R&N Restoring Tourist Trains to Jim Thorpe

The Reading & Northern Railroad has again decided to restore tourist train service to the borough of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, effective July 29.

The service is provided through the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway.

Service to Jim Thorpe has been an on and off proposition as the railroad and local government officials have tangled over an entertainment tax on LGSR tickets.

The R&N contended that its trains were educational and not entertainment.

Tourist train operations to Jim Thorpe were suspended last fall.

The two sides have reported reaching an agreement in February, but that soon fell apart.

“We are played to do our part to help Jim Thorpe, Carbon County, and the region bounce back from the impact of the virus in our community,” R&N owner and CEO Andy Muller said in a statement.

R&N Announces New Destination for Tourist Trains

Pennsylvania-based Reading & Northern will return excursion train service to the 146-year-old depot in Tamaqua, Pennsylvania.

The railroad plans to build a new boarding platform at the station, a project that will be funded by a public-private partnership with the borough of Tamaqua.

Construction is expected to begin this spring with the first trains leaving the station in time for the community’s Summerfest on June 21.

R&N said it will also offer “ride-and-dine” trips from its new Reading Outer Station to Tamaqua. Trains will leave Reading in mid-afternoon and stop at the new Tamaqua train station, where riders disembark and dine at a local restaurant.

Cyber Bandits Nab $80,000 From Strasburg Rail Road

A cyber attack on the Pennsylvania-based Strasburg Rail Road netted thieves $80,000 this month.

The attack, which officials at the tourist railroad described as “elaborate and sophisticated,” involved gaining access to corporate files and information that the thieves used to transfer funds out of the railroad’s accounts.

Steve Barrall of the railroad said officials do not know where the funds went but they are working with banks to recover as much as possible. The Pennsylvania state police have also been brought in on the case.

“At no time was any customer information or financial information compromised.” Barrall said.

Information technology personnel helped the Strasburg to thwart further attacks.

The Strasburg Rail Road is located near Lancaster and is adjacent to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania.

Ed Journeys to the Everett Railroad Again

Owen (left) and Karl pose with Everett No. 11 in Holidaysburg, Pennsylvania.

On May 20, Akron Railroad Club member Ed Ribinskas along with his brother-in-law Karl and his son Owen (Ed’s nephew) did an all-day trip to railfan in Pennsylvania. Today’s installment focuses on their visit to the Everett Railroad where they chased and photographed two trips.

Photographs by Edward Ribinskas

The first of three images made of the train in Hollidaysburg.

 

Switching at Brooks Mills

At West Loop Road

Nearing Monastery Road.

Crossing Pennsylvania Route 36 north of Roaring Spring.

At Roaring Spring.

 

Strasburg Rail Road to Expand Shop

The Strasburg (Pennsylvania) Rail Road plans to undertake a $1.75 million expansion of its shop facility.

When completed in early 2017, the railroad will have added more than 12,000 square feet to its existing 18,000 square foot facility.

The railroad told Trains magazine that it needs the additional space to accommodate its growing contract work business.

Plans also call for adding six full-time positions to the shop. Construction of the expansion is expected to begin in September.

The shop will be used to maintain and overhaul the Strasburg’s equipment fleet and provide work under contract for other railroads.

NE Pa. Tourist Line May Restart in early 2015

The Delaware, Lackawaxen & Stourbridge Railroad may reinstate passenger service early next year in northeast Pennsylvania.

The trains will travel 25 miles of former Erie Railroad track between Honesdale and Lackawaxen. The railroad ended excursion service in September 2012 for financial reasons.

“We want to bring the train back bigger and better than it was before,” said General Manager K.C. Smith.

The Lackawaxen & Honesdale Shippers Association, which owns the DL&S, has has approved agreements allowing the DL&S to restart passenger service.

Paul Brancato, a principal in Ideal Steel Supply Corp., purchased the railroad in May 2008 and hired Morristown & Erie to operate it. M&E had a 10-year operating agreement but pulled out in 2012. The new agreements put control of the line into the hands of DL&S.

The railroad has multiple plans to operate trains. The shippers association owns the locomotive and cars.

The locomotive, former Bangor & Aroostook BL2 No. 54, needs work, as do the tracks. Smith said the work will require a “significant investment.” The tracks are in good shape, but vegetation will need to be removed.

“We can’t wait for it to come back,” said Gail Tucker, executive director of the Greater Honesdale Partnership. She added that the excursions will attract tourist to Honesdale and give a boost to local businesses.

Shipper’s board member Donna LaBar said the excursions had drawn between 10,000 and 15,000 riders a year before the Great Recession began in 2008.