INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — After a lengthy period of modified operations because of riverbank erosion along its route, the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad will return to its regular schedule this Saturday, July 16.
Since March, the railroad had been running 16-mile trips instead of offering its full 52-mile round trip, and departing only from its Rockside station. The return to regular operations will mean full-length trips and departures from stations at Akron Northside, Peninsula, and Independence. The flagship National Park Scenic trrain will resume five-day-a-week operation, running Wednesday through Sunday.
“We’re excited to announce we’re returning to our normal train schedule including the return of the National Park Scenic and the Explorer program,” railroad CEO Joe Mazur said in a press release. “We want to thank the community for their continued support as we navigated this challenge and appreciate those who came out for a ride with the modified schedule.
The Explorer program allows passengers to bring bikes and kayaks aboard and disembark at any of the railroad’s eight stations to bike or kayak back.
Tickets for National Park Scenic trips from the Akron Northside, Peninsula, and Independence stations are scheduled to go on sale today (Wednesday, July 13) at 9 a.m. EDT. Visit the railroad website for tickets or information.
In March, the railroad and National Park Service announced that the railroad would modify its operations because of erosion along the Cuyahoga River that had moved within 3 feet of the rail roadbed [see “Riverbank issues lead Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad to cancel some trips,” Trains News Wire, March 7, 2022].
