Iron Horse Ramble in Northeast Philadelphia

This is an 8 mm home movie without sound made by my father of the Reading Railroad No. 2100 steam locomotive. The film was shot in a number of locations along Roosevelt Boulevard US route 1 in northeast Philadelphia in about 1962 judging by how old I look. My dad took the family to go chase the train, making a mad dash in a 1960 Plymouth Valiant south down Roosevelt Boulevard. We pulled into this parking lot just a little too late, and the train went behind the building. This scene is now part of our family lore!

This is a very large and powerful locomotive; just look at the length of the train its pulling. The white steam blowing out of the top of the locomotive indicates the whistle is blowing; it was so loud my sister and I were forced to protect our ears.

The white flags on the front of the train are markers declaring this to be an extra train, or a train that is not scheduled. This alerts track crews and train crews that this is not the scheduled train they might have been waiting for, so stay in the siding until the correct scheduled train arrives.

As the train pulls out, note the absence of black smoke coming out of the stack; this is evidence of a good fire going in the fire box. Originally I thought the next scene was in Langhorne on the Reading, but since it is electrified, I am guessing this must be the Pennsylvania in the same vicinity. As we waited for the train, we casually waited along the platform. But as it approached, I hid behind my sister who hid behind the barrel next to my mother. The train was so frightening even my father backed away from the edge of the platform. My dad has always claimed that train was doing 90 mph. It certainly looks that fast as you see the last car disappear

The above is my script for this movie. Below are a few additional observations:

I dont know if this was part of the official Iron Horse Rambles or if it was an extra trip. I thought the Rambles only went up to the coal country, not up to New York. Is anyone aware of any information documenting the trips taken that qualified as Iron Horse Rambles?

In the station scene, note that the platform edge has been extended out to reach the main line track. Apparently there had been another track past this platform that had been removed, even in 1962, and the space it occupied was filled with the platform extension.

Note the use of jointed rail next to the station platform. It was still in good enough shape to run a train at high speed. We were using continuous welded rail (CWR) on the B&O as early as 1962. I had 100 RB CWR on my territory in western Indiana. Concerning the actual speed of the train, you can see that the slipstream coming off this train is tossing about the weeds growing along the track, near the end of the movie.

I had to mention my dads 1960 Plymouth Valiant. He took me to go pick it up from a dealership in Millbourne south of Market Street in far eastern Upper Darby, in 1960. I still remember riding home and dad blowing the distinctive horn as we went in to the back alley driveway behind 5108 Palmer Mill Drive, Upper Darby, PA. It was a white 4-door compact sedan. It had a front bench seat with a floor shift for a 3 speed manual transmission. The engine was a 170 cubic inch 6 cylinder in-line and slanted. It ran and handled quite well for the time. It was the first car built in the US using unibody (or monocoque) construction, as opposed to a chassis with a body mounted on top. It also had torsion bar suspension in the front, same as a Jaguar XKE. When I was a teenager, my father gave it to me to drive. I could tell you a lot of stories.

Ironically, today I live in Seattle, Washington, not far from the present location of the 2100. An attempt was made to use the 2100 on a short line out of Tacoma. I have no idea if it is still in Tacoma or not. While I was scoping a railroad project in Everett, I saw the 2100 sitting on a flat car on its way down to Tacoma. At the time, I didnt realize it was the 2100 since it was in different colors.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Reading
• Railroad
• 2100
• T-1
• Iron
• Horse
• Rambles
• Northeast
• Philadelphia
• Pennsylvania
• B&O
• Plymouth
• Valiant
• Langhorne
• Roosevelt
• Boulevard

[nyshortline]

To add to my previous response in regard to the speed, T-1's in freight service were good for 65 MPH. In passenger service steam heat-equipped 2120-29 (on paper) were good for 70. But I was told of one occasion where they were late leaving Bound Brook, NJ due to a tie plate getting stuck in the stoker (and this may well have been the Ramble shown here), and were supposedly told by the Road Foreman to make up the time. 2100, so I'm told got up to 85 MPH on that trip.

[Bluejacket01]

@nyshortline Thanks for the info!

[yingle709]

1:02 - Little Hugh and little Sarah

[Bluejacket01]

Yes; I am so thankful to my father for his foresight and his sheer willpower in taking movies to begin with and then saving them for all these years.

[chessie4155]

Very cool video.. Thanks for posting:::keep em coming!

[Bluejacket01]

Will do Chessie; thanks for the encouragement.

[nyshortline]

2:03 : Man she is hauling!!! Goes to show the T-1's were indeed a DUAL-service engine.

[blakmal1]

I grew up about a mile from the Langhorne station. I think it actually was considered Pendel. It was an electrified line for years as it was used in commuter service to center city Philly. As far as I know now it still is an active station on SEPTA Regional Rail.

[nyshortline]

The sequences before Langhorne are all on the New York Short Line which is a freight cutoff that runs near Roosevelt Blvd. Yes the last sequence is indeed Langhorne and the train is moving at what looks like about 70 MPH. I rode my first main line steam trip with the 2102 disguised as D&H 302. She was rolling along the Lackawanna Cutoff at 79 MPH on that trip. Unforgettable.

[howardkevinm]

Langhorn Station is electricfied on the reading side. i live in philadelphia i can verify that information.