Fifty years ago last month, (April 24, 1971) ex-Reading 4-8-4 T-1 No. 2102 pulled an excursion on Norfolk & Western (Ex-Akron, Canton & Youngstown) tracks from Akron to Spencer.
In the top image, the train is boarding in Akron west of downtown. In the next two images it it shown westbound en route to Spencer.
One hundred Akron residents had raised $40,000 to purchase the Northern type steamer from the Reading Company. It was overhauled at the South Akron roundhouse of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
After restoration, the owners had a difficult time getting a railroad to agree to host an excursion before N&W agreed to allow it to run trips on April 24 and 25 over the former AC&Y.
Nearly 2,000 rode the 16-car train.
Photographs by Robert Farkas
Tags: Akron, Akron Canton & Youngstown, Norfolk & Western, Railroads of Akron Ohio, Reading 2102, Reading T-1 No. 2102, steam excursions, steam locomotives
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