Its very comfortable, she said, as the couple reclined in newly upholstered chairs complete with headrest covers bearing a depiction of the long, maroon passenger cars. What better place to start up passenger service than the Pittston property at 718 North Main St., operating excursion trains to our most popular location, Jim Thorpe?. Click to sign up. Clean restrooms are available in each Crown Class coach. "I think, honestly, just putzing around. His shop also is emblematic of the towns quirky style. A station platform, ticket booth and parking area have been constructed by the railroad, with its own funds, at the yard off North Main Street, and the area leading to the station will eventually be lined with trees and shrubs. Im hoping that this helps both communities.. At The Emporium of Curious Goods, co-owner Barrett Ravenhurst said he can definitely feel the uptick in foot traffic on days when the trains are running. Passengers will have over three hours to visit the southern Poconos town. It will be up and running on Saturday, May 27 and tickets will go on sale at 9:00 a.m., on wednesday, March 1. Tickets are now available for weekend passenger rail excursions from Pittston to Jim Thorpe. The Lehigh Valley tracks were located where the hiking and bike trail is on the lower leve Theres no question in my mind its just another significant opportunity for the city," he said. Reading & Northern Railroad, with its corporate headquarters in Port Clinton, is a privately held railroad company serving over 70 customers in nine eastern Pennsylvania counties (Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northumberland, Schuylkill, and Wyoming). Reading and Northern First Train From Pittston - White Haven Distance between Pittsburgh, PA and Jim Thorpe, PA Support Local Journalism & receive Diamond Card discounts! Pittston to Jim Thorpe Train Excursions | Eyewitness News - PAhomepage.com Andy Muller, CEO of RBMN, said the new passenger facilities construction is funded without any public money taken from taxpayers dollars. Theres something for everyone, whether a railfan or historian, local families, tourists coming in, Fisher said. Now, the fast-growing, privately owned railroad is focusing attention on the Wilkes Barre-Scranton market. She is a former reporter and columnist at The Times-Tribune, a Scrantonian and cat mom. Railroad officials invited local media to Jim Thorpe last week to talk about the trips, and to take a ride on their Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, which travels from Jim Thorpe into the gorge and back, and included some similar cars as part of the train. Robert Mericle on Twitter: "RT @DiscoverNEPA: Get an exclusive look at Guests will spend approximately four hours in downtown Jim Thorpe only steps away from many attractions on Broadway and Race Street. It goes through two tunnels, over bridges, through the entire Lehigh Gorge State Park its a very attractive ride, Fisher said. There will be a platform area, ticket booth and parking area at 718 North Main St., in Pittston. Few railroad passenger vehicles have had as long a lifespan as the Budd Rail Diesel Car. The railroads investment in the station area is a tangible demonstration of that partnership. The windows are large, giving riders a passing view of mountain scenery including lush forests and meandering rivers. The Reading & Northern carried more than 250,000 passengers in excursions from Reading and Jim Thorpe in 2022, and says the new trips will be the first in nearly 50 years operating from the Wyoming Valley through the Poconos. They will depart from the railroads new passenger platform in its railyard off North Main Street in Pittstons Junction Section. I caught it just south of White Haven, PA. The Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN) on Tuesday announced that it plans to launch weekend passenger excursions between a new station on North Main Street, Pittston, and the popular Carbon County destination starting Saturday, May 27. The first trip, set for Saturday, will see a massive train an estimated 18 cars will haul about 800 riders in grand style travel to Jim Thorpe and back, powered by streamlined diesel. All excursions include free parking at every station, live narration, and interaction with friendly staff dressed from the rail travel period of the 1920s to 1950s. New passenger train from Pittston to Jim Thorpe - YouTube Kat Bolus / WVIA News "We have enough rail cars, enough people, enough resources. Fisher said that hes often heard from repeat rail passengers who discover theres more to Jim Thorpe than meets the eye. The train will make station stops at Penobscot (Mountain Top) and White Haven en route to Jim Thorpe. Ticket sales for inaugural Pittston-to-Jim Thorpe train trip launch It has expanded its operations over the last 40 years and now handles over 34,000 carloads of freight and 250,000 excursion riders annually over 400 miles of track. The Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency welcomes the extra visitors to come and explore everything the borough has to offer without the extra cars. Nearly 1,000 passengers attended the inaugural ride. Pittston Susquehanna Brewing Co. launches first year-round Stegmaier beer Reading & Northern to launch Pittston-Jim Thorpe excursions. The railroad owns over 1,700 freight cars, and employs nearly 300 people. Business owners devastated by fire in Monroe County. Beth Beers, owner of Everything Nice Gift Shop in Jim Thorpe, believes riders from the Pittston trains will enjoy the trip. Weve been doing this for many years out of Reading, said Matt Fisher, general manager of the railroads passenger department. More details on seating and pricing options are set to be announced later. The Pittston to Jim Thorpe grand opening excursion is Saturday. Pittston-Jim Thorpe train trips kick off Tourists will soon be able to ride from the Pittston area to Jim Thorpe in classic style. The excursions will run on a regular schedule every weekend. Reading & Northern Railroad, Pennsylvania's largest privately owned railroad, will begin operating regular weekend passenger excursion train service from the new Wilkes-Barre-Scranton Regional Railroad Station at Pittston to Jim Thorpe on May 27. There also are similar standard coaches, with older style leather seating. Weekend train trips from Pittston to Historic Jim Thorpe The railroad is well-equipped and maintained to handle the passenger trains, which will be the first in nearly 50 years operating from the Wyoming Valley through the Poconos, the release stated. For these trips, passengers are provided with special options such as the ability to ride in RBMN's Crown Class Coaches and access to a dining car. Notifications can be turned off anytime in the browser settings. The very first excursion is scheduled for Saturday, May 27, 2023, featuring the railroad's popular streamlined F-unit diesel locomotives, #270 and #275. Subscribers, sign in to access exclusive content. The train makes stops in Penobscot and White Haven to pick up more passengers along the way. An estimated 18 train cars will haul about 800 riders in style and travel from Pittston to Jim Thorpe and back, powered by streamlined diesel locomotives built in the 1950s. The remainder of the construction will be handled in phases. Reading Blue Mountain & Northern - Passenger Train Rides Its very comfortable, Joan Lease said of the coach. Train excursions from Pittston to Jim Thorpe start Saturday Andy Muller, CEO of the Reading and Northern Railroad, smiles while talking about the success of the first train ride from Pittston to Jim Thorpe Saturday morning. The railroad has run special trips from Luzerne County in the past, such as the steam locomotive excursions to Jim Thorpe sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mountain Top, and similar trips to the Pittston/Duryea area, but never on a regular basis like this. "My grandfather worked on the Lehigh Valley railroads, he would get on the train, and his office was in Jim Thorpe, and it's the same rail line my mom has traveled on it too, so I am here to represent them," said Mark Davis, Scranton. Train excursions from Pittston to Jim Thorpe start Saturday PITTSTON, Pa. Bright and early, hundreds of people lined up along the train tracks in Pittston, waiting to climb aboard the first excursion to downtown Jim Thorpe. Passengers will have over three hours to explore, dine, and shop in historic Jim Thorpe which is also home to the companys Lehigh Gorge Scenic train operations before reboarding the train in the afternoon for the return trip north. View fullsize. RBMN on Tuesday announced that it plans to launch weekend passenger excursions between a new station on North Main Street, Pittston, and Jim Thorpe starting Saturday, May 27. According to Matt Fisher, general manager of passenger, The railroad knows there is a strong demand and interest for passenger excursions in the Wyoming Valley. Excursions led by diesel-powered locomotives will run from May 28 until September 24. day 2 driving 4 hours. The debut of newly restored 2102 last year attracted railfans and railroad journalists from all over the country, while 425 was the star of a well-attended Rotary Club of Mountain Top excursion last July. Check-in: The company runs a similar service from Reading to Jim Thorpe. This train will be the first in nearly 50 years to operate from the Wyoming Valley through the Poconos. Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. It handles more than 34,000 carloads of freight annually. Reading and Northern boasted a quarter million train riders in the Jim Thorpe and Reading markets last year. F-units to pull first Pittston-Jim Thorpe train; tickets go on sale