The East Broad Top Railroad Vol. 1 | Retracing History Episode 20

We've Been On A Train Kick This Month And To Finish Off This Trilogy, We're Spending The Day In Rockhill Furnace And Exploring One Of Most Historic Railroads In America. The Only Surviving Narrow Gauge Railroad East Of The Mississippi River, The East Broad Top Railroad. We'll Explore Its History, Take A Ride On A Train & Trolley Through Beautiful Pennsylvania Countryside, And Learn How People Are Working Restore This Site For Future Generations.
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[@johngeorge1294]

Was there in the 80's I think when our children were young. We rode behind the steam engine to the picnic grounds, had a picnic and returned. When I heard that it was done I felt horrible. Reading and seeing this video about the rebirth has brought joy to me. At 82 I don't drive much so anything I can read or see about the EBT is a blessing, thank you.

[@robkrasinski6217]

If you could get out there in the future you will be able to ride rebuilt track that tourists never rode before. They are rebuilding the line the other way out of Rockhill toward Saltillo and beyond. It was out of service since 1956. They have about a mile or so done. 7 miles from Rockhill to Saltillo. They eventually want to go through the two tunnels beyond Saltillo.

[@TheFunChasers]

I love that the East Broad Top is back and thriving! Thanks for the video. We were there last week. We will be doing a separate video of the trolley. You did a great job with the trolley museum! Thanks again for sharing!

[@robertmohler9131]

Do u know anything about a shopping center taking out the Mt. Union coal trestle? If so, why did Larry Salone allow such a terrible thing to happen????!!!!

[@billlaird7332]

Standard guage is 4 ft. 8 1/2" in. wide, not 4 ft. Folk lore says that the guage is based on the width of old Roman chariot ruts, which was wide enough for two horses side by side pulling the chariots.

[@darrylbarger3795]

I also as a very young man got to ride and picnic on the way to see my 8yr older Brother at Juniata College. All thanks to my Mom and Dad. Good times and great memories thanks to you. Now retired and digging into the background and restoration of #1309 being returned to regular runs on the WMSR. My Dad's Father worked on the 2-6-6-2 engines in the Hagerstown Roundhouse during WW1. I definitely will be making some road trips in the near future.

[@jimmybraum942]

Robertsdale is a must see! They are doing tours of the old mine sites of mine 1 and 5, as well as a couple hundred feet of mainline cleared for handcar rides

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

I'm hoping to stop by Robersdale in spring 2022, hoping to make a weekend of it on the EBT.

[@henryszubielski8601]

Amazing video! Great job with the historical aspects of the EBT. Thanks for sharing your video.

[@talesfromanoldmanpatoneal6372]

Once again nice job man. I can only imagine the hours it took to hand draw the map and for only about 20 seconds of film time. Dedication comes to mind!

[@raymondleggs5508]

I did see a shot of a test weight car when you were talking about the beam cracking on the passenger car!

[@jimmybraum942]

It truly is a landmark. I was so glad to get there for the 2021 fall spectacular. Also note: the EBTF wants to have at least 3 steamers running at once

[@robertmohler9131]

Jimmy, there is a KZbin video called "Ruins around Mt. Union" in which at a certain point, the narrator said that a shopping center took out much of the Mt. Union coal trestle. Why would Mr. Salone have allowed such a god-awful thing to happen when he supposedly wanted it saved at one time?

[@SantaFe19484]

Awesome video! there is at least one other narrow gage railroad east of the Mississippi, the Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington in Maine.

[@vettebecker1]

It would be very cool to see the furnace rebuilt and refurbished to fit the revenue needs of the railroad for the future. I've visited this railroad as a child and got to ride the steam excursions, I would definitely enjoy revisiting sometime.

[@patricknoveski6409]

History RR s mater. Good job!

[@noahmiller4713]

I live in shirleysburg Last time I seen that train run was back in 2003 in ordisonia

[@happyhome41]

Most EXCELLENT video - written, shot, narrated with energy and articulation - well above average. One technical question from your comment on locomotive 14 on asbestos-lined boiler jacket - what is used today for said boiler jackets ? Would love to see you retrace the 33 miles - bits and pieces of evidence of the right of way (and even remaining rails).

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

I am unsure on what is used as the replacement. Good question, will ask when I'm back in the area. I plan to make a second visit in the spring to explore some of the out-of-service segments. AS well as to visit the museum in Roberstdale.

[@royreynolds108]

The insulation used to replace asbestos is ceramic and mineral wool insulation.

[@billlaird7332]

Many East Broad Top hopper cars have been sold off over the decades and many remain on other narrow gauge railroads, including the Cumbres and Toltec, Durango and Silverton, White Pass and Yukon, Dollywood, Tweetsie Railroad, and some went to museums.

[@Narrowgaugefilms]

One interesting place they wound up is in the City of New York. Parts of the subway system are built to a narrower loading gauge than typical for standard gauge. Years ago they were looking for hopper cars for trackwork: the solution was to buy a couple of EBT hoppers and place them on standard gauge trucks.

[@williammorse8330]

excellent job on the video.... am looking forward to a road trip tomorrow to the EBT for a solid weekend of history....

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

Have Fun

[@williammorse8330]

@@RedoubtProductions1754 I did have fun.... catching up on the new trackwork, people, shop improvements, equipment resurrections, and all the families that came out to ride the trolley and train in Rockhill/Orbisonia Saturday and Sunday.

[@SleeTheSloth]

Great video! Made my day!

[@billyoder4800]

Will done. Thank you. We are planning a trip to EBT.

[@mrscuba1693]

Wasn’t the presidents car part of the Bradford Bordell and Kinzua Railroad it was a narrow gauge railroad that ran from Bradford Pennsylvania to Smithport PA

[@dhirendrabahadurbista]

great railtoad

[@jamiebricks]

Amazing video subscribed!

[@Rebel9668]

I'm pretty sure there's at least one narrow gauge RR in Maine. The WW&F.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

There is, the WW&F and the Maine Narrow Gauge RR (although the later will be moving locatins in the near future). I neglected to specify I was referring to the three foot narrow gauge. the surviving examples in Maine are two footers.

[@gypsyshot5225]

it's not the only narrow guage east of the Mississippi, don't forget WW&F

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

Thats true, I did forget about them. But where as the WW&F. Although, and this is no disrespect to their museum, the WW&F do not have the scale of rolling stock & trackage remaining as does the EBT. But if I ever get up to Maine, I'm going off the beaten path to visit the two footer.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

What I was trying to say was that in strict a terns if ‘surviving’, the EBT is the only one to hold the distinction. But the WWF and a few other private lines are being relaid and bringing a new age of narrow gauge to the East coast!

[@willblumenkemper6523]

EBT Mikados are not the only narrow gauge mikdaos. Denver and Rio Grande k27s, k36s, k37s are the other big classes of narrow gauge steam.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

This is true. But the design of the Mikados stored on the EBT do appear distinctively different to The K units the D&RG had. I have yet to see Mikados that look near identical to the EBTs.

[@willblumenkemper6523]

@@RedoubtProductions1754 I understand what you meant now. Theys are unique. Southern valve gear was an interesting choice for the big Mike's and the slide valves on the smaller miles make for some unique looking locomotives. I have always loved the way all the EBT Mike's looked and sounded.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

@@willblumenkemper6523 Since my visit in October 2021, #16 has past her inspections and just recently had fire in her belly for the first time in over 60 years! Won't be long to here the Mike's roar back to life.

[@robkrasinski6217]

And someday you will see a Mike cross Pogue bridge for the first time since 1956 hauling tourists for the first time ever on that section of the railroad. All the years the Kovalchick’s owned the railroad they never used the tracks toward Saltillo and beyond for tourist rides. Trees grew in the tracks over the years and road crossings paved over and bridges need work. The rebuilding is a major project. I think one or both of the tunnels have cave ins. I was never at EBT before. I live at the eastern end of PA.

[@1TruNub]

Don't forget the K28s

[@haunter_1845]

It also passes one of my favorite Ice Cream stops in the state. Anyone local would know. Maybe someday they could put a station there... please?

[@robertmohler9131]

There is a video called "Ruins around Mt. Union. In it the narrator said that a shopping center has taken out the Mt. Union coal trestle. Why wouldthe Preservation center have allowed such a god-awful thing to happen after so much of the railroad structures there being scrapped?

[@mikeyhowell5449]

Iam railroad fan my grandfather was engineer for the Nickel plate railroad he run #587and #765

[@JonathanColemanTrains]

East Broad Top was going to work on steam locomotive number 14 but they went to number 15

[@Waldbahner]

Been there in 2010 🙂

[@larrycurran8036]

😺

[@microbusss]

there isn't a #13 EBT locomotive 😉 they use a Space Age insulation on steam locos now

[@Strasburg_Railfaner611]

Back in the day 13 was considered an unlucky number so that’s why they didn’t make one

[@josephcarroll2824]

Have they did any research on the two stall engine house that an engine has been sitting since 19 teens I do have two pictures of it by holding my camera up high throw a broken window with some railcars of WW1 still parked on the rail.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

That would be #3 in the Mt Union yard, which is the only stretch of the EBT right of way not owned by the East Broad Top Foundation. Another entity owns the locomotive & that property and have no affiliation with the current operators of the East Broad Top. Sadly, #3 appears to be stuck in limbo for the forseeable future.

[@robkrasinski6217]

So EBT can’t go to Mt. Union unless they make a deal with the owner? So they have no plans to restore any track north of the grove? But they are restoring track the other way toward Saltillo slowly. That section was never used in the tourist era except for speeder rides several years ago on a restored section of track.

[@harrychest4303]

I can’t see riding on a tourist railroad if steam isn’t on the front end.

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

While steam is the most fun (for the passenger, at least), there are a lot of great routes just behind diesel. The Middletown & Hummelstown got some pretty cool old center cabs for their motive power.

[@Milliesdaddy12]

Riding now helps fund the future so they can roll out the steam

[@harrychest4303]

@@Milliesdaddy12 makes sense….. I live near Steamtown. You’d think they’d have some operating steam right? Ok, they have a little Baldwin 0-6-0 they go up and down the yard with, but their two other road engines have been out of service for years. The 3254, (Mikado), and the 2317 (Pacific). They’ve been trying to get the B&M 3713 going since at least 1999.

[@Milliesdaddy12]

@@harrychest4303 I hear ya. That’s the government for ya. 3254 will never be back. Too much money involved.

[@harrychest4303]

@@Milliesdaddy12 in 1999 Steamtown was taking donations to restore the B&M 3713. It’s 2021 and they’ve made little, if any progress.

[@branwellbronte8663]

Standard gauge comes in at 4ft 8 1/2", NOT 4ft as you keep quoting - otherwise good videos..

[@RedoubtProductions1754]

Welcome to the history buff who can't remember measurements for the life of him. Don't fret....it only gets worse from here. 🤣

[@branwellbronte8663]

@@RedoubtProductions1754 Good man, I like your response - you just got yourself another subscriber! Best wishes from Yorkshire (northern England).

[@reagansmith8859]

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