The East Broad Top Railroad Lives!

[@marka5478]

I'm just grateful that the EBT is being restored. Imagine, in this day and age, seeing a railroad with a 3-way stub switch, a narrow gauge ingot locomotive and a doodlebug!

[@historysablast]

Yes, so are we

[@countrypaul]

Wonderful excursion. I'm planning to join the Friends group even though I'm a day away from the operation. I look forward to the long ride to Robertsdale, hopefully in my lifetime! More power to everyone who has recognized what a unique gem this is and hopes to keep it that way and even make it better.

[@historysablast]

Thank you!

[@crystalrock18]

Dang, it looks like there has been a ton of work done to the line. I’m just glad to see that a valuable piece of American history is making a big comeback.

[@historysablast]

Me too

[@TheFunChasers]

Isn’t it great that the railroad is back again! Thanks for your video!

[@historysablast]

Yes, it is!

[@alcopower5710]

This is incredibly awesome to see and hear about their plans moving forward 👍

[@historysablast]

Yes, it is!

[@robertbate5790]

Greetings from Birmingham UK. I remember having a VHS enthusiasts recording of this railroad pre 2000. It was then steam hauled, had I think 3 'Wild West' style cars and a 'Toastrack' painted bright yellow. The train rain in the opposite direction from the depot to a Wye at the far end. The Wye overlapped a local tramline with overhead wires. I recognise the depot at the end of this video and I'm sure it's the same one.

[@historysablast]

You have a good memory! The “toast rack” might have been one of the trolley cars from the Tramline. Steam is supposed to return next year.

[@robertbate5790]

@@historysablast Thank you. I've also found another channel that confirms my interest, so I shall watch out for progress on this unique piece of history. 🙂🙂

[@duck1946]

Hi Robert, also in the UK here, i think i had a copy of that video too! and read a lot about its history, quite a fascinating railroad i hope they do well.

[@bengone3349]

It's great news that EBT is up and running, but at a lower capacity. The dull operation will come along and I sure look forward to that.

[@historysablast]

2022 should be a great year

[@ebt12]

Now this is what I have been waiting for, track other than the tourist section being worked on and used. I look forward to more right-of-way being cleared and more work on the track.

[@historysablast]

The speeder operator said they’re going to continue working south of the cleared portion next year as the crew is available from other work.

[@ebt12]

@@historysablast Awesome! I look forward to that. Thank you!

[@redwire2364]

I used to go there all the time and ride the steam trains when I was a kid. I even had a grade school field trip there. I can remember the round house tours as well. I don’t live nearby anymore but visit the area so it would be nice to ride the steam there again. Thanks for sharing.

[@historysablast]

Thanks for commenting. An EBT trip was an annual event for our family since 1960. I, too, remember a grade school field trip. Let’s hope there’s a steam train coming back as early in the 2022 season as possible!

[@steamgent4592]

Wow thats awesome a hit n miss speeder car! So glad this operation is on its way to a comeback! It's one of those places you just always wanted to see restored completely. It's ashame it didn't happen sooner when more was still intact but it's certainly better late than never.........

[@historysablast]

Glad you liked the video

[@Dichuz91]

this section is definitely much more cleared out than the video that had been taken shortly after it was rehabilitated for speeder rides

[@historysablast]

Very true

[@Running-with-skizers]

Glad to see this railroad hasn't fallen to time I was there when. I was 9 and one of the engineers let me sit at the throttle of locomotive 15 on an off day I got to roll it from the coaling tower to the passenger depot. It was dream come true and left its mark on my life forever

[@historysablast]

Thanks for sharing this memory.

[@alcopower5710]

How old are you now? Great story 👍

[@historysablast]

A lot

[@Running-with-skizers]

@@alcopower5710 I am 35

[@donmcfadden7390]

Wonderful! Loved the putt putt. I visited there in 2003 but it was not an operating day. I did see that diesel running a work train, though.

[@historysablast]

Thanks

[@brucesheehe6305]

Great Video - LOVE IT!

[@historysablast]

Thanks!

[@OtterCreek]

Great video!!

[@historysablast]

Thanks!

[@AlexTrain5249]

This is why my mother called the speeders "putt-putts."

[@historysablast]

Nice to know

[@williammorse8330]

thank you, that was fun and informative.... so happy to see and hear the progress !

[@historysablast]

Glad you liked it

[@raymondleggs5508]

Train: Honk!!! Honk!!! Honk!!! Car: Pauses....

[@historysablast]

Yep

[@rdety]

Great Video!..Thanks!

[@historysablast]

You bet!

[@olentangyriver1191]

OMG trainsssssssss, yessss

[@historysablast]

Glad to make you happy

[@raymondleggs5508]

and the speeder goes.... tap.......... tap.... tap... taptaptap.... tap!

[@historysablast]

Yep

[@douglaswilliams8882]

Hey did you hear that the east broad top is going to restore saltillo pa and the pogue bridge to make the line bigger and maybe they can go to mount union one day

[@historysablast]

www.trains.com/trn/news-reviews/news-wire/east-broad-top-gets-1-1-million-from-state-for-restoring-track-other-projects/

[@robertmohler9219]

Hey there, I was over there this past Saturday and one of the train conductors (I think his name was Jeff) as well as several locals told me that despite a broad top coal mining operation going on at Alvan at the old #9 mine site, that the EBT instead decided to use coal from West Virginia. Why would they use out-of-state coal when there is coal mining going on right above Robertsdale?

[@historysablast]

Not being part of the executives of EBTF I am not privy to that information.

[@jaredbarr9318]

Wow just wow. People there in their cars have no respect at all for the crossing. That just P O'd me a lot. Cool video btwy!

[@historysablast]

The Foundation probably ought to have crossing guards on duty; the Stanley Hall-era EBT always had somebody flagging the Meadow Street crossing. Glad you like the vid.

[@steamgent4592]

Welcome to Pennsylvania now get out of everyone's way!! Thats just how PA is every man for himself and F everybody else..............EBT has some real nice stuff though.

[@happyhome41]

How far was that ? I hope the goal is to go "all the way" - two tunnels and to Alvan.

[@historysablast]

It's 0.8 mile from the Meadow St. crossing to the current end of speeder-serviceable track. The Foundation seems to have plans for ultimately restoring the line to service at least as far as Woodvale, but currently the focus seems to be to reach Saltillo (which means a major project to restore the long bridge over the Aughwick at Pogue). The Friends of the EBT annual restoration fund raiser brochure says the Foundation would like to see the station and enclosed water tank reconstructed in Saltillo in the next 2-3 years.

[@happyhome41]

@@historysablast Thank you !!!

[@robertmohler9219]

They do have plans to restore the whole line however long-term.

[@microbusss]

any plans on going further at 7:50?

[@historysablast]

Please read the comments and replies that come before your’s; there has been a lot of information posted.

[@Twilight-ww6ub]

So was the speeder turned around at the end of the line at the road crossing?

[@historysablast]

It runs in both directions by restarting the motor with the flywheel spinning in the opposite direction.

[@williammacdonald3173]

When will steam be back in service on the EBT

[@historysablast]

They say 2022

[@robertmohler9219]

@@historysablast Will they use broad top coal? Several locals confirmed to me there is a stripping operation going on up at Alvan. I was told that the seam or seams they are mining is "great quality." If that's true, the EBT should use it since they hauled that coal back in the day.

[@douglaswilliams8882]

How much track are they going to fixed

[@historysablast]

That’s a question best answered by the Foundation, I think..

[@reagansmith8859]

i think all the way up to mount union

[@historysablast]

Unfortunately the Foundation only owns as far as the concrete bridge. The part north of there was purchased by EBT Preservation Association ca. 2007. That is the group that operated the tourist line under lease to the Kovalchicks until 2012. It’s complicated. The best source of non-speculative information is the EBT Facebook page or the Friends of the EBT website.

[@ebt12]

Sadly they can't go to Mount Union but from what I read on the EBT web site and the Facebook account, south to Robertsdale, and restoring a branch abandoned in the 1930s.

[@LamhirhAbriel]

They're planning on a southward expansion, likely first to Saltillo, then to Joller at the top of Wrays Hill (which will require re-laying the Coles Valley Branch that was pulled up in the 1955), and then eventually all the way to Robertsdale. The Foundation has made it clear to the Friends that it would like to see the Saltillo Depot (demolished early 2000s) and water tank house (burned late 1980s) reappear in the next 2-3 years. The Friends documented the depot and saved parts of it before demolition, and also saved the pump from the tank house. These will be the first of the EBT's lost structures to be reconstructed.

[@raymondleggs5508]

RIP railroad crossing

[@historysablast]

Yep

[@douglaswilliams8882]

What there not going to mount union way

[@historysablast]

Douglas, the EBT north of the lower Aughwick bridge (the concrete arch bridge) was bought by Larry Salone’s EBT Preservation Association at the same time they leased the tourist operation in the early 2000’s. That’s an obstacle that will have to be dealt with before EBTF(oundation) can proceed in that direction. I believe EBTF will continue to rehabilitate the Colgate Grove picnic grounds in the new year and push on toward the passing siding at Shirleysburg. There are a lot of projects going on, and the best sources of rumor-free info are the official EBT FB page & the Friends of the EBT website. I highly recommend you join FEBT to stay up to date. Best wishes!

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

7:52 dead end i assume??

[@historysablast]

No. They plan to open more track next year.

[@douglaswilliams8882]

To where

[@nicholasmedovich8691]

@@douglaswilliams8882 IIRC Three Springs, and Saltillo