Reading & Northern Railroad (RBMN), Pennsylvania’s largest privately owned railroad, will begin operating regular weekend passenger excursion train service from the brand-new Wilkes Barre-Scranton Regional Railroad Station at Pittston, PA to Jim Thorpe, PA on Saturday, May 27, 2023. Tickets will go on sale at 9:00am on Wednesday, March 1, 2023.
Reading and Northern boasted a quarter million train riders in the Jim Thorpe and Reading markets last year. Now, the growing company is focusing attention on the Wilkes Barre-Scranton market. 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. What better place to start up passenger service than the Pittston property at 718 North Main Street, operating excursion trains to our most popular location, Jim Thorpe.”
Mr. Andy Muller, CEO of RBMN, always strives to enact positive changes along his railroad that reflects his appreciation of the local communities. Following influence from the wisdom of his grandfather, Andy lives by a set of quotes which guide the business practices of RBMN. One of which is, “It is not what you do, but how you do it”. To summarize, attention to detail, no matter how small, matters. It shows care, thoughtful reflection, and the constant striving to operate with greater emphasis on customer experience. As such, Mr. Muller is pleased to announce that the new Passenger facilities construction is funded without any public money taken from taxpayers’ dollars.
Planning and groundbreaking has already begun at the Pittston location on a station platform, ticket booth, and parking area. The remainder of the construction will be handled in phases. The area leading to the station will be lined with trees and shrubs and will be a fantastic addition to the neighborhood on 718 North Main Street. 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 excursion trains will be all-day, round-trip affairs, departing 9:00am sharp from Wilkes Barre-Scranton Regional Railroad Station at Pittston. The train will make station stops at Penobscot (Mountain Top) and White Haven enroute to Jim Thorpe. Passengers will have over 3 hours to explore, dine, and shop in the historic town – which is also home to the company’s Lehigh Gorge Scenic train operations – before reboarding the train in the afternoon for the return trip north.
-via Press Release