Reading 2100 Photo Album
This page contains views of 2100 on its run from Tacoma to Frederickson, Washington, on Saturday, August 19, 2006. All photos by Josh Musser.

BACKGROUND: 2100 was purchased by Tom Payne in 1998 and was moved to St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada where it was stored for several years in the former New York Central shop building. During its time in Canada, 2100 was converted from a coal-burning locomotive to operate on fuel oil. The "Reading" lettering on the tender was painted over and the name "Ferroequus" was added along with a red and yellow stripe on the side of the engine.

In 2006, 2100 was shipped from Canada to Washington State on a flatcar to operate excursions under the former Golden Pacific Railroad (GPRR) operation out of Tacoma. Excursions had originally been planned to operate in 2005 but were delayed due to the logistics of moving the engine.

Operations consisted of a round trip on former Milwaukee Road trackage now owned by Tacoma Rail from Tacoma to Frederickson. The T-1 operated along with an ex-Amtrak F40PH diesel and three ex-Chicago METRA bi-level cars in a push-pull operation with the cab car leading the return trip to Tacoma. A catered lunch was served during the layover in Frederickson.

These excursions did not prove to be a financial success (a round trip ticket was about $50) and did not operate past the 2006 season. In 2007, the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train attempted to operate over the same route, but this operation only lasted a few months in this location due to low ridership. The dinner train is notable for operating one of the former Reading Crusader observation cars.

2100 was subsequently moved to Richland in eastern Washington for storage. It remains in operating condition, although the ditch lights and windows have reportedly been vandalized.

In December, 2009, the Port of Seattle acquired a former Northern Pacific line near Seattle which it has dubbed the "Eastside Rail Corridor" from BNSF Railway. GNP Railway has been named the operator by the Port for freight service. The contract also calls for GPRR to begin a tourist train between Woodinville and Snohomish within six months. Tom Payne is both the owner of 2100 and CEO of GNP Railway. No mention has been made to date as to whether or not 2100 would have any place in this operation.

An interesting side note regarding this line is that the southern portion of the line from Woodinville to Renton was the former route of the Spirit of Washington train before it moved to Tacoma. Expansion of Interstate 405 near Bellevue caused the line to be severed and also evicted the dinner train. The overall future of the entire line is uncertain, as there has been controversy between opposing parties who want to see the line preserved as a potential corridor for future commuter trains and those who want to see the line converted into a bike trail.

Correction, Feb. 1, 2010: This article originally incorrectly identified the operator of the Eastside line as "GPRR" instead of GNP Railway.

LEFT: 2100 is backing away passing Sound Transit #905 at the Tacoma commuter rail station. Sound Transit is the operator of the Sounder commuter trains in the greater Seattle area.