Idle question that came up several times over the past couple days in a variety of settings, so I'll post it here for discussion:

Suppose that next month, the holdings of the East Broad Top Railroad were somehow sold for donation to a public trust, or transferred to some public foundation--make up any handy model: state ownership, National Park Service, an independent foundation. Assume that the current owners would retain certain real estate not connected to the RR, and probably the Mount Union Connecting RR operating rights, if that were an issue.........

If this were to happen:
A) What options for funding would then be available at this point? Could past offers be re-offered? Could someone re-apply for funding or a line in the state/federal/TEA-21/whatever budget? Could any such money be made available as soon as possible, or would it require a couple years of bureaucratic paperwork--during which time the RR is mothballed or falls down? Is there even a standing offer on the table to cover the cost of such acquisition, should the owners finally become amenable?

B) How willing would donors and volunteers--locally, throughout Pa., and throughout the nation--be to put their monies/labor where their mouths are once the railroad is in quasi-public or public hands? Is everyone like me, ready and willing to write out a much bigger check to the FEBT and/or become a volunteer worker at Rockhill Furnace as soon as they have assurance that their efforts will not be "in vain"?

In an admittedly extreme case, would any person or institution be willing to loan emergency funds to the successor foundation to tide over emergency rebuilding of the railroad, rolling stock, and buildings until such time as state/federal/private grants are approved and properly processed?

lner4472@bcpl.net

Well, it's not a discussion I'm comfortable with since it seems too counter-factual. After all, according to everything I heard in Orbisonia last weekend the Kovalchicks intend to own the RR and to operate it next year, end of story. Anything else is pure speculation and well out ahead of any known facts

(I know you know that Sandy, not lecturing you, just underscoring the point for everybody else reading along).

That said, there are a few strands I would be willing to issue my own personal opinion about.

> A) What options for funding would then be
> available at this point? Could past offers
> be re-offered? Could someone re-apply for
> funding or a line in the
> state/federal/TEA-21/whatever budget?

Not TEA-21; that money is allocated, and the program has expired.

It might be possible to find other sources of public finding, for example, a direct appropriation from the PA legislature, but the general fiscal climate is grim. I'd say it would be an uphill battle.

Is there
> even a standing offer on the table to cover
> the cost of such acquisition, should the
> owners finally become amenable?

Not to my knowledge. The closest thing is the PA legislature's authorization for EBT restoration funds, but an authorization is just a nice sentiment, it's an appropriation that counts. TEA-21 is gone, and who knows if the next highway bill will continue the enhancements program.

(SIDEBAR: we all ought to be lobbying this issue with Congress next year when the highway bill comes up for review; the future of the enhancements program and our willingness to lobby for it is a test of our maturity and political will as a movement. I'd hate to see Rails to Trails do all our work for us on this issue as they did 5 years ago).

> Is everyone like me, ready and willing to
> write out a much bigger check to the FEBT
> and/or become a volunteer worker at Rockhill
> Furnace as soon as they have assurance that
> their efforts will not be "in
> vain"?

Well, I am. Can't speak for others.

> In an admittedly extreme case, would any
> person or institution be willing to loan
> emergency funds to the successor foundation
> to tide over emergency rebuilding of the
> railroad, rolling stock, and buildings until
> such time as state/federal/private grants
> are approved and properly processed?

Who knows until the detials of a specific situation are on the table? Some similar things were done over the last three years by individual members of the Friends of the Cumbres and Toltec to support the RGRPC, which you may regard as either a good example or a cautionary tale depending on your point of view.


Steam Over Scranton online edition
eledbetter@rypn.org

> Suppose that next month, the holdings of the
> East Broad Top Railroad were somehow sold
> for donation to a public trust, or
> transferred to some public foundation--make
> up any handy model: state ownership,
> National Park Service, an independent
> foundation.
> If this were to happen:
> A) What options for funding would then be
> available at this point?
> B) How willing would donors and
> volunteers--locally, throughout Pa., and
> throughout the nation--be to put their
> monies/labor where their mouths are once the
> railroad is in quasi-public or public hands?
> Is everyone like me, ready and willing to
> write out a much bigger check to the FEBT
> and/or become a volunteer worker at Rockhill
> Furnace as soon as they have assurance that
> their efforts will not be "in vain"?
> In an admittedly extreme case, would any
> person or institution be willing to loan
> emergency funds to the successor foundation
> to tide over emergency rebuilding of the
> railroad, rolling stock, and buildings until
> such time as state/federal/private grants
> are approved and properly processed?

I would suggest that the "friends" of EBT study the notes of the "Friends of C&TS", and learn from what has already been tried for the last 30+ years. Better yet, hire one of their key players as a consultant, to help get this off the ground.
Obviously the C&TS is a bigger piece of the "tourism dollar" pie to Colorado and New Mexico than what the EBT would be to PA, but certainly some of the same groundwork and planning would apply where-ever.

The Friends of the C&TS certainly have alot of accomplishments to be proud of.

Now, chust a minute! I'm not slamming FEBT. They have also done neat stuff.

But when it comes down to the actual restoration of the real thing, in my opinion, FofC&TS is ahead of the pack. By borrowing their "expertise" FEBT would be better prepared to move right in, if and when the time comes.

Now, let's all consider a 3-foot-gage connecting track between Mt. Union and Antonito.
Then we can really have a "spectacular" !!!

I am not knocking either FEBT or FC&TS, but the two situations have some sharp differences--for one, the degree of existing operation/service versus what is out of service.

In addition, given the past year at C&TS, which has in effect left the C&TS struggling to survive (not the fault of the FC&TS, mind you), one might be able to argue for studying the FC&TS situation to learn what NOT to do.

However, I think I am safe in saying at this point that the FEBT is not (yet) in the position of being able to comfortably assume management or operation of the EBT, even if the angels were to descend and acquire title to the railroad. At best, at the moment, they would be but a contributing partner in any revitalized EBT at the beginning.

This is not to say, however, that the FEBT could not reorganize from a "fan club" to a full-blown preservation foundation if the situation warranted (such situation, of course, being the transfer of the RR to public hands).

Please note: My judgements above are based on secondhand discussions with members of the FC&TS and FEBT and associated and/or potential preservationists (such as several people ready and willing to work with/for C&TS and/or EBT as soon as obstacles are removed). None of the comments are intended to belittle the current efforts of either the FEBT or the FC&TS; this board is open to dissenting or agreeing viewpoints.

lner4472@bcpl.net

Two keys to handling the situation, should it ever come up. I will say it is good idea to have some ideas in mind as one never knows what might happen.

First, do not depend on one individual to run the operation. You need a team. NJMT, certainly tiny by comparison to EBT, was run by one person for years. Going to a team has helped us more than anything else we could have done. We get more done, carry more passengers, and have increased our volunteer hours to more than 16,000 per year.

Second, set realistic goals. Safety comes first so if you have to run diesel and only use half the track for a year or so, accept it.

It will work I am sure if given the opportunity.

J.R.

> I am not knocking either FEBT or FC&TS,
> but the two situations have some sharp
> differences--for one, the degree of existing
> operation/service versus what is out of
> service.

> In addition, given the past year at
> C&TS, which has in effect left the
> C&TS struggling to survive (not the
> fault of the FC&TS, mind you), one might
> be able to argue for studying the FC&TS
> situation to learn what NOT to do.

> However, I think I am safe in saying at this
> point that the FEBT is not (yet) in the
> position of being able to comfortably assume
> management or operation of the EBT, even if
> the angels were to descend and acquire title
> to the railroad. At best, at the moment,
> they would be but a contributing partner in
> any revitalized EBT at the beginning.

> This is not to say, however, that the FEBT
> could not reorganize from a "fan
> club" to a full-blown preservation
> foundation if the situation warranted (such
> situation, of course, being the transfer of
> the RR to public hands).

> Please note: My judgements above are based
> on secondhand discussions with members of
> the FC&TS and FEBT and associated and/or
> potential preservationists (such as several
> people ready and willing to work with/for
> C&TS and/or EBT as soon as obstacles are
> removed). None of the comments are intended
> to belittle the current efforts of either
> the FEBT or the FC&TS; this board is
> open to dissenting or agreeing viewpoints.


http://www.njmt.org
jrmay@njmt.org