hours, where we see 425 traversing north through Reynolds on former Reading Railroad territory before breaking east at Haucks on the former Central Railroad of New Jersey tracks. Shortly after this split, the train crosses the Hometown High Bridge, built in 1931 by the CNJ, replacing an older structure, spanning almost 1000 feet across the valley below, reaching a max height of 161 feet above the Little Schuylkill River. The train is then seen passing some peak foliage just west of Nesquehoning.
Upon arrival to Jim Thorpe, riders had several hours to experience the historic town, visiting shops and taking in the fall foliage, before the train departed back to Port Clinton at 3. We spent this time inside the Lehigh Scenic Gorge filming the normal excursion train to Old Penn Haven, which can be viewed here:
youtu.be/rTy3-ijcpEk
Another key note of CNJ history can be found in our shot after 425 cuts away from the train at Jim Thorpe station, passing an old search light signal between the stone wall and Lehigh River.
On the return, the stack talk gets doing, as is seen climbing the Hometown Hill through Nesquehoning in town and at Tippets Pond.
From there, we're back on the Reading at Zehners where the low afternoon sun glistens on 425, before ducking under the clouds at Molino on her final approach to Port Clinton.
Thanks for watching Central Penn Rail Productions!
Copyright October 2015
Reading & Northern 425 and crew put on one of the greatest, and loudest, steam shows in the country. On October 17, 2015, we visit a few locations not previously captured in our collection of 425 videos, on the annual running of the Autumn Leaf excursion between Port Clinton and Jim Thorpe, PA.
Like and visit us on Facebook at:
facebook.com/CentralPennRailProductions
Fan funding: The icon in the upper right corner allows you to make donations to this channel. We'd be more than thrilled by your extra support!
Train trains departs Port Clinton in the morning hours, where we see 425 traversing north through Reynolds on former Reading Railroad territory before breaking east at Haucks on the former Central Railroad of New Jersey tracks. Shortly after this split, the train crosses the Hometown High Bridge, built in 1931 by the CNJ, replacing an older structure, spanning almost 1000 feet across the valley below, reaching a max height of 161 feet above the Little Schuylkill River. The train is then seen passing some peak foliage just west of Nesquehoning.
Upon arrival to Jim Thorpe, riders had several hours to experience the historic town, visiting shops and taking in the fall foliage, before the train departed back to Port Clinton at 3. We spent this time inside the Lehigh Scenic Gorge filming the normal excursion train to Old Penn Haven, which can be viewed here:
youtu.be/rTy3-ijcpEk
Another key note of CNJ history can be found in our shot after 425 cuts away from the train at Jim Thorpe station, passing an old search light signal between the stone wall and Lehigh River.
On the return, the stack talk gets doing, as is seen climbing the Hometown Hill through Nesquehoning in town and at Tippets Pond.
From there, we're back on the Reading at Zehners where the low afternoon sun glistens on 425, before ducking under the clouds at Molino on her final approach to Port Clinton.
Thanks for watching Central Penn Rail Productions!
Copyright October 2015
![CNJ 113 Bobbing and Weaving to Minersville [4K]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/zXiXYX22mXw/mqdefault.jpg "CNJ 113 Bobbing and Weaving to Minersville [4K]
On December 6 and 20, 2015, CNJ 113 pulls the Santa Train Excursions between Landingville and Minersville, PA, looking better than ever with the new boiler jacket in place. Unlike last years double header, no snow accompanies the scene, but an 0-6-0 as the sole steam power ahead of a passenger consist made for an absolutely unique show. Rambling along at what is considered a high speed for a locomotive of this kind, the massive 0-6-0 seems to ride the rails like a roller coaster bobbing up, down, left and right.
Built as a switching locomotive by Schenectady Works in 1923, the anthracite burner is right at home in the Skook region of Pennsylvania with a history of hauling rich anthracite mined from the region. As an 0-6-0 switcher, or CNJ class 6S46 for 6 Wheel Switcher 46,000 lb Tractive Effort, the duties were limited around yards or shops to build and break up trains; therefore, these locomotives did not require the front or rear guide trucks for the slower speed operations.
Fast forward to today, and the beautifully restored 113 now has a different life of hauling passenger coaches at a brisk pace. Aside from the lack of guiding wheels, the jointed rail only adds to the amount that the large 0-6-0 bobs and weaves across the former Reading trackage. Our camera was strategically located along the line to capture this unique journey. We hope you appreciate the immense effort put into this video to try to do justice of capturing this rare relic of anthracite history, but more importantly hold gratitude for the countless hours put in by the many volunteers over the years to see history live today.
Visit Project 113s website for more information:
http://www.rrproject113.org/
Also thanks to the Reading & Northern railroad for hosting these trips on their rails.
Visit the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway for more information about upcoming excursions:
http://www.lgsry.com/
Like us on Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/CentralPennRailProductions
Fan funding: The icon in the upper right corner allows you to make donations to this channel. Wed be more than thrilled by your extra support!
Please note that these shots are not necessary in chronological order, the detailed information is listed below:
The opening scenes include various shots of 113 getting under way at Minersville for the reverse trip down to Landingville.
1:10 - 113 storms around the bend at Landingville.
1:40 - Stack talk greets us at Cressona Yard.
2:40 - Further down along Railroad St, we get a long glimpse of 113 rocking and rolling right toward our camera.
3:30 - Further up the grade, the train rounds the bend near the green houses.
4:20 - In the woods along the West Branch of the Schuylkill River, 113 barrels along on the jointed rail toward our camera at Westwood Junction. The track on the right heads to Tremont and Good Spring, still actively served by R&N.
5:40 - The train rounds the S-curve at Marlin.
6:40 - Restarting the sequence over for the last trips of the day in lower light, we are now near the south of the line as 113 races past the station in Schuylkill Haven.
7:10 - The 3:30 train rounds the bend an hour later as the sun sets behind the West Cressona depot.
8:10 - Blue hour is among us as only the plume of steam is left visible as the train passes the Indian Run Reservoir.
8:40 - Finally, just after 5 PM, the final train of the season returns home to Minersville Station.
Thank you so much for watching!
Shot with a Sony FDR-AX100 Handycam at 4K 100 Mbps.
Edited with Sony Movie Studio Platinum 13; compressed to YouTubes 45 Mbps 4K bitrate.")
