As the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad (CVSR) moves into the future, it's got a new plan that will help keep the organization on track.

After beginning the planning process in 2018, the CVSR board of trustees recently adopted a three-year strategic blueprint to help identify priorities and align efforts surrounding the popular railway that takes riders through the Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP), according to a news release. The plan sets the railroad's direction through 2021.

"The strategic priorities identified in this plan reflect our commitment to growth and improvement — in service excellence, in safety, in visibility and awareness, in leadership capacity, and in financial strength and stability," said board chair Peter Buerling.

The nonprofit railroad is more popular than ever. I got to ride the rails with president and CEO Joe Mazur last summer, and he said annual ridership stands at more than 200,000. Its scenic rides and special events — it wouldn't be Christmas for scores of kiddies without a trip on the railroad's Polar Express — draw riders from across the globe.

One thing is for sure: The CVSR certainly isn't idling on the tracks. It's in the midst of its first-ever capital campaign, which Mazur last summer said hoped to raise $5 million.

And it's already made a major buy. The CVSR bolstered its fleet in a major way last summer when it purchased four historic California Zephyr cars: two Vista Dome dining cars, one sleeper car and one baggage car. The cars were built in the 1940s and sold as a set by private owners.

The cars cost the CVSR $1.5 million, Mazur said at the time, but the deal was one the railroad felt it couldn't pass up.

"We're in the preservation business. We're preserving a fleet of cars that were in service in the 1940s and 1950s," he said at the time.

With its ever-climbing ridership, its connection to the CVNP — one of the area's natural treasures — and its fun and diverse special events, the railroad is an economic driver for the region and a point of pride for Northeast Ohio.

The strategic plan sets goals to build on the railroad's strengths while striving to reach higher levels of service quality and operational efficiency, the release said. Among those goals are:

Attract new and repeat riders.

Ensure that safety continues to be the highest priority.

Strengthen partnerships to bring riders and resources to the railroad.

Grow the railroad's corps of more than 1,800 volunteers and enhance the volunteer experience.

Ensure long-term financial stability, including through the capital campaign.

Position the railroad as a partner in historic preservation and regional economic development.

Provide effective leadership through a strong board of directors and workforce.

The plan came together after organizers talked with to board members, funders, community partners and volunteer leaders, the railroad said. The process also included an all-staff retreat, a volunteer survey and a retreat for the board and senior staff.

"This plan reflects the passion and commitment of CVSR board members, staff, volunteers and community partners who willingly and generously participated in the planning process," Mazur said in the release. "We are grateful for their thoughtful contributions."

All of this should make the foamers (that's RR lingo for rail buffs, as in they foam at the mouth when they see a train) pretty happy.