Glad to hear it. I intentionally present a gloomy forcast to these kinds of threads in hopes of waking more people to the need for action before (hope not) it gets too late. Best of luck to the FEBT.

You can conveniently join FEBT online:
https://febt.org/Costore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=120&products_id=601

You can conveniently donate toward FEBT's restoration program online:
https://www.febt.org/Costore/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=119&products_id=600

Information about volunteering:
https://febt.org/volunt.html

I'm on the distribution for work reports for the FEBT "Boiler House Rats", building restoration crew. I've known one of the leaders of it for over 40 years. I will say that they work near miracles with limited money and resources, managing to squeeze as many results out of every dollar spent as possible. If anyone here is looking for a place to donate to rail preservation that will effectively use your donation for actual work, then the Friends is such an organization.

On Railpictures.net, Marc Glucksman/River Rail Photo has posted nine photographs taken during the November 2, 2019 photo shoot at the East Broad Top.

Engine #15 sits under its ventilation hood: Railpictures #715153/

Engines 16 and 18 sit next to each other in the roundhouse:
Railpictures #715151

East Broad Top #17 sits outside for the first time in 8 years:
Railpictures #715160

M-1 at Orbisonia Station:
Railpictures #715152

Crew posed in front of M-1:
Railpictures #715148

#17 on the turntable for the first time since 2011:
Railpictures #715147 and Railpictures #715161

Conductor signaling on #17:
Railpictures #715150 and Railpictures #715149

Two more photographs from the November 2, 2019 event, these by John Riley:
Railpictures #715638
and
Railpictures #715639

Could someone please let Mr. Glucksman know that EBT M-1 was built in-house using parts obtained from J. G. Brill Co. and Westinghouse, several years before the Budd Co. began building railcars.

The posts above reaffirm what several of us have said for years, if not decades, now:

Until the EBT is in the hands of ANY entity that does not have the ability (if not, to be farcical about this, their "mission statement!") to scrap or sell off any portion of the historic assets--no matter how much the owners may profess to want to see it preserved--the inflow of preservation donations will be hamstrung by that ownership.

I have been on boards to authorize donations to various projects, and when the FEBT comes up as a worthwhile mission, the argument always comes back to "but they're doing work to benefit a private corporation, even if they are a 501(c)3....." (Yes, I know, not 100% accurate, but you get the idea.)

The curse of this specific situation is that the entire property (with mineral and timber holdings) is so large that the only realistic proposition is for a federal, state, or quasi-governmental agency to acquire ownership for the sake of historical preservation. Acquiring the entire property, then selling off the properties below Orbisonia or in Mt. Union kind of defeats the "time capsule" purpose of the mission, but may end up being the only feasible option.

Most of us with knowledge from over the years know how well that approach has (not) worked so far. If you're new to this, go search our archives for the depressing, distressing tales.

It is safe to say that if and when ownership is transferred to an entity bent on preservation for preservation's sake, donations and participation towards preservation of the EBT will increase massively, along the order of the quite large volunteer entities working with the state-owned Cass (MSR&LHA) and Cumbres & Toltec (Friends of C&TS), or the private WW&F.

The FEBT owns the Old Post Office in Robertsdale and the rolling stock that was returned from Colorado, so you can indeed donate to and/or work on FEBT-owned assets.

That's a strange attitude to have. Any non-profit you donate to can up and change their mind and sell it all off if they want to. Look at Mt. Ranier Scenic.. they were non-profit, accepting donations and now Al Haprer gets to decide how the money gets spent. Doesn't really matter what you donated to does it?

To say you won't donate to the Friends of the East Broad Top is a slap in the face to the amazing hard work that they have done.

I wouldn't classify the WW&F as "Private". It is a non-profit incorporated in the state of Maine with the appropriate member-elected Board of Directors, etc. If anything, its assets are owned by the membership, and would be subject to the laws in the state regarding their disbursement.

There is the separate "Wiscasset and Quebec" railroad company that owns parts of the right-of-way. The W&Q is a private company held by a small group of shareholders who are sympathetic towards the WW&F. The WW&F leases all of the W&Q-owned right-of-way.

I am 100% aware of the complex specifics regarding the W&Q/WW&F situation, and I haven't hesitated to contribute to the WW&F personally.

I am, and the other board members of these groups are, fully aware of the good the FEBT has done so far. I know some of these board members are/were FEBT members and supporters (and also Rockhill Trolley Museum) themselves. And I've argued that the FEBT/EBT separation is enough to qualify them. But they are also fully aware it's not "saving the entire EBT." This is the difference between, say, a hypothetical $250 donation and a $5,000 one, from several states away. It's been literally decades now, and the status quo hasn't advanced any, to be honest.

Were I still on these boards myself, were the future of the EBT suddenly in the balance with, say, a matching-grant fundraiser to "save" the EBT, or for that matter the EBT was suddenly donated outright to the FEBT or the like, I'd be the first to propose a high five-figure donation, on the basis of "if we don't do our part, why the hell do we even exist?" (That argument has worked in the past for other grants we made.)