Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad suspends rail service through national park

The Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is suspending service over the next couple of months.

The railroad announced Monday that all service is being suspended as it works to "upgrade operational tools and refine procedures" as it gears up for its busy summer runs.

"These improvements include advancements in radio communications, operations management software and onboard camera systems," the railroad said in a statement. "The railroad will also implement new operating rules and procedures tailored to the unique scale of its operations, ensuring a safer and more efficient travel experience for passengers."

Lynee Bixler, director of marketing and communications, said the railroad was able to secure funding for the improvements and decided to go ahead and shut down now since this is a slower time of the year with just weekend runs.

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The trains will be parked from March 8 to May 2.

Anyone with tickets or onboard events will be offered refunds.

“We received the much-awaited funding and trustee approval to move forward with these enhancements," said CVSR President/CEO Joe Mazur in a statement. "We understand that the decision to suspend operations will cause disappointment to some of our scheduled passengers, for that we are truly sorry, however, it’s never too soon to make continued improvements when safety is concerned."

Work continues on a separate project to correct erosion problems along the railroad's tracks through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park so it can fully run between Akron and Independence.

This is not the first time scenic runs through the national park have been suspended.

Weather-related repairs have forced the trains to stop in the past and all service was suspended during the pandemic.

Scenic rides through the park started in 1975 on a railway that was first cleared back in the 1880s for the Cuyahoga Valley Line that ran between Cleveland and Canton.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad suspends rail service for 2 months