JIM THORPE, Pa. — Memorial Day weekend marks the 20th anniversary of the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, the excursion operation of the Reading & Northern from Jim Thorpe to Lehigh Gorge State Park.
Hour-long train rides from Jim Thorpe debuted on the holiday weekend in 2005, with three trips per day at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m., utilizing former Delaware, Lackawanna & Western commuter coaches with SD50 locomotives at each end of the consist. The trips were made possible by the 2003 restoration of the Nesquehoning Bridge, which had been out of service since the 1970s. Its reopening created the uninterrupted route from Jim Thorpe to the Park.
An open-air car was soon added to the consist, beginning an ongoing process of additions and upgrades that has included use of a caboose for parties of up to six; food service, including a full “King Coal Café” dining car used on weekends and holidays; Crown Class coaches, with larger, reclining seats; and two dome cars, which sell out on many weekends.
With the expanded seating options, increased demand saw the operation from spring and summer weekends only to year-round, with weekend-only operation during the winter. The railroad also gained full ownership of the line into Jim Thorpe in 2021, allowing it to upgrade track to permit higher operating speeds, as well as expanding capacity to handle more trains.
The Reading & Northern currently has an operating fleet including 16 standard coaches; four open-air cars; seven Crown Class coaches, two first-class lounge cars, one a round-end observation; a parlor car; the two domes; two Pullmans, one a heavyweight, and private car Black Diamond. Additional cars are undergoing restoration for future use.
The Lehigh Gorge Scenic, under the direction of General Manager Matt Fisher and Senior Director Jeff Knadler, continues to add features, including a stationary version of the King Coal Café slated to debut this summer at the Jim Thorpe station. More information on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway is available at its website; more on the overall Reading & Northern passenger operation is available here.
that’s funny i thought the reading and northern now has three full length dome cars