Thunder Mountain Line, which has run out of Horseshoe Bend since 2001, is out of business, at least for now, because ridership hasn’t risen enough to meet operating costs.
Thunder Mountain had announced it was closing, but didn’t give a reason why. The Idaho Statesman reports, Vice President Chris Bertel said the company will likely decide later this year whether to permanently shut down the train rides.
He said most tourist railroads in the United States are operated by nonprofit entities that can draw on public subsidies or volunteer support to help defray operating costs, but Thunder Mountain relied on ticket sales alone.
The railroad struggled to attract new riders in the years since the economic downturn of 2007-2008, he said.
