Good morning gentlemen. Yesterday i have finally for the first time witnessed live Big Boy 4014. The machine has entered Pennsylvania (second time after running through Erie few days ago). It came to Tunkannock Viaduct in Nicholson, Pennsylvania where it stood for several minutes while the crowd cheered and the crew saluted...i was not in that crowd thankfully. The place was supposedly overwhelmed with literally hundreds of spectators. I did stop about two miles east of the viaduct east of the tunnel and that was the best choice for me, since it was a steep climb down to the track and a steep climb out.
After that i drove to Pittston and unnowingly ran into Reading and Northern trip just coming into town with their T-1, that's right, two large mainline steam locomotives in the wild.
From there i made my way to Jim Thorpe area and finding out that both consists are coming to Nesquehoning for the night, i decided to catch them at Penn Haven Junction. That meant a six mile hike to the junction from Onoko park.
And an opportunity to grab some shots of Union Pacific passenger equipment:
Norfolk Southern Business cars towards the rear
And "Marco Polo" , which i just found out was used as a private coach by President Franklin Roosevelt:
Was told that Reading T-1 was about 45 minutes behind, that wasn't so, it came just few minutes after Big Boy:
Six mile hike back to my car and i was heading home. Overall a beautiful June day with lots of steam viewing opportunities and an event which might never materialize again ( or maybe it will). That Reading and Northern T-1 was hauling 24 cars. Big Boy had a 14 car consist, but in addition to that there are two extra water tenders behind its normal one and two large six axle diesels behind that.