Passenger Trains > Lehigh Gorge scenic RR returns to Jim Thorpe

The Reading and Northern RR has reached an agreement with Jim Thorpe and the trains will be running again, beginning THIS weekend for Winterfest. Link to press release from the railroad below:

https://www.rbmnrr.com/happenings/2020/2/11/reading-amp-northern-rr-reaches-agreement-with-jim-thorpe-to-restore-passenger-service

Great news for everyone!

Steve

Excellent news
 

Hooray!  An congrats to the R&N for waging and winning the battle against City Hall.  I just love it when an ill-conceived municipal money grab goes up in smoke.

-John

Jim Thorpe must have lost a Xmas season worth of visiting tourists for the train. Shame for the innocent local businesses 

It's great that the LGSR's Jim Thorpe operations is returning and hopefully, it will stay like that permanently. Many people who come to the Switzerland style city aren't just patronizing the shops and restaurants. They are also riding the railway.

THe R&N management made government look like the bad guys but nobody mentions the fact that the R&N accepted 10 million dollars from the state to help build their new bridge that will carry two freight trains a day. In the mean time local road projects are being cancelled due to a lack of funds.

How does a local amusement tax recoup money that came from the state for freight trains ?
Perhaps local road projects should be paid for by a local road tax.

THe amusement tax wasnt coming out of Mullers pocket.. All he had to do is collect it and remit it to the town. Many citys and towns have te same tax. As for the 10 million grant for the bridge its a total sham. The state has curtailed highway projects for lack of funds yet he gets 10 million for a little-used RR bridge and then has the gall to complain about government.

You must have missed All the other railroads that have been given grants for the past 30+ years from Penn Dot.
The amusement tax and the grant are two completely different animals.





lvrrpassenger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> THe amusement tax wasnt coming out of Mullers
> pocket.. All he had to do is collect it and remit
> it to the town. Many citys and towns have te same
> tax. As for the 10 million grant for the bridge
> its a total sham. The state has curtailed highway
> projects for lack of funds yet he gets 10 million
> for a little-used RR bridge and then has the gall
> to complain about government.

Posted from Android

lvrrpassenger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> THe amusement tax wasnt coming out of Mullers
> pocket.. All he had to do is collect it and remit
> it to the town. Many citys and towns have te same
> tax. As for the 10 million grant for the bridge
> its a total sham. The state has curtailed highway
> projects for lack of funds yet he gets 10 million
> for a little-used RR bridge and then has the gall
> to complain about government.

It would come out of passenger's pockets to be remitted to the town via Muller. Was the town obligated to repay the $10 million grant from the state ? No. Passengers shouldn't have to pay to rehab bridges used mostly for freight trains, which are not "amusement". 

Railpace publishes annually a long punch list of state capital grants to shortline railroads. Muller did his grant request properly and Penn DOT approved. The town evidently did not make a good enough case for their state grant request for their roads. If the town wants to collect $10 million for the roads, they should go after everyone who uses the roads, not just the relative few who ride the train. 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/13/20 04:28 by joemvcnj.

Freight trains aren’t an amusement?