On Thursday, Carbon County’s railroad commission and board of commissioners approved the sale of its rail line to Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad for $4.7 million.

During a special meeting of the commission, which took place directly before the commissioners’ meeting, the board, in a unanimous vote, approved recommending the sale of the approximately 19.5-mile Panther Valley rail line to the board of commissioners. The railroad commission consists of the board of commissioners, as well as Rick Forgay II of Lansford, the son of railroad commission charter member Richard E. Forgay.

The commissioners also approved the motion unanimously.

Through terms of an agreement negotiated decades ago as part of the purchase of the line, Lansford will receive 25% of the sale. The remaining 75% would be required to be put into a restricted fund able to be used only for economic development within the county.

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