A Visit To Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

A few years back, I was driving in eastern Pennsylvania and passed through the borough of Jim Thorpe, named for the Olympic medal-winning athlete.  I didn't have time to stop in, but I noticed that the place had a scenic railroad.  Earlier this week, I decided to return, and take a ride on the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway.  After I parked the Bigfootmobile and bought a ticket, I took a picture of the front of the train.

The rear of the train included a caboose, which is somewhat unusual for a passenger train.

Before boarding the train, I saw a guy who admitted wanting a brain.

A path suitable for hiking and cycling ran parallel to the railroad tracks along most of the ride.  According to our hosts, much of the path had been the bed for a line of the New Jersey Central railroad.  The tracks we were on were laid down by the Lehigh Valley railroad, the two running roughly in parallel along the Lehigh River.  Through my window, I could see the path, the river, and lots of trees as we headed northward from Jim Thorpe.

After the train reversed direction and headed back toward Jim Thorpe, I was able to take this shot of the Lehigh River from a bridge.  In the foreground is the top of a fence which prevents hikers and bikers from becoming unwilling divers, as the path runs parallel to the railroad tracks over the bridge.

After the train arrived back in Jim Thorpe, I took another shot of the river.  On the other side was a row of tank cars parked on another rail line.

The train passed near a tunnel through which the New Jersey Central line had extended.  We passengers were informed that the tunnel was open, and that a flashlight might be useful for anyone who might wish to explore it.  This entrance was a short walk from a parking lot, but was partially blocked by a pile of rocks and dirt.  To get into the tunnel, I had to climb over it and down the other side.

The other end of the tunnel was a vertical cliff face.  Fortunately, there was a fence to keep explorers from falling into the river.  As I looked out, I could see two supports from a bridge that the New Jersey Central tracks would have spanned while also extending through the tunnel.

As I stood in the tunnel, I could hear the rumble of a train approaching.  It was the next trip for the train I had been on earlier.  Looking toward the left, I spotted the train going over a bridge roughly parallel to where the Central New Jersey bridge had been.

After climbing back out of the tunnel, I drove the Bigfootmobile back to Maryland.  To learn more about Jim Thorpe (the place), go to Pocono Mountains, Trip Advisor, Vacation Idea, Visit PA and the borough's official website above.