For the first time in over 20 years, I made the trek to South Central PA to attend the Annual Reunion of the Friends of the East Broad Top Railroad. On day one (Friday) I took pictures with my digital camera which I have yet to unload and edit. This is the photo dump from my phone of activity on Saturday and Sunday.
My motivation to tow our trailer for 8 hours then set up camp a half hour West of EBT was to see first hand all of the progress that has been made since the East Broad Top Foundation purchased the railroad from the Kovalchick family in 2020. There was also a possibility that we might witness the first steam on the EBT since 2011. That was not to be, but there were plenty of firsts.
The first of 4 new replica passenger cars was in-service. They look great inside and out and ride very nicely…
The view of the shops and yards in Rockhill has changed as well. Most noticeable are the shortened stacks (to prevent them from falling), the split rail fencing protecting the yard from foamers and the generally great appearance of the entire complex…
The EBTF ran some rarely seen equipment out to Colgate Grove including motor car M-3 and the shop built gas/electric M-1 shown here crossing Meadow Street…
The foundation also ran a special train SOUTH with passengers for the first time since 1956! The trip was limited to 30 passengers, but multiple trips were run over two days so everyone that wanted to make the trip could do it. Seen here is some of the recently re-built track well South of the coal dock…
The current end-of-track is the PA Route 475 crossing. The ROW has been cleared for another mile or so to just beyond Jordan Summit…
The plan is to continue clearing and track rehabilitation to allow trains to reach Pogue Station by this time next year. Funds are already on-hand for professional help rehabilitating the Pogue Trestle.
Another milestone was seeing the first lost structure to be re-created. This is the hopper shed atop the coaling dock in Rockhill. The design was modified slightly adding doors on the East (right) side to allow trucks to dump coal into the dock when it returns to service in the near future. Funds are in place to rebuild the retaining walls on either side of the concrete dock and rebuild the track to allow a hopper to be spotted in the shed…
An overview of Rockhill from atop the coal dock…
Our Southbound Restoration Tour train was pulled by the mighty M-4…
Our tour allowed us unprecedented (since EBTF purchase) access to the yard and shop buildings. This is a look into the Car Barn. Do you spot something brand new? That shiny black iron pipe is the new fire suppression system installed throughout the shops complex…
Nearly every building in the shops complex has been painted by the Friends. This is the Sand House…
Most every inch of track in the Rockhill yard has been rebuilt. This is the Paint Shop lead…
16’s Cab and Tender wait outside the roundhouse for installation. 16 has been steamed and they are finishing up a few loose ends. The EBTF is hopeful that they will be running steam before the end of this season - possibly for the Christmas in Coal Country trains which are all sold out!
The Friends are restoring this steel box car to be used as a mobile shop for the March to Saltillo. Background work has already begun to re-create the Saltillo station and tank funded by the FEBT…
Here is a rarely seen view of the disassembled buffer and draw bar on 16’s tender…
15’s cab has been sandblasted and primed. Restoration work on 15 and 14 has begun as well…
Well all this was happening, the Rockhill Trolley Museum ran their Fall Spectacular. Unfortunately I missed seeing most of the rarely seen equipment they brought out…
I also took the Guided Shop tour that began in the roundhouse. Here, our very knowledgeable young guide (who works as an Archivist during the week) tells the story of #12 being christened as Millie in the 1960’s…
This is as deep as they would allow us to go since crews were actively working on 16 just out of view…
Moving on to the main shop, The restored steam engine that drives the overhead belt system. Currently the engine runs on air. I’m hopeful that one day they will install a modern stationary boiler to once again power the shops on steam…
I have never seen the shop this bright. Last time I was in here a good number of the windows were boarded up. The Friends have now restored over 50% of the windows in the shops complex…
Coach 8 and locomotive 14 are in the Locomotive Shop. Coach 8 was being repaired, however, like us modelers, they ran into a snag and lost momentum. New beams had been installed, but when they were tightening the truss rods, the new beam shattered. There were hidden interior flaws in the beam. They now have to completely start over 
Engine 14’s running gear was shot. It has been dropped and sent to Strassburg for complete rebuilding. Meanwhile the boiler has had it’s ultrasound test and found to be in good shape. Work on 14 will get serious when 15 nears completion. If you were a long time EBT fan, what you will notice is that funds are plentiful compared to the late 90’s / early 2000’s. This is thanks to a dedicated group of investors, and extremely generous fans contributing to the FEBT. Coach 8 and Engine 14 in the Locomotive Shop…
The newly aligned overhead belt system in the Car Shop…
Just a cool looking shot of a workbench…
Back in the Machine Shop. A number of these machines have been made operational and are being actively used to restore locomotives and cars…
The original twin Babcock Boilers will never see fire again. They are too far gone from rain intrusion and lack of care when they were shut down in 1958 or so…
Back outside, the EBTF has brought in a Standard Gauge PRR X-29 Box Car which is the type commonly moved over the line on narrow gauge trucks. The long term plan is to restore this car to operation and put it on a set of transfer trucks and move it in a train! Shown here next to a narrow gauge box and hopper…
To adapt the PRR standard couplers to the diminutive EBT couplers, coupler adapters were designed and cast in-house from Aluminum and Manganese…
On Sunday we spent a lot of time driving around the North End at Mount Union. This area and the track to the South end of the Augwick Mills bridge is currently owned by the dormant East Broad Top Preservation Association. EBTPA has sold off some of the commercially viable land resulting in new development on what was once railroad property in Mount Union. Here we see recent land clearing to build a Stihl dealership. Unfortunately, the clearing (and removal of a boney pile) pretty much destroyed the end abutment of the Local Delivery Trestle…
As if that isn’t enough for one thread, I will get my camera pictures dumped and edited to post up some of the sights I visited on the South End including recently cleared track for over a mile toward the mines from Robertsdale.
If you are interested in helping out with volunteer labor and/or a financial contribution, please consider joining the Friends of the East Broad Top and/or making a donation. More information can be found at the Friends website FEBT.ORG
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