Reading & Northern RR to restore Jim Thorpe passenger service

PORT CLINTON — Reading & Northern Railroad announced that it has resolved its amusement tax dispute with Jim Thorpe and will resume passenger rail service to/from Jim Thorpe this Spring.

The first train trips will be at Winterfest on Saturday, Feb. 15.

During discussions over the last three months the railroad advised borough officials about its efforts to support the development of tourism in Jim Thorpe and Carbon County.

Reading & Northern noted that it spent more than $50,000 a year on advertising and brochures promoting Jim Thorpe and Carbon County.

As a result of those efforts, and the investments made by the railroad in its passenger fleet and services, more than 200,000 people visited Jim Thorpe to see and ride the railroad. The result of these investments has benefited the merchants and citizens of Jim Thorpe and Carbon County.

“We are pleased to resume service to and from Jim Thorpe and put the amusement tax issue behind us,” said Andy Muller Jr., owner/CEO of Reading & Northern Railroad. “We have consistently stated that we are not now, and have never been, an amusement.”

State Sen. John Yudichak, I-Swoyersville, thanked Muller for restoring passenger train excursions in Jim Thorpe that attract thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to Carbon County each year.

“I appreciate the efforts of Jim Thorpe Borough officials and local business leaders who worked with Reading & Northern Railroad to ensure the trains will continue to run and tourism will continue to thrive in beautiful Jim Thorpe,” Yudichak said.

Muller said Reading & Northern is regulated strictly by the Federal Railroad Administration, which regulates the track, the engines, the rolling stock and the engineers and conductors.

“We take railroading very seriously,” Muller said. “While we are primarily a freight railroad, handling a record-breaking 34,000 carloads last year, we love to provide passenger trips to the communities we serve. It is our way of paying back to our region by sharing our love of railroading with old and young alike. We are delighted that the borough leadership has decided to work with us on continuing our tradition of bringing visitors to Jim Thorpe and offering train rides sharing the history of Jim Thorpe and the region to people from all over the country.”

Muller said Reading & Northern will announce its forthcoming passenger schedule in the near future. For more information visit — www.rbmnrr-passenger.com.