Anybody else hear/see a rumor that the East Broad Top is possibly for sale?
Gene
Gene
Yes it is, check out this link.
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/508771.html
Tim Anders
Souderton, PA
Perhaps this should be in the "General Discussion" board.
Or maybe the Large Scale Board.
I wonder if Kevin needs a new train set?
Joe Satnik
It probably should be and I goofed.
Gene
I GOOGLED it and found it fascinating. If i ever go to Penny again, I will make sure to buy a ticket. I wish i had known about this in 1965 when we drove thru the state in 1965 looking for touristy stuff.
Dear Friends,
I will second all good remarks about the EBT! I took my son and met a friend to last Fall's Spectacular weekend and enjoyed the rock and roll of the ride, cinders in my hair, coal smoke, electric trolley's, the old buildings, etc.
Would advise all within a reasonable drive to try it. You will like it, "I Ga-ron-tee!"
Best Wishes,
Jack
I encourage anyone to visit the EBT. Visit their website at ebtrr.com to get some flavor of what they have to offer. Because of the tightend Federal rules, they only have one steam engine running. Hopefully, they can get at least one of the other 5 back in service in the relatively near future. Friends of the East Broad Top usually has someone on-site to give tours of the roundhouse and shop buildings when the railroad is operating. FEBT also operates a small museum in the depot at Robertsdale, the south end of the original operating railroad.
EBTNUT is absoutely right. Orbisonia is like a time capsule since the railroad shut down in 1956. The shops looked as they did back then. Most of the equipment is original EBT except for a few narrow gauge diesels. There is also the Rockhill Trolley Museum next door. BTW the "for sale" comes up almost annually. EBTBOB may be able to shed more light on the subject. ....A bit off topic - 2 men were arrested for stealing 1/4 mile of EBT rail last week. This came from the unused portion of the line.
I wonder if they are the owners of the house whose backyard is crossed by the EBT. If a miracle were to occur and the entire line were back in operation, it will be interesting to see how those people react to a train crossing their backyard. The high school, at least, is set back from the track. It's not like the train goes through the principal's office.
Gene
Gene,
I wrote an article about the buildings of EBT for a small local magazine years ago - & lived 3 hours away. I haven't been there since we moved south in 2001 :( but hope to visit again this summer :D :D. According to reports, the crooks had forged EBT paperwork giiving them the right to tear up the rails so the locals allowed it. Some of the line past the coal dock was rebuilt to allow speeders to travel over it. As far as I know all the line is still intact - albeit it overgrown by trees a lumberjack would love - except for a section of the Shade Gap Branch.
Jay
The Shade Gap Branch is gone - except for that portion, now standard gauge, the trolleys run on. They rebuilt the highway and raised the highway grade so it will not be impossible to rebuild the branch, though the ROW is visible in some places.
Gene
I was only a few miles away from the EBT last week. The trouble is it only runs on weekends.
I have fond memories of a Winter Spectacular run on the EBT. I jumped of the train to take a picture and was up to my knees in snow. It doesn't get any better than that.
Let's hope that some sensible people can be found to preserve this national treasure.
I did not sleep much last night after I found out some people ripped up 1/4 mile of track and hualed it off.
Good Morning All,
The ability to purchase the EBT has been a reality for years now. The reason for the latest discussion is based on an article that appeared recently in an Altoona newspaper.
I do not know what will happen, but the owners are getting older, their children really do not want to keep on funding the railroad's needs and some of the long time employees like General Superintendent, Stanley Hall is ready to retire.
Bob Rule, Jr.