Trains returning to begin Thorpe runs Saturday

Reading & Northern Railroad announced that it has resolved its amusement tax dispute with Jim Thorpe and will resume passenger rail service to and from Jim Thorpe this spring. The first train trips will be at Winterfest this coming Saturday.

Rides are scheduled at 11 a.m., 1 and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway stopped its rides out of Jim Thorpe on Nov. 25, as it went back-and-forth with Jim Thorpe borough over amusement tax money the municipality felt the train company owed it.

Berkheimer, the tax collection agency representing Jim Thorpe borough, filed a suit against the railway for nearly $100,000 in unpaid amusement taxes for the past three years, leading to train’s decision to stop the rides, including the popular Santa trains in December.

Soon after the train made its announcement, the two sides met on multiple occasions, with the borough eventually agreeing to drop the lawsuit as a show of good faith to keep the railroad at the table and working toward a resolution.

Reading & Northern said in a press release Wednesday that it spent over $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, over 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.”

The railroad said in the press release, “We are pleased to resume service to and from Jim Thorpe and put the amusement tax issue behind us. We have consistently stated that we are not now, and have never been, an amusement. Reading & Northern is regulated strictly by the federal government’s Federal Railroad Administration.

Andy Muller Jr., owner/CEO of Reading & Northern Railroad, said in the release, “The FRA regulates our track, our engines, our rolling stock and our engineers and conductors. We take railroading very seriously. 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.

Muller added, “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.”

During a Jim Thorpe Council workshop last week, Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency President James Dougher addressed the governing body, speaking about what he feels is at stake.

“The train excursions are a driving force in the community, especially when it comes to marketing and the permanent loss of them would have a significant negative long-term impact on all local businesses,” Dougher said.

Reading & Northern will announce its forthcoming passenger schedule in the near future.

In January, Tamaqua Borough Council voted to join with the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad to construct a concourse deck, or platform, enabling visitors and tourists to easily disembark train coaches at Tamaqua’s 1874 Philadelphia and Reading Railroad depot.

“We have the opportunity to make an improvement to allow passenger service to return to Tamaqua,” said Dave Mace, chairman of the railroad committee.

The borough would pay $36,000 toward the project.

A RBMN freight train was also in the news earlier this week when six cars derailed in Nesquehoning, closing Mermon Avenue. The site was cleaned up by Tuesday afternoon and both traffic and trains are running again.

For more information about train rides in Jim Thorpe, visit www.rbmnrr-passenger.com.