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Their view: Higher education discriminates against conservatives

<p>The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway (LGSR) announced Wednesday that it was closing up shop in Jim Thorpe in late November of this year, citing a recent decision by borough council to make the operator pay an amusement tax.</p><p>The release stated LGSR &#8220;has made it clear to the Borough Council&#8221; that it is not an amusement and it will not pay.</p><p>&#8220;Recently the Jim Thorpe Borough Council sought to force LGSR to pay an amusement tax,&#8221; the release stated. &#8220;Through its third party administrator, the Borough Council brought a lawsuit seeking to recover close to $100,000 in alleged back taxes for the years 2016-2018.&#8221;</p><p>LGSR began offering passenger excursion rides out of Jim Thorpe 15 years ago, and says that together with its sister railroad, the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern (RBMN), it has brought over a million people to Jim Thorpe over the last decade, the release stated.</p><p>&#8220;It immediately came in and cleaned out old equipment and brought a first-class operation to Jim Thorpe,&#8221; the release stated. &#8220;Investing hundreds of thousands of dollars in facilities and equipment, including its open air cars and its bike train, LGSR put Jim Thorpe on the map as a major tourist destination for railfans.&#8221;</p><p>State Sen. John Yudichak Wednesday said the announced closure of the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway in Jim Thorpe is a terrible blow for the merchants and taxpayers of Carbon County.</p><p>Yudichak, D-Plymouth Township, said there has been an extraordinary growth in the tourism industry as a result of the substantial personal investment railroad CEO Andy Muller and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad made in the region.</p><p>&#8220;I will work with all parties, especially the business community of Jim Thorpe, in the coming days to do everything possible to keep the passenger excursion train rides of the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway coming to beautiful Jim Thorpe,&#8221; Yudichak said.</p><p>In explaining the decision Muller issued the following statement:</p><p><em>&#8220;RBMN is in the freight business. That is where we make our money. I have offered passenger excursion rides to local communities as a way of thanking them for their support over the years and to educate young and old in the glorious role railroads in this region played in our country&#8217;s industrial revolution. Since it is clear that the Mayor and Borough Council do not care about what we have done to assist Jim Thorpe over the last 15 years, a period in which Jim Thorpe Borough government has done nothing to assist the railroads, I have decided to focus our energies on communities that want to work with the railroads. While I feel terrible for our loyal employees, our repeat customers, and Jim Thorpe merchants who have supported our excursion trains, there is no reason for us to stay where we are not welcome.&#8221;</em></p><p>The release stated refunds will be issued for all people who have already purchased tickets for the Santa trains. Closure of LGSR does not affect RBMN passenger operations from other locations to Jim Thorpe. RBMN plans to announce soon a new schedule of rides from other communities.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_retreat03CMYK.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Yudichak </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_retreat03CMYK.jpg</photo0><caption0>Yudichak </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_rbmn.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">A Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway train is seen at Jim Thorpe in 2013. The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway announced Wednesday that it was closing up shop in Jim Thorpe in late November of this year. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/web1_rbmn.jpg</photo1><caption1>A Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway train is seen at Jim Thorpe in 2013. The Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway announced Wednesday that it was closing up shop in Jim Thorpe in late November of this year. </caption1><photoCredit1>Roger DuPuis | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway to end tourist trains over Jim Thorpe tax decision