Fan Railer

Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014 Steam Train Visits The Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern! Summer 2026

READ: After many months of planning and anticipation, Big Boy 4014 arrives in eastern Pennsylvania for its foray onto Reading & Northern trackage. Join us as we chase the big engine over the course of 4 days in two separate months up mountains, down gorges, and through rural PA. Along the way, we'll see plenty of steam action from the home team, as T-1 no. 2102 joins in on the fun. Accompanying the 4014 on this eastern segment of its historic Coast-to-Coast America 250 tour is Norfolk Southern's 1776 (Liberty Bell unit) and 4 cars from NS's OCS fleet. Trailing tonnage behind the main tender is approximately 1900 to 2100 tons including the two water cars, two / three diesels, and 16 coaches. Clips are not necessarily arranged in chronological order; rather, I've stitched them together so that the journey runs south to Jim Thorpe, north to Pittston, then south from Jim Thorpe towards Reading. Enjoy =) Many thanks to NYCTA Railfan for letting me use his footage from this trip. Check out his content on TikTok here: https://www.tiktok.com/@nycta_railfan @NYCTARailfan FAQ (Read before commenting): The water overflow from just in front of the rear cylinder on the fireman's side is the exhaust steam injector overflow port. Discharge from this port is normal when starting and stopping the injector, and when the injector switches between live steam and exhaust steam. The diesel locomotive, while no longer necessary for PTC compliance, will continue to periodically be used where it is expedient for steam locomotive fuel conservation and assistance on long, sustained grades for power & dynamic braking. Table of Contents: 0:00 - Avoca, PA (NS line) 3:08 - Dupont, PA, NS-Reading connection 7:23 - Duryea, PA 11:17 - Oak Street, Pittston, PA (~1.0% grade) 13:38 - White House Curve, Westminster, PA (1.2% grade) 17:57 - Laurel Run, PA (Highball, 1.2% grade) 19:59 - Solomon Gap 22:06 - Mountain Top, PA 26:03 - Jim Thorpe Junction 35:38 - White Haven, PA (Northbound trip) 40:04 - Mountain Top, PA 44:42 - Solomon Gap 45:47 - Oak Street, Pittston, PA 49:07 - Jim Thorpe Junction (Southbound trip to Reading) 52:12 - Division, MP119.75 (1.2% grade) 54:30 - East Mahanoy Junction, Barnesville PA 56:14 - New Ringgold, PA 58:23 - Hamburg, PA 59:54 - Wyomissing, PA (NS line) P.S. - 4014 + 2102 = 6116 ;) If you know, you know.