Reading & Northern Railroad, the largest privately owned railroad in Pennsylvania, has shipped more than 1 million tons of anthracite coal for the third straight year. This was an impressive feat considering the downturn in export volume in 2025.

The backbone of R&N’s anthracite business continues to be the booming domestic market, which mainly supports American steel production.

This business segment grew nearly 20% in 2025, with most of the shipments going to electric-arc furnace steel mills located across the country.

To support the growing market, R&N purchased more covered hopper railcars in mid-December, with delivery expected in January or February. The equipment will be added to a fleet of nearly 2,000 railcars owned by R&N.

With continued growth expected in the domestic market in 2026, R&N will continue to purchase more equipment to support the demand.

On the passenger side, the railroad is planning its 2026 schedule.

Matt Fisher, senior vice president/general manager-passenger, said, “We have already broken our 2024 ridership record as of week ending November 16, 2025, and are well positioned to carry on that upward trend in 2026.”

Reading Outer Station and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Regional Railroad Station at Pittston will continue their schedules of all-day weekend excursion trains to Jim Thorpe in January and February. This sets the stage for year-round excursion train operation for the first time ever in the history of R&N outside of its Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, based in Jim Thorpe.

The LGSR itself operates year-round, and will run primarily on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until March 13, when daily operation will resume.

The excursion trains from Reading and Pittston to Jim Thorpe are currently scheduled for Saturdays and Sundays beginning today through Feb. 8.

The R&N’s first Iron Horse Ramble of 2026 will be Feb. 14. It will operate round trip from Reading Outer Station to Jim Thorpe, with a station stop at Port Clinton

Reading & Northern Railroad, with its corporate headquarters in Port Clinton, is a privately held railroad company serving over 80 customers in nine eastern Pennsylvania counties (Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Northumberland, Schuylkill and Wyoming). It has expanded its operations over the last 40 years and now transports nearly 35,000 carloads of freight (which removes over 200,000 trucks from the highway), while its Passenger Department welcomes nearly 340,000 riders annually.

R&N operates its freight and steam-and diesel-powered passenger excursions over 400 miles of track, owns almost 2,000 freight cars and employs over 350 dedicated people.

R&N has been repeatedly honored as one of the premier railroads in the nation, including being named Regional Railroad of the Year in 2020 by Railway Age magazine.