Thorpe mum on train agreement

Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway trains are coming back to Jim Thorpe borough, but the agreement that precipitated their return is being kept under wraps for now.

Asked about specifics of the deal with the train company, council President Greg Strubinger said the information would come in time.

“We’re not discussing that at this time,” Strubinger said. “I think that will happen, but there are some details to be finalized. That may take the next couple of months, but the important thing is we do have an understanding that allows them to operate in town again.”

Reading Northern and Blue Mountain, the company operating the train rides, broke the news Wednesday, saying 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.

It had stopped rides out of Jim Thorpe on Nov. 25, as it went back and forth with the 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 news 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 news 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.”