Carbon County officials are moving forward with getting an appraisal of 19.5 miles of active rail line that the county owns after the railroad that manages the line offered to buy it last year.

On Tuesday, the county railroad commission voted to authorize attorney Edward Fishman of Nossman LLP to retain the services of Stone Consulting of Warren, for professional appraisal services at a cost of $27,000.The valuation would include the track and more limited rights of way adjacent to the track, as well as the inclusion of the former Packerton Yards property.Commissioner William O'Gurek, who has reconsidered his position on a possible sale, said that the appraisal does not include some of the land around the Old Mauch Chunk Train Station.Last May, the board hired Ralph W. Clay for land surveying services at a cost of $3,720 to survey portions of the railroad that the county wishes to retain if a sale were to happen. At that time, O'Gurek voted no because he was not in favor of selling the railroad.If the county would choose to sell, Carbon would retain the county parking lot, as well as the land butting up to it from the area of the future pedestrian bridge to the turntable in the rail yard. The tracks in that area would be included in any sale except the crossing into the county parking lot.Commissioners' Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the county needs to keep the lot mainly because of its employees and the courts during the week no matter what.The board said that there are still a number of details to discuss, including a longtime agreement where Lansford would receive 25 percent of the revenue and Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railways growing ridership, before any sale of the Carbon & Schuylkill Railroad is considered, but officials want to get an appraisal done to see what a fair price would be.Last February, Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad offered to purchase the rail line and the former Packerton Yards property for a combined $1.3 million.Commissioner Thomas J. Gerhard said that talking with Andy Muller, owner of Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad, the company that manages the county's Carbon and Schuylkill Railroad, will be key moving forward."It's going to be interesting to see what number comes back with the appraisal," he said.O'Gurek and Gerhard praised Muller for what he has done to improve the tourist business in Jim Thorpe and Carbon County."Andy has been a partner in helping the economy and tourism not only in Jim Thorpe but Carbon County," O'Gurek said. "Who would have thought when we entered into an agreement with him in 2005 or 2006 that he would reach 100,000 riders."In other matters, Gerhard said that through talks with officials at Reading Blue Mountain and Northern that work will be completed in the near future to replace all railroad ties from the county ticket booth to the end of the county lot near the future pedestrian bridge. All costs associated with the replacement of the ties will be paid for by the railroad.The ground around that portion of track will also be blacktopped and paid for by Carbon County."It's going to dress it all up and give it a whole new appearance," Gerhard said.The board said that this is an ambitious project and the railroad told the county it would happen very soon.