The Pioneer Tunnel at Ashland, a former anthracite mining operation, is becoming a major tourist attraction in the region, according to the Board of Directors of Ashland Community Enterprises, Inc.

In its report, the board said its visitors last year came from 48 different U.S. states and 16 foreign countries who visited Schuylkill County to enjoy a train ride whose cars were drawn by an anthracite-fired steam locomotive.

To help promote the attraction, the Pennsylvania Power and Light Company is distributing a 20-by-24-inch photograph of the tunnel on its Quarterly Dividend Memorandum envelope that it will mail to the company’s 93,434 shareowners, giving the site a great deal of national publicity.