A Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway train is seen at Jim Thorpe in 2013. After many months of interruptions, service is set to resume on Aug. 14.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
Railroad: Scenic excursions resume operation Aug. 14
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A Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway conductor checks his watch prior to a departure from Jim Thorpe in 2013.
Roger DuPuis | Times Leader
The Reading & Northern Railroad will resume Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway passenger excursions between Jim Thorpe and Lehigh Gorge State Park starting next month, the company announced Monday.
They will be the first trips since Jim Thorpe’s Winterfest in February, and also — apparently — signal the end of a long-simmering dispute between the railroad and the Borough of Jim Thorpe.
“After a tough winter and spring, Reading & Northern Railroad is happy to bring back memories of days past,” the railroad’s statement read.
The railroad announced last fall that it was ending passenger trips from the historic Jim Thorpe station amid a dispute with the borough, whose third-party tax administrator was seeking nearly $100,000 in back amusement tax from 2016-2018.
Railroad officials countered that they are primarily a freight carrier, and that its passenger operations are focused on promoting the history of railroads and the region — far from being an amusement.
“Our train trips have always been about memories; reminding returning passenger riders of the glories of riding the rails and making new memories for people riding for the first time,” Monday’s statement added.
Moreover, the railroad pointed out during the dispute that it spends more than $50,000 a year on advertising and brochures promoting Jim Thorpe and Carbon County, and that the trips benefit local businesses in Jim Thorpe.
The two sides came to an agreement in time for trips to resume during February’s Winterfest. The coronavirus outbreak in March put additional operation on hold, however.
“We have always worked well with the merchants in Jim Thorpe and we are pleased to do our part to help Jim Thorpe, Carbon County and the region bounce back from the impact of the virus on our communities,” the statement indicated.
When trips resume on Aug. 14, the railroad will be offering extra cars to allow empty seats, “and we welcome all of our guests to wear masks.” They also will be running open air cars for those who choose to ride them.
The Lehigh Gorge train schedule will be published on Wednesday, which is the same day tickets will go on sale for upcoming trips.
For more information, call the railroad’s passenger department at 570-325-8485, or visit www.lgsry.com or “Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway” on Facebook.
Based in Port Clinton, the privately held railroad company serves over 70 customers in Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Wyoming counties. It handles over 34,000 carloads of freight and 140,000 excursion train riders over 400 miles of track and employs nearly 300 people.