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.
"Have a nice lunch, do a little shopping, have an adult beverage, or two, maybe three," said Andy and Barb Dorak, Hanover Township.
"I think, honestly, just putzing around. I love going to the little shops, everything like that," said Zach Penzone, Carbondale.
The view from Skycam 16 shows the train chugging along into Jim Thorpe.
Nearly 1,000 passengers attended the inaugural ride.
"We have enough rail cars, enough people, enough resources. The railroad put a lot of money in at Pittston to develop that area to make it a train station to have these day trips," said Matt Fisher, General Manager, Reading and Northern Railroad.
"The words that come to mind for me are like a community or cultural nostalgia enjoying this thing from the past that we get to enjoy," said Brien McChesney, Olyphant.
For passengers like Mark Davis, the trip brings back family memories of the days during the height of the railroad industry.
"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.
The Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency welcomes the extra visitors to come and explore everything the borough has to offer without the extra cars.
"Traffic and parking is always a challenge in Jim Thorpe. We are a small community based on buggy and carriage, so sometimes we get taxed with additional cars. This is a great solution and partnership between the railroad, the people of Pittson, and the people of Jim Thorpe as well," said James Dougher, Jim Thorpe Tourism Agency President.
The new excursion will run weekends through the rest of the year, but you may have to wait a while as tickets are already sold out through early July.
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