Standard Coach
The “backbone” of the Reading & Northern passenger fleet, these coaches are equipped with functional windows, clean restrooms, and comfortable padded seats with backs that flip to face the direction the train is traveling.
The coaches are heated in the winter.
Open Air Car
These cars are refurbished standard coaches. The windows and standard seating were removed and replaced with wooden benches that run down the center of the car facing outward. There are no restrooms on these cars but guest may access them in standard coach. Open Air cars are always a popular choice during the warmer months, and provide passengers with optimal viewing of the scenery throughout the ride.
These cars are only available on our Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway trains based in Jim Thorpe, PA, April through November unless otherwise noted.
Crown Class Coach
Our Crown-Class coach cars offer guests a more comfortable ride than our Standard Coach cars.
Crown-Class features plush, larger, and reclining seats - similar to a charter bus. These cars have clean restrooms and are heated for the winter.
Vista Class Dome Car
Our Vista Class Dome Car, the Lehigh Gorge Explorer Super Dome, was originally built for trains traveling over the Rockies between Chicago and Seattle. It is now a perfect way to see the beautiful scenery of eastern Pennsylvania.
Inside the car on the bottom level there is a dining area that allows passengers to enjoy the scenery, snack, and make new friends! As well as the dining area, there is a kitchenette on this level that is used occasionally to provide passengers with snacks and refreshments.
The top level of the coach is equipped with 44 comfortable seats. Most importantly this level provides a spectacular panoramic view of the scenery!
This car is fully climate controlled for passenger comfort.
First-Class Lounge
Our First-Class Lounge Car #8, the Mauch Chunk Club, is the ideal way to ride in style on “The Road of Anthracite”!
Featuring plush armchairs at either end, this car also offers restaurant-style booth seating as well as a wood-paneled snack bar situated in the middle of the coach that is occasionally used to serve refreshments to guests.
This car is primarily used by Reading & Northern management, however it is occasionally opened to the general public for special trips, events, or holidays.
This car is fully climate controlled for passenger comfort.
First-Class Lounge Observation
Our First-Class Lounge & Observation Car #7, the King Coal, is the ideal way to ride in style on “The Road of Anthracite”!
Featuring plush armchairs at either end, this car also offers restaurant-style booth seating as well as a wood-paneled snack bar situated in the middle of the coach that is occasionally used to serve refreshments to guests.
This car is offered on our regular season Pittston to Jim Thorpe excursion trains and will typically be on the end of the train.
This car is fully climate controlled for passenger comfort.
Rail Diesel Car (RDC)
The Reading & Northern Railroad owns and operates four self-propelled Rail Diesel Cars; #9164, #9166, #9167, and #9168. The cars were built by the former Budd Company of Philadelphia in the 1950's for commuter use by various railroads. All of our RDCs have functional windows and clean restrooms, and are fully climate controlled. These cars are typically found on our regular season Reading to Jim Thorpe excursion trains, but also service our Reading to Pottsville trains on occasion.
The #9164, #9167, & #9168 are full coaches offering comfortable padded seats that flip to face whichever direction the train is traveling.
The #9166 is a half coach. The other half of the car features a snack counter where snacks and beverages are available for cash purchase.
Pullman Car - Hickory Run
Reading & Northern’s Pullman Car, Hickory Run, was built in the late 1920s. This was the “heyday” of American Rail Travel, and the car was one of a group of 30 all-steel heavyweight sleeping cars with 14 single bedrooms. Originally named in the “Night” series, this car was the Night Trail. It joined the hundreds of cars in the fleet operated by the Pullman Company.
In 1948, the car was leased to the New Haven Railroad, and served on trains running from NYC to cities in the New England states until it retired in from service in the early 1960s.
Since then, the car has had several owners, including some time in a museum. One of the prior owners modified the car, converting the first bedroom into a mini-kitchen area, and the next three rooms opened up into a small parlor. With these changes, there are 10 private rooms which can each accommodate two people and contain a functional window.
The car was purchased by the Reading & Northern Railroad in 1998. It is mainly used for private excursions, but also offered to the public on select special event passenger excursions.
The Parlor Car
The Reading and Northern Railroad’s First-Class Parlor Car #3 was originally built in the 1920s. It was owned by the Gulf Mobile & Northern Railroad, which is also the same railroad that originally owned steam locomotive #425.
Car #3 has been owned by the Reading & Northern for over 30 years. It received an extensive makeover in 2014, making it what it is today.
From the embossed copper ceiling and vibrant flooring to the plush armchair and swivel rockers, riding in this vintage Victorian railcar is always a memorable event. Seating only thirteen passengers, you ride this Parlor Car in expansive elegance. This car is offered on select special event excursion trains.
Car #1 - Black Diamond
The pride and joy of the fleet, Car #1 Black Diamond, was built in 1889 by Jay Gould as a gift for his daughter, Helen. Mr. Gould became known as one of most notable owners of railroad securities of his time. From 1867 to 1868 he was involved in a struggle against Cornelius Vanderbilt for the control of Erie Railroad. After resigning as director of the Erie Railroad, Gould extended his railroad control westward to include Union Pacific, Missouri Pacific, and Texas & Pacific.
The heavyweight six axle coach was purchased, then rebuilt, by the Reading & Northern in fall of 1996, shortly after the R&N purchased the Lehigh Line from Conrail. Now used privately by the R&N to entertain guests as the premier rail car for the entire railroad, Car #1 is usually the last car on various OCS (Office Car Special) train excursions.
Motive Power
Diesel Engines
The Reading & Northern Passenger Department uses various diesel electric engines including GP39RNs, GP38-2s, SD40-2s and SD50s built by General Motors’ Electro Motive Division.
Diesel electric engines are powered by electricity despite the name ‘diesel’. A large diesel motor powers a generator by rotating a shaft, which in turn generates electricity. The electrical energy that the generators produce then powers electric motors at the wheels called traction motors. This process gives the engines pulling power to effectively haul freights and passenger trains.
Along with these, the Passenger Department occasionally uses our streamlined F-Units, and our steam locomotives.
Diesel F-Units
These streamlined diesel electric engines, commonly referred to as “F-Units”, have a heritage dating back to the early 1950s.
The F-7a numbers 250 and 251 were originally on the Bessemer Lake Erie in western, PA into the early 1990s. Eventually, they were sold to the Southern Railroad of New Jersey. The Reading & Northern purchased the units in the spring of 2017. They are currently in storage at our Penobscot Yard.
The 270 and 275 were rebuilt approximately 15 years ago by Norfolk Southern Railroad at their Altoona, PA engine shops for executive train travel on the NS system. The 270 was originally built for Baltimore & Ohio, and the 275 for Chicago Great Western. By late 2019, NS auctioned the engines and the Reading & Northern became their new home. The two diesels, F-9a number 270 and F-7b number 275, were received by R&N in late December of 2019, where they were repainted in a new R&N scheme.
Steam Locomotive #2102
The Reading Company T-1 class #2102 was built in the Reading’s own locomotive shops in 1945. With drivers 70” in diameter, it weighs 404 tons, and its tender holds up to 26 tons of coal and up to 19,000 gallons of water. After the steam era was over, the Reading Company used #2102 for its famous Iron Horse Rambles. The #2102 has had many different owners since it was retired by the Reading Company. It is one of only four to survive. The other remaining locomotives are #2100, #2101, and #2124.
The Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad purchased the #2102 in 1986, and it ran on the Temple to South Hamburg line into the early 1990s. Once the Blue Mountain & Reading Railroad became the Reading Blue Mountain & Northern, the #2102 ran over Reading & Northern rails for a short time before it was removed from service in the early 1990s.
In 2022, steam locomotive #2102 reentered service on the Reading & Northern. The locomotive has been used actively to pull both passenger excursions and revenue freight trains.
Steam Locomotive #425
The #425, a 4-6-2 light Pacific, was built in January 1928 by Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, PA, for the Gulf, Mobile, and Northern Railroad passenger operations. The engine weighs 110 tons and the tender weighs in at 91 tons. Coal capacity is 18 tons and the water capacity is 8,500 gallons. The locomotive’s driver wheels are 69” in diameter and it has a top speed of approximately 75 mph. The #425 was purchased by the Reading & Northern Railroad in August 1984. Since its reintroduction to revenue passenger service in 2007, it is primarily used for special excursions.
Locomotive #425 is currently out of service undergoing an overhaul. It will return to service once work is completed.
Steam Locomotive #225
This Canadian locomotive series D-10, #225, was formerly numbered 1098. Its drivers are 63” in diameter. The #1098 was originally built for the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 1913. Eventually, it ran for Rail Tours of America in Jim Thorpe, until being purchased by the Reading & Northern over 10 years ago. It was then painted to match the #425 and renumbered 225. The locomotive can currently be seen on static display at Reading Outer Station. Please remember, you can park for free at the Outer Station and take as many pictures as you’d like of the equipment on display.