An updated passenger coach has been added to the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway trains departing Jim Thorpe, PA. Coach number 450, “The Pagoda”, is named after the famous Reading Pagoda found just south of the City of Reading. Referred to as a heavy-weight 6 axle car, it was originally built in the 1920s for the Illinois Central Railroad. The passenger coach was recently purchased in an auction of rail cars by the Reading and Northern Railroad. “The Pagoda” looks nearly brand new, it was the focus of the railroad’s restoration and paint department earlier this summer. The roof and exterior were painted to match the rest of the passenger fleet on the Reading and Northern. The inside of the car was thoroughly cleaned, and the extra-large comfortable seats are in the process of being refabricated. The coach is currently being placed in the 70-minute Lehigh Gorge train service.

The Lehigh Gorge trains run daily out of historic downtown Jim Thorpe. Tickets for this Crown service cost $22 per adult, $10 per child aged 3 to 12, and free for children aged 2 and under. The service is a big hit due to the brand-new air-conditioning system that was placed in the coach by the railroad this year. The AC/Heating system built by Northwest and installed by railroad contractors and employees keeps the air temperature inside the cabin of the coach to a constant 72 degrees.

Crown seating featuring “The Pagoda” is available now through the rest of the season. Tickets can be purchased at www.lgsry.com, or the day of the trip at the ticket booth next to the train station in Jim Thorpe. Tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis

-via Press Release