The locomotive is currently owned and operated by the Reading & Northern, based out of Port Clinton, Pennsylvania in excursion service.

426, for the Gulf Mobile and Northern (GM&N) to replace their four older Pacifics, which were sold to the Louisville and Nashville Railroad (L&N).

425 and 426 were designed with 69 in (1,753 mm) drivers, 35,000 lb (15.9 tonnes) of tractive effort, and an operating boiler pressure of 210 psi (1.45 MPa).

[1] They were assigned to haul the GM&N's unnamed overnight passenger train between Jackson, Tennessee and Mobile, Alabama.

4 and 3, respectively as part of a large fleet of steam engines which Spence had acquired over time and hauled trains of gravel and occasional passenger trips.

4 was purchased in 1962 by Malcolm Ottinger and became the main power of tourist trains on the Valley Forge Scenic Railroad of Kimberton, Pennsylvania, where it also regained its original number, 425.

[4] In June 1975, it was purchased by Brian Woodcock and others to haul tourists on the Wilmington & Western Railroad and was moved into their shops for storage in December 1975, although it never operated on the line due to its high axle load, it would occasionally be fired up to provide steam and pressure to several passengers coaches for excursions and would also be brought out of storage for display for special events.

[3][4][5] In August 1984, it was sold to Andrew J. Muller, Jr. to power tourist trains on the newly formed Blue Mountain and Reading Railroad based out of Temple, Pennsylvania.

Having more tracks gave the 425 and 2102 a large number of new areas to roam, and the engines became based out of the railroad's own headquarters of Port Clinton.

It made its return to excursion service in June 2008 on a round trip from Port Clinton to Jim Thorpe, a run it would make often.

[2] The RBMN's new star made many trips to Jim Thorpe and other locations over the next three years, with employee runs, tourist trains on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, and a featured attraction of the 2010 NRHS Convention.

[2] After three successful seasons of excursions, Reading & Northern 425 was taken out of service to be repaired with the pilot and trailing trucks rebuilt by the Strasburg Rail Road, including conversion from plain bearings to more efficient roller bearings, rebuilding of the air compressor, a new blower and replacing the bottom part of the smokebox.

425 was pulling regular passenger trains when it visited Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, meeting Nickel Plate Road 765 on a Norfolk Southern 21st Century Steam excursion.