Jim Thorpe officials say the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway may leave the borough over taxes

[CentralValleyRail]

https://www.wfmz.com/news/area/poconos- ... 87258.html

Pretty bold move by LGSR to pull out if they aren't found exempt. Also will block any other group from coming in and taking over.

What was not covered in any article is WHY they don't want to or why there isn't an obligation to pay it.

If no agreement is made they will pull out at the end of the year.

And as a side note for anyone who says it isn't RBMN material they own LGSR.

[CentralValleyRail]

https://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-nws ... story.html


And the stand-off continues. Railroad says they are not an amusement. Nov. 25th now official shutdown.

[mcgrath618]

https://www.mcall.com/news/local/mc-nws ... story.html


And the stand-off continues. Railroad says they are not an amusement. Nov. 25th now official shutdown.

Yikes. I really hope everyone can come to an agreement.

[Return to Reading Company Olney Sta]

Press release from the RBMN at their website

https://www.rbmnrr.com/happenings/2019/ ... er-25-2019

[mcgrath618]

Press release from the RBMN at their website

https://www.rbmnrr.com/happenings/2019/ ... er-25-2019

What towns are we thinking they move to? Reading?

[Roscoe P. Coaltrain]

What towns are we thinking they move to? Reading?

Wherever there are deep govt pockets?

Someone ran the math and it was something like 33 cents on a $15 ticket. A piddly figure.

And didn't this carrier just get a big chunk of taxpayer dollars ($10M?) towards a new $14M bridge that was supposed to allow it to "compete" against the Sunbury line?

And weren't they out there trying to poach the operating rights of both the North Shore empire and the DL lines out of Scranton from the various government entities that actually owned the rail?

[CentralValleyRail]

Was there this weekend, it was more packed than usual. Everyone seemed to know that it could be it, (although I think it's a who's going to blink first scenario and an agreement will be reached). They added 2 extra coaches and an extra 5PM train to accommodate the crowds. Ticket lines were well over an hour and they had 3 lines going. (counted abut 100 deep) Estimate 10,000 plus were at the festival.

Somewhat unrelated- the foliage wasn't great this time around and this weekend was peak time for Jim Thorpe. Think the lack of rain in the area (until like 5 days ago) definitely played a factor

[mcgrath618]

Was there this weekend, it was more packed than usual. Everyone seemed to know that it could be it, (although I think it's a who's going to blink first scenario and an agreement will be reached). They added 2 extra coaches and an extra 5PM train to accommodate the crowds. Ticket lines were well over an hour and they had 3 lines going. (counted abut 100 deep) Estimate 10,000 plus were at the festival.

Somewhat unrelated- the foliage wasn't great this time around and this weekend was peak time for Jim Thorpe. Think the lack of rain in the area (until like 5 days ago) definitely played a factor

I was also there on Sunday. It was my first time seeing the 425 in person.

Seeing how crowded it was, I have to assume that the town will realize its mistake and let them continue? They have to realize that this is the big draw.

[CentralValleyRail]

Was there this weekend, it was more packed than usual. Everyone seemed to know that it could be it, (although I think it's a who's going to blink first scenario and an agreement will be reached). They added 2 extra coaches and an extra 5PM train to accommodate the crowds. Ticket lines were well over an hour and they had 3 lines going. (counted abut 100 deep) Estimate 10,000 plus were at the festival.

Somewhat unrelated- the foliage wasn't great this time around and this weekend was peak time for Jim Thorpe. Think the lack of rain in the area (until like 5 days ago) definitely played a factor

I was also there on Sunday. It was my first time seeing the 425 in person.

Seeing how crowded it was, I have to assume that the town will realize its mistake and let them continue? They have to realize that this is the big draw.

My girlfriends is friends with a woman who owns one of the stores on the main drag there, they are all very scared that if the train pulls out that they will lose a ton of business, borderline closing.

They said a majority of their business comes from people who come to town for the trains. And this is a higher end store. $150-$200 purses are the norm there. Said very little is local and very little is pass thru tourists.

[Alcochaser]

The railroad also doesn't need Jim Thorpe now,

Andy knows that the new bridge is going in that allows direct access to the Lehigh Division from the Reading Division without a run around move. The railroad doesn't need Jim Thorpe as a passenger end point anymore. You could run gorge trips from Tamaqua directly if you wanted.

I am betting the non rail savy people in JIm Thorpe don't realize they don't actually have any leverage.

[Statkowski]

Interesting. I suppose the Borough of Jim Thorpe is going to teach the evil railroad a lesson.

Dumb, dumb, and dumber still. Talk about cutting off one's nose to spite one's face.

Local governments have done stupid things before.

[mmi16]

Personality wars rarely end well.

[WashingtonPark]

What towns are we thinking they move to? Reading?

Wherever there are deep govt pockets?

Someone ran the math and it was something like 33 cents on a $15 ticket. A piddly figure.

And didn't this carrier just get a big chunk of taxpayer dollars ($10M?) towards a new $14M bridge that was supposed to allow it to "compete" against the Sunbury line?

And weren't they out there trying to poach the operating rights of both the North Shore empire and the DL lines out of Scranton from the various government entities that actually owned the rail?

For what it's worth, I was told the tax was $1.125 they were expected to pay per ticket and they are being asked to pay over $90,000 dollars in back amusement taxes. I feel if was just 33 cents a ticket going forward with no back amusement tax they'd still be there.

[WashingtonPark]

Press release from the RBMN at their website

https://www.rbmnrr.com/happenings/2019/ ... er-25-2019

What towns are we thinking they move to? Reading?

I've heard Temple to Hamburg but they have a ton of storage on that line. I don't know where they'd move all that equipment.

[J.D. Lang]

Looks like someone blinked.

http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wire/20 ... out-return