JT Council still working with train

The anticipated return of Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad passenger train service to Tamaqua has not halted talks of excursion trains rolling through the Lehigh Gorge out of Jim Thorpe once again.

Jim Thorpe Borough Council President Greg Strubinger said Thursday that the municipality continues to meet with railroad officials on bringing the excursion rides back to Jim Thorpe for the first time since an amusement tax dispute severed the relationship between the two sides in November.

“I want to assure you this matter is being taken seriously by everyone here,” Strubinger said. “We realize the impact and are working toward a solution.”

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

LGSR officials said they “made it clear to the borough council that it is not an amusement and it will not pay any so-called amusement tax.”

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 Lehigh Gorge at the table and working toward a resolution.

Strubinger, at the time, said if talks between the two sides didn’t progress in 2020, the borough has the option to refile the lawsuit.

“We’re trying to work toward a resolution in a responsible way and as quickly as possible,” he added Thursday.

During Thursday’s council workshop, 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. “I know the parties have been working quietly behind the scenes to resolve this and I encourage all parties to continue the conversations and take whatever measures are necessary to resume excursions downtown.”

Dougher cited statistics from the Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau including that 2.5 million tourists visited Carbon County in 2018, spending an average of $197.77 per guest.

Around 200,000 guests take the train excursions each year, so by doing the math, he added, those people spend over $40 million locally.

“There is no way we can fill the streets with any type of festival that can make up for that,” Dougher said.

In addition, Dougher said he visited a Jim Thorpe restaurant Wednesday night that reported a 3.8 percent decrease in business from December 2018 to 2019 after seeing a more than 20 percent increase in each the prior three months from 2018 to 2019.

“Sales are down and I don’t think we’ve seen the total impact yet,” Dougher said. “People that had already made reservations to come to Jim Thorpe before the trains stopped probably still came in December and January. I think the true impact will be felt down the road in the coming months.”