Railroad makes $10k donation to Mahanoy chamber after Community Day train rides
KAYLEE LINDENMUTH / SHENANDOAH SENTINEL - The Reading and Northern Railroad presents a $10,000 check to the Mahanoy Area Chamber of Commerce at the Schuylkill Haven train station on Oct. 6, 2025. From L-R, Anthony Merchlinsky, Dawn Frye, and Jeff Bowers with the Mahanoy Chamber, Matt Fisher, Senior VP/General Manager of Passenger Operations, Russ Scianna Jr., director of passenger administration, and Jen Frederickson, director of irector of passenger marketing, retail and community development.
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN – A partnership between the railroad and a local chamber of commerce brought passenger rail back to the Mahanoy Valley for the first time in decades. Now, the railroad is giving the chamber a boost.
Mahanoy Area Chamber of Commerce officers were in Schuylkill Haven Monday afternoon to accept a check for $10,000 from Reading and Northern Railroad officials at their passenger station in Schuylkill Haven.
The two entities have partnered for the past three years to bring train rides to Mahanoy City Community Day which took place Sept. 13 this year.
“We are happy to visit Mahanoy City every year,” Matt Fisher, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Passenger Operations, said. “Over the past three years, we have had over 2,500 riders take our trains from Mahanoy City. The borough of Mahanoy City and the railroad have coexisted since their inception and we look forward to working with them in the future.”
“The chamber is grateful for the opportunity to work with the railroad,” Dawn Frye, chamber treasurer, said. “We are excited to bring more train rides to the borough in the coming months and years.”
The railroad said this year’s Community Day rides drew 600 riders for three 70-minute round trip rides from Mahanoy City to Tamaqua.
They add they they hope to bring more frequent passenger service to Mahanoy City.
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