RBMN Revives Reading T-1 2102, ‘Iron Horse Rambles’

Following an extensive, $2.4 million overhaul, Class II Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN), Railway Age’s four-time Regional Railroad of the Year, is returning Reading Class T-1 4-8-4 Northern 2102 to the rails with four “Iron Horse Rambles” round-trip excursions between Reading and Jim Thorpe, Pa.: May 28, July 2, Aug. 13 and Sept. 3, with five classes of seating. May 28 is already sold out; tickets are going fast for the remaining three trips.

For RBMN, Another Record Year

The Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN) has again surpassed its own records for freight revenue, freight traffic and excursion passenger ridership.

As part of the deal with Carbon County, Pa., RBMN has agreed to keep in place a lease with current freight operator C&S Railroad, which serves three local customers. RBMN will continue to use the 19-mile line for overhead freight traffic as well as its steam and diesel-powered passenger excursion service. Pictured: RBMN Owner and CEO Andy Muller, Jr.

RBMN Inks $4.7MM Deal for 19-Mile Pa. Line

Class II Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (RBMN) has acquired a 19-mile line from Carbon County, Pa., for $4.7 million.

Karen Carriere as Executive Director of Technical Services, TTCI; Jim Raffa, head of market development, RBMN

High Profile: TTCI, Reading & Northern

The Transportation Technology Center, Inc., (TTCI) has appointed Karen Carriere as Executive Director of Technical Services; Reading & Northern (RBMN) welcomes back Jim Raffa, who will be charged with market development.

NERRC has selected Patricia Quinn for the Vincent R. Terrill Lifetime Achievement Award. Quinn, Executive Director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, led the development of Amtrak Downeaster service between Brunswick, Maine, and Boston, Mass., and has been engaged in all aspects of maintaining that service. (Amtrak/Downeaster)

High Profile: NERRC Lifetime Achievement Award; RBNM, Metrolink, MUL Railcars Announce Leadership Changes

The New England Railroad Club (NERRC) Executive Committee is honoring Patricia Quinn, Executive Director of the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority (NNEPRA), for her commitment to passenger rail service; Reading & Northern’s (RBMN) Rian Nemeroff, Susan Ludwig and Jim Cerulli are taking on new marketing and sales responsibilities; and Ilyssa DeCasperis and Bradley DeVault are joining Southern California Regional Rail Authority (Metrolink) and MUL Railcars, Inc., respectively.

RBMN: Growth in the Time of COVID

In the midst of a COVID-19-driven substantial economic slowdown that impacted North American 2020 freight rail traffic, Class II Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN)—Railway Age’s four-time Regional Railroad of the Year (2002, 2011, 2015, 2020)—posted another banner year, breaking previous records for carloadings and freight revenue.

Salt Lake Garfield & Western Railway represents the first “bolt-on acquisition” by Patriot since Sydney, Australia-based global asset manager First Sentier Investors acquired Patriot in October 2019. (Photo by James Belmont.)

Small Road News: OmniTRAX, Patriot Rail, RBMN Boosting Business

Denver-based OmniTRAX is connecting rail-served properties along its 113-mile Illinois Railway (IR) with customers interested in locating there. Additionally, Jacksonville, Fla.-based Patriot Rail Co. LLC is acquiring 26-mile Salt Lake Garfield & Western Railway (SLGW) in Utah and its storage and transload service providers, Caballero LLC and Caballero 2 LLC. As well, Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN) opened a new transload facility for a Delta, Ohio-based steel mill.

RBMN Spots First Hoppers at IRIS

The Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN) has delivered the first plastic pellet hopper railcars to IRIS USA, its newest customer in the Humboldt Industrial Park in Hazleton, Pa. IRIS, headquartered in Sendai, Japan, manufactures plastic organizational products and containers for home and office applications. Humboldt Industrial Park is its first location on the U.S. East Coast.

Peters Appointed RBMN VP Transportation and Safety

Class II Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN) has named Eric Peters as Vice President Transportation and Safety. Reporting to Executive Vice President Operations Tyler Glass, Peters will succeed Thomas Cook, who retires later this year.

AA, DCR, INRD, RBMN Take Home ASLRRA’s Business Development Award

The American Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (ASLRRA) has announced that Ann Arbor Railroad (AA), Delmarva Central Railroad (DCR), Railway Age’s 2020 Regional of the Year Honorable Mention, the Indiana Rail Road Company (INRD), and Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad (RBMN), Railway Age’s 2020 Regional of the Year, have taken home its annual Business Development Award.

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