East Broad Top Railway
Dec.25, 2001
  In the early 1870's the EBT was built to haul coal from mines of the Broad Top mountain, to the Pennsylvania Railroad at Mount Union, 33 miles to the Northeast.   Serving in a South Central Pennsylvania coalfield,  the narrow gauge line remained active as long as the Nation used coal; until the last mine closed in 1956.  Sold to a scrapper EBT's  fate seemed certain.  However the scrapper chose to wait, and not take up the track.  Eventually interest grew in the EBT for tourism, thus preserving this piece of  yesteryear.

Today the EBT is a tourist railway still operating those same century old locomotives over a portion of the restored line.

After a Railroad magazine (predecessor to Railfan magazine) article about the line, several of us from the HVSRy decided to pay EBT a visit on Sept. 13, 1975.   These following photos are from that trip 25+ years ago.

Upon are arrival we found the crew getting ready to start their day.  They were friendly and we talked about Tourist Railway operations as we walked around their shops.

Locomotive #15 appears to be ready for new boiler tubes.

Engine #14 is made ready for the day's  operation inside the roundhouse.
Locomotives #18, 17 and 14 are visible inside.
 


Soon #14 backs out onto the armstrong turntable at 09:20
 


Engine #14 gets water and further inspections from a pit.

Next  #14 moves over (notice the 3 way pig switch in the foreground)
to the coal docks  for  fuel.

Looking back towards the roundhouse from the coal docks.

Here we see them back into the Carshop for the open-air car.

Setting nearby are Car#20 the Orbisonia, car#8, car#175 and car#14 .

Soon the locomotive pulls past and backs up for these cars too.


With the switching completed the train the pulls to the Orbisonia Station.

The view inside one of the coaches.

About 2 miles from the Station #14 passes under a bridge.

Passenger witness beautiful scenery as the train continues along the Trip.

Bill Goslan talks to the cab crew as the train turns on a wye at Colgate Grove.

 Mount Union yard where the coal was transferred to the PRR years ago.