Reading 2100

No. 2100—originally numbered 2045—was constructed by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in May 1923 as an I-10sa class 2-8-0 "Consolidation" type locomotive. The Reading Company (RDG) initially assigned No. 2045 to pull heavy freight trains. Beginning in 1945, the RDG moved thirty of their I-10sa's to their shops in Reading, and with assistance from the Baldwin Locomotive Works, they converted and rebuilt the 2-8-0's into T-1 class 4-8-4 "Northerns" to aid the railroad's growing freight traffic.{{cite web |title=Reading Company No. 2124 |url=http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/steamtown/shs2s.htm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006064438/https://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/steamtown/shs2s.htm |archivedate=6 October 2011 |publisher=United States National Park Service}}{{Harvp|Zimmermann|2018|p=22}}

No. 2045 was the first of the I-10sa's to be rebuilt, and it emerged from the shops as T-1 No. 2100. No. 2100 was assigned to pull heavy freight and coal trains across the RDG's mainline and some of its branch lines in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. By 1954, the RDG had removed nearly all their steam locomotives from revenue service, including all thirty of their T-1's.{{Harvp|Zimmermann|2018|p=23}} A traffic surge in 1956 encouraged the railroad to return some of the T-1's to service, but they were withdrawn again the following year.

Beginning in October 1959, the RDG hosted their own steam excursion program, dubbed the "Iron Horse Rambles", and T-1 No. 2124 was used to pull the first trains.{{Harvp|Zimmermann|2018|p=25}}{{Harvp|Zimmermann|2018|p=26}}{{Cite web|title=Philadelphia & Reading 4-8-4 "Northern" Locomotives in the USA|url=https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=4-8-4&railroad=pr#275|access-date=December 8, 2024|website=www.steamlocomotive.com}} During the 1961 operating season, when the Rambles peaked at fourteen excursions for the year, No. 2100 was removed from storage and began pulling the trains alongside No. 2124, and later, No. 2102.{{Harvp|Zimmermann|2018|p=27}} The majority of the Rambles would travel to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, while destinations the other trains traveled to included Philadelphia, West Milton, Tamaqua, Shamokin, and Wilmington, Delaware.

On August 15–16, 1964, No. 2100—coupled to a small fleet of RDG passenger cars—traveled outside the RDG and was used to pull a small series of round trip excursions between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, D.C. for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad's (B&O) "Iron Horse Days" program. Since 1960, the RDG had begun to experience financial troubles, and due to rising maintenance costs to operate the T-1's and with their trackage deteriorating, they had to discontinue the Iron Horse Rambles.{{Harvp|Zimmermann|2018|p=28}} The fifty-first and final Rambles train would take place on October 17, 1964, between Philadelphia and Tamaqua.

In September 1967, No. 2100 was sold along with another T-1, No. 2101, to Streigel Equipment and Supply, and both locomotives were put into storage at the company's scrapyard in Baltimore.{{Cite magazine |last= |first= |date=Fall 2018 |title=Life after the Rambles |magazine=Classic Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=27 |volume=19 |issue=3}} In 1975, Nos. 2100 and 2101 were purchased for $25,000 by Ross Rowland, who was developing the American Freedom Train (AFT) tour. No. 2101 was restored to operating condition, since its boiler was in better condition, while No. 2100 was used to provide spare parts.{{Cite magazine |last=Del Vecchio |first=Mike |date=April 1998 |title=Preservation Points - Reading 4-8-4 2100 rambles to Canada |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-april-1998/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |pages=85–86 |volume=58 |issue=4}} After No. 2101 was damaged in a roundhouse fire in 1979, Nos. 2101 and 2100 would swap tenders, and No. 2100 was moved to the former Western Maryland roundhouse in Hagerstown, Maryland. Rowland kept No. 2100 in storage, while he restored and operated No. 2101’s replacement locomotive, Chesapeake and Ohio 614.{{Cite magazine |date=January 1988 |title=Railroad News Photos |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-january-1988/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=17 |volume=48 |issue=3}}

In 1986, Rowland sold No. 2100 to owner and CEO of Lionel Trains, Richard Kughn, and he partnered with Rowland and Bill Benson to create the "2100 Corporation". The new corporation financed a complete rebuild for No. 2100 to take place, with some parts from No. 2101 being used.{{Cite magazine |date=September 1987 |title=Hagerstown Roundhouse |magazine=Railfan & Railroad |publisher=Carstens Publications |page=30 |volume=6 |issue=11}}{{Cite magazine |date=May 1988 |title=What's in the roundhouse for 1988? |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-may-1988/ |url-access=limited |access-date=February 14, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=18 |volume=48 |issue=7}} On October 10, 1987, No. 2100 underwent a stationary test fire.{{Cite magazine |last=Keefe |first=Kevin P. |date=May 1988 |title=What's in the roundhouse for 1988? |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-may-1988/ |url-access=limited |access-date=March 7, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=18 |volume=48 |issue=7}} In late 1988, at a cost of $900,000, the rebuild was completed, and on March 25, 1989, No. 2100 performed a test run on the Winchester and Western Railroad.{{Cite magazine |date=June 1989 |title=Railroad News Photos |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-june-1989/ |url-access=limited |access-date=February 14, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=12 |volume=49 |issue=8}} Prior to the test run, CSX had sold the Hagerstown roundhouse for redevelopment, and after negotiations to purchase the roundhouse had failed, Rowland had to remove Nos. 2100 and 614 from the building.{{Cite magazine |last=Del Vecchio |first=Mike |date=March 1997 |title=New Hope for C&O 614 |magazine=Railfan & Railroad |publisher=Carstens Publications |page=29 |volume=16 |issue=3}} No. 2100 had to be relocated to nearby Bedington, West Virginia.

In November 1991, No. 2100 moved under its power to the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway (W&LE) shops in Brewster, Ohio for storage, and plans were made to operate the T-1 on the W&LE mainline, but they never came to fruition.{{Cite magazine |date=May 1992 |title=Railroad News Photos |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-may-1992/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=15 |volume=52 |issue=5}}{{Cite magazine |date=February 1992 |title=Reading 4-8-4 2100 |magazine=Railfan & Railroad |publisher=Carstens Publications |page=41 |volume=11 |issue=2}}{{efn|At the same time, No. 2100 was one of five mainline steam locomotives scheduled to be filmed around the Chicago area for Paramount Pictures in an action historical movie called Night Ride Down, and it would have been set around a 1930s Labor Union Strike and a black union leader called A. Philip Randolp—played by Harrison Ford.{{Cite magazine |date=October 1991 |title=Movie steam in Chicago |magazine=Railfan & Railroad |publisher=Carstens Publications |page=47 |volume=10 |issue=10}}{{Cite magazine |date=November 1991 |title=Chicago Movie Dropped |magazine=Railfan & Railroad |publisher=Carstens Publications |page=52 |volume=10 |issue=11}}{{Cite news |last=Frook |first=John Evan |title=Studio Talk of Production Cost Cuts Turns into Action |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-09-12-9103090113-story.html |url-access=subscription |access-date=2021-06-09 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune}} The other four locomotives planned for filming were Nickel Plate Road 765, 587, Canadian Pacific 1238, and 1286, and while many other steam locomotives were also considered, No. 2100 was planned to be the main feature locomotive, being used for most of the mainline work. Paramount executives cancelled production, due to the early 1990s recession, and when Harrison Ford left the project over script changes.}} Richard Kughn and his 2100 Corp. partners then decided to donate No. 2100 to the Portage Ohio Regional Transportation Authority (PORTA), who agreed to allow Bill Bensen to use the locomotive to pull excursions on their trackage around Cleveland, Ohio, but no arrangements were made. Sometime later, the W&LE asked for No. 2100 to be removed from their shops, and the Ohio Central Railroad (OC) agreed to store the locomotive in Coshocton, Ohio while PORTA put it up for sale.

In September 1997, No. 2100 was displayed during the OC's Steam Fest '97 event alongside the railroad's own steam locomotives, including Canadian National 1551 and Canadian Pacific 1293, but the T-1 was the only locomotive to not be fired up for the weekend occasion.{{Cite magazine |date=December 1997 |title=Railroad News Photos - Steam Spectacular in Ohio |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-december-1997/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 4, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=41 |volume=57 |issue=12}} An auction to sell No. 2100 was held on January 16, 1998, with eight bidders attending the event, including Ohio Central owner Jerry Joe Jacobson, but the winner was Thomas Payne, the chairman of RailLink, Ltd. of Edmonton, Alberta in Canada. In June, No. 2100 moved under its power to Cleveland, and then Payne had it towed to the Elgin County Railway Museum's (ECRM) former New York Central shop complex in St. Thomas, Ontario for repairs.{{Cite magazine |date=October 1998 |title=Railroad News Photos - Emigrating to Canada |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-october-1998/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=36 |volume=57 |issue=10}}{{Cite magazine |date=December 1998 |title=Railroad News Photos - Strangers Meet in St. Thomas |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-december-1998/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=38 |volume=58 |issue=12}}{{Cite magazine |date=April 2000 |title=Preservation Points - Reading 2100 shows her new face |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-april-2000/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=85 |volume=60 |issue=4}}

At the ECRM, No. 2100 received some cosmetic changes, including the addition of three ditch lights and striped running boards, and it was relettered as Ferroequus (Latin for "Iron Horse").{{Cite magazine |date=December 2000 |title=Preservation Points - Canadian steam, electric, and diesel |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-december-2000/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 3, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=108 |volume=60 |issue=12}} It was also converted from coal to oil firing, and the process proved to be unsuccessful.{{Cite magazine |last=Laepple |first=Wayne |date=July 2015 |title=Preservation - No. 2100 comes back East |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-july-2015/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 4, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=60 |volume=75 |issue=7}} On November 23, 1999, No. 2100 performed its first test run with Payne's modifications. On August 26-27, 2000, No. 2100 was fired up and displayed outside the ECRM during the Museum's Iron Horse Festival. Payne made plans to use the locomotive to pull excursions on RailLink-owned regional and short line railways in Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Those plans fell through, and the T-1 was left in storage for a few more years.

In late 2005, No. 2100 was moved to Tacoma, Washington, and the following year, it pulled limited sightseeing trains for Payne's Golden Pacific Railroad, using Tacoma Rail's former Milwaukee Road line.{{Cite magazine |date=March 2006 |title=News & Photos - An oil-fired T-1 stretches her legs in Tacoma |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-march-2006/ |url-access=limited |access-date=April 4, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=10 |volume=66 |issue=3}} In June 2007, No. 2100 travelled light over the BNSF mainline from Tacoma to Richland, Washington, and Payne expected to give the locomotive an annual inspection before operating it on the Tri-City and Olympia Railroad.{{Cite magazine |last=Wrinn |first=Jim |date=September 2007 |title=Preservation - Steam strangers find themselves in the most unusual places |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/magazine/archive-access/trains-september-2007/ |url-access=limited |access-date=May 2, 2024 |magazine=Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Publishing |page=70 |volume=67 |issue=9}} By 2009, No. 2100 was left in outdoor storage in Richland, and ownership of the locomotive was transferred to an undisclosed individual.

File:Inside Baltimore and Ohio roundhouse 02 - Clark Avenue Yards - Cleveland.jpg

In April 2015, the American Steam Railroad Preservation Association (ASR) announced that they had signed a long-term loan with the No. 2100 locomotive. They launched their own fundraising campaign, called Fire Up 2100, and they estimated that the restoration would cost $700,000 to complete. That same month, No. 2100 and its tender were loaded onto two separate heavy-duty flatcars, and they were shipped via BNSF, Norfolk Southern, and CSX to Cleveland over a two-month period. Upon arrival, No. 2100 was moved inside the Midwest Railway Preservation Society's (MRPS) Ex-B&O roundhouse next to the MRPS's own locomotive, Grand Trunk Western 4070, and the ASR began work to restore the T-1.{{Cite web |title=Welding work advances Reading No. 2100 project |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/welding-work-advances-reading-no-2100-project/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Trains |language=en-US}}

In August 2023, the ASR announced that they and FMW Solutions would modify No. 2100's firebox to burn recycled oil instead of coal.{{Cite web|last=Franz|first=Justin|date=August 7, 2023|title=Group Restoring Reading 2100 to Says Locomotive Will Burn Oil|url=https://railfan.com/group-restoring-reading-2100-to-convert-locomotive-to-burn-oil/|work=Railfan & Railroad|publisher=White River Productions|access-date=August 9, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230807194425/https://railfan.com/group-restoring-reading-2100-to-convert-locomotive-to-burn-oil/|archive-date=August 7, 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |date=October 25, 2023 |title=American Steam Railroad to Honor Steve Wickersham |url=https://railfan.com/american-steam-railroad-to-honor-steve-wickersham/ |access-date=October 25, 2023 |website=Railfan & Railroad |publisher=White River Productions}} ASR Treasurer Forrest Nance would state in a press release "Taking into account the expense of not only the coal but its transport, proper storage, loading, and ash abatement, it became evident that it would be difficult to have any remaining funds after operating at non-steam railroads and museums we are in discussions with. Additionally, the logistics of storing, refueling, and burning liquid fuel is in-line with what modern railroads and diesel operated tourist lines are accustomed to, thereby greatly and expanding our opportunities and reducing emissions."{{Cite web |title=News & Announcements {{!}} American Steam Railroad Preservation Assoc. |url=https://www.americansteamrailroad.org/news-announcements/,%20https://www.americansteamrailroad.org/news-announcements/ |access-date=2024-07-01 |language=en-US}}

In November, the ASR announced that once No. 2100 is restored, it will be painted in American Freedom Train (AFT) colors similar to that on No. 2101 and renumbered as AFT No. 250 for the United States's sestercentennial in 2026.{{Cite web |date=2023-11-01 |title=Reading 2100 to Appear in Freedom Train Colors When Restored - Railfan & Railroad Magazine |url=https://railfan.com/reading-2100-to-appear-in-freedom-train-colors-when-restored/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101155552/https://railfan.com/reading-2100-to-appear-in-freedom-train-colors-when-restored/ |archive-date=2023-11-01 }} In March 2024, the boiler passed its FRA-mandated hydrostatic test.{{cite web |title=FRA hydrostatic test 'satisfactory' for Reading No. 2100 |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/fra-hydrostatic-test-satisfactory-for-reading-no-2100/ |website=Trains.com |publisher=Kalmbach Media |access-date=5 March 2024 |date=5 March 2024}} In May 2024, steel was delivered for the oil pan, and the frame rails were cleaned off in preparation for the oil pan. The following month, installation of the oil pan began.{{cite news |last1=Franz |first1=Justin |title=Oil Conversion for Reading 2100 Underway; Running Gear Work Next |url=https://railfan.com/oil-conversion-for-reading-2100-underway-running-gear-work-next/ |access-date=July 1, 2024 |work=Railfan & Railroad Magazine |date=June 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240627160830/https://railfan.com/oil-conversion-for-reading-2100-underway-running-gear-work-next/ |archive-date=June 27, 2024 |language=en-CA}} By January 2025, No. 2100's firebox conversion to burn oil was fully completed and was expected to be test fired in the next few months.{{cite news |title=American Steam preservation group aims for test firing of Reading No. 2100 within 60 days |url=https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/american-steam-preservation-group-aims-for-test-firing-of-reading-no-2100-within-60-days/ |access-date=January 18, 2025 |work=Trains |publisher=Firecrown Media |date=January 18, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250118155727/https://www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/american-steam-preservation-group-aims-for-test-firing-of-reading-no-2100-within-60-days/ |archive-date=January 18, 2025}} In April 2025, No. 2100 was test fired, marking the first time it was under steam since the late 2000s.{{cite web |last1=Franz |first1=Justin |title=Reading 2100 Fired Up For First Time Following Decade-Long Restoration |url=https://railfan.com/reading-2100-fired-up-for-first-time-following-decade-long-restoration/ |website=Railfan |publisher=White River Productions |access-date=April 7, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250407171548/https://railfan.com/reading-2100-fired-up-for-first-time-following-decade-long-restoration/ |archive-date=April 7, 2025 |date=April 7, 2025}}

{{Clear left}}

• Reading 1187
• Reading 1251
• Grand Trunk Western 6325
• Canadian National 6060
• Spokane, Portland and Seattle 700

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite magazine |last=Zimmermann |first=Karl |date=Fall 2018 |title=Rambling on the Reading |url=https://www.trains.com/ctr/magazine/issues/fall-2018/ |access-date=January 14, 2024 |magazine=Classic Trains |publisher=Kalmbach Media |pages=22–28 |volume=19 |issue=3}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.americansteamrailroad.org/reading-2100/ Reading 2100]

Category:Baldwin locomotives

2100

Category:Railway locomotives introduced in 1925

Category:4-8-4 locomotives

Category:Philadelphia and Reading Railroad locomotives

Category:Standard-gauge locomotives of the United States

Category:Preserved steam locomotives of Ohio

Category:Freight locomotives

Category:Individual locomotives of the United States