Lehigh Gorge excursion train adds stops, boosts annual ridership to record level

The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway posted record ridership in 2014 after expanding its regular schedule to include stops in seven additional Pennsylvania cities.

Operated by the Reading, Blue Mountain & Northern Railroad Co. (RBMN) as a sister company, the excursion railroad served a record 72,295 passengers last year. Stops in additional communities and expansion of Lehigh Gorge's "Bike Train" and "Santa Claus Train" services helped boost ridership, company officials said in a press release.

Communities added to the scenic railway trips included Tunkhannock, Pottsville, Minersville, Schuylkill Haven, Duryea, and White Haven.

"We are thrilled to announce we are gearing up for another busy schedule in 2015," said RBMN Chief Executive Officer Andy Mueller.

RBMN serves major businesses in nine eastern Pennsylvania counties, offering freight- and passenger excursion-rail services.