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| Saying Goodbye in Jim Thorpe |
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| The Final Trips of Rail Tours Inc |
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All Photographs by Andrew Ottinger |
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Sunday December 12, 2004 was a bittersweet day in Jim Thorpe. A group of friends and I had the pleasure of riding a Reading & Northern excursion from Port Clinton to this picturesque town nestled in Carbon County. While the R&N ran a superb excursion with beautiful equipment, this day would mark the last day of operations for Rail Tours Inc. out of Jim Thorpe.
Rail Tours Inc had been the deignated operator for passenger excursions on tracks owned by Carbon County for the past thirty odd years. Several months prior to the December 12 Excursion we learned that the operating contract for Rail Tours Inc would not be renewed at the end of 2004. The Reading and Northern, parent of the Carbon & Schulykill which operated freight service on the track same trackage would become the new operator in 2005.
While much as been said and written of this issue in local papers and the railfan press, Scrantontrains will not step into that foray. What stands here is a photographic documentation of the final day for George Hart's Rail Tours Inc in Jim Thorpe.
More about Rail Tours Inc can be found at www.railtours-inc.com
More about the Reading & Northern can be found at www.readingnorthern.com |
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Former CP engine 1098 saw infrequent use on RTI trains in the late 1990's. |
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| Power on the Dec 12th runs was provided by a leased former Conrail U-boat, belching more smoke than a steam engine! |
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This c. 1935 EMC switcher was idling in the yard and has seen use on RTI trains. This engine came from the Stewartstown RR, also owned by RTI owner George Hart. |
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After completing their work at Keystone, the DL crew departs Tobyhanna, passing a former DL&W concrete switch tower, one of many on the line. |
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These replica CNJ F3's were also frequently used on RTI excursions, owned by the ARHS they seem to be showing some age here. |
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Fireman's side of 1098 |
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A crying shame is this former CNJ RS-3 once in near-mint cosmetic condition. Aquired more recently by the ARHS, hopefully they will see fit to care for this unit. |
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Fireless 0-6-0 bound for display at the Tamaqua, PA Train Station. |
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This derelict turntable (along with a mile of yard trackage in J.T.) is now owned by the Lackawanna Chapter of the R&LHS and has an uncertain furure. |
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Good things yet to come... a polished R&N excursion train visits Jim Thorpe. |
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