From my point of view, I would be more excited about extending the line south rather than north. Aside the question of what to do in Mt. Union, there is the issue of scenery along the way. The run north is not very scenic.

Agreed. And it pretty much follows the road. From what I've hiked in on the South end and looked at, like 25 years ago, there is MUCH more of interest in that direction. The reason that the railroad exists largely intact after 60 years is because the entire area is economically depressed and has been for most of that time. This new foundation project will give the area a much needed boost, but it's going to take a long time for that to happen. And it's never going to be as big as say, Colonial Williamsburg, which I have long thought of for a comparison as to how much is there and how it could be structured as a tourist attraction. Of course they had the Rockefeller family bankroll a lot of that project, no such luck here.

The D&SNG's fleet of passenger cars have been extensively rebuilt with steel sides. The EBT's cars have not.
I've forgotten the details, but there is an issue with the "Aughwick" that prevents it from being used and that is why the car was never finished.

Your photo and my very fuzzy memory are suggesting that it was built on an amusement park car frame and is too low for its couplers to line up with other EBT rolling stock (but again my very fuzzy memory is not sure about that.)

And Strasburgs coaches? Good thing Linn Moedinger will be around... I hear he knows a thing or 2 about 100 year old coaches!

Regarding the track north of Shirleysburg, unless it's been removed in the last six months or so, it's all still intact. However, between the Aughwick Creek bridge near MP 4 and Pump Station(MP5), a lengthy substantial fill has is gone or reduced in size due to flooding over the years.

I would tend to agree. I've often thought that the Kovalchick-era EBT opted to go in the wrong direction, because north of Orbisonia is arguably the less interesting part of the railroad.

-Philip Marshall

I think the reason they didn’t go in the opposite direction was because of the condition of some of the structures and track south of Orbisonia, most notably Pogue bridge. Also because just east of the bridge is the school that has the track running right on the front lawn.

I seem to think there was a crack in the frame.

Isn't that what Gorilla Glue or JB Weld is for? >;-D

If I may play "devil's advocate" for a minute:

All the arguments "against" extending to Mount Union--aside from the problem of the "rogue" ownership of the upper 4.5 miles of real estate for now--apply equally to the stretch already operated. "It's right beside the highway." "Nothing to see." Et cetera. Heck, if one's cynical enough, he could complain about the paucity of "scenery" on the Strasburg Rail Road, or just about any tourist line in Pennsylvania. We can't all be cliff-hugging Durango & Silverton or Cumbres & Toltec, or canyon-cutting Verde Canyon or Royal Gorge, after all.

Having traversed most of the route in question, I'd dare to say that, operational and legal challenges aside, the Mt. Union-Shirleysburg stretch is as scenic as the Shirleysburg-Orby stretch, and further, under the "grand scheme" there would be a "destination" at the north end--one a bit more interesting (remember, under the "grand scheme") than, say, Saltillo or Robertsdale. Unless, say (ONCE AGAIN, "grand scheme" long-term forward vision hypothesizing here), one takes the trouble to either set up a "miner's village" concept like the one at Eckley Village in northeastern Pa. (or, similarly, the "company houses" section of Cass, WV), or, going further, erects/rebuilds a "mine" with an opening, load-outs, tipple, etc.--an opportunity I believe is now long gone without "Mr. Moneybags" or big-time lottery-winner money involved.

Look, I don't think there's a single reader of this thread or forum that wouldn't eagerly cough up some SERIOUS dollars to ride even a short mixed train from Orbisonia to Robertsdale and back if we could step into Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine and set it to join David P. Morgan and Phil Hastings back in 1954-55. But we are the fanatical, the zealots, the crazed. There are simply not enough of us, even with photo charters and the like, to pay for such an operation without Disney somehow converting Sideling Hill Tunnel and Wray's Hill Tunnel into Space Mountain and surrounding it with a monorail and theme park.

I've already been firmly cautioned by one of the principals involved, "DON'T let your expectations run away out of control, or you WILL be disappointed!" Our hypothetical "Mr. Moneybags" has, indeed, finally swEpt in to "save the railroad" and secure its long-term future (at least most of it).

NOW COMES THE HARD PART.......

There are a few things that I had been curious about for a few years now, and the news of the sale had caused to resurface.

* What is the condition of the locomotives? I know they will all need a 1472 overhaul / inspection; but with the stated intention of operating all 6, I'm wondering if 16 and 18 will be in a "better condition" - having sat inside for 50+ years.

* Where on the property will the repair, overhaul, and inspection work for the locomotives take place? The roundhouse is fairly cramped if my memory from 2010 is accurate, and the I doubt the car shop would be ideal what with work it would need to get the belt driven tools working and all. Will the trust construct an new building on property for locomotive work similar to what Portland Oregon has for their steamers?

* To what extent is the line to the south actually worth repairing and running on? A few pictures on the official EBT facebook page show board members at one of the tunnels, and this has the comments asking if the tunnels will be reopened - something that I flat out refuse to believe will ever happen; you know due to state and federal environmental regulations, and the cost of such a thing.

Well those are things floating around in my head. Hopefully the new owners will be able to provide answers over the course of the next year or two.

Purely speculation, but I doubt any of us will ride the EBT from end to end in this or any other lifetime. Are great things ahead? Absolutely, this is the outcome we’ve all hoped for.
I’d say a reasonable goal by the new Foundation would be extend operable trackage to Aughwick Bridge. And maybe long term to Saltillo Wye bearing in mind there’s several bridges that’ll need work to get there. Maybe make the other portions passable with speeder runs. I seriously doubt anyone will want to finance two tunnels. But hey, I never saw this outcome coming so who knows? Here’s to a bright future ahead. I just hope all the reflective clothing isn’t the way of the future, but if it is, that’s a small price to pay to secure this treasure.

It’s all about money, and it’s all about physical mpediments. Even if it isn’t more scenic than the section south of Orbisonia, the physical impediments from operating services past the tourist terminus of Colgate Grove further north toward Shirleysburg, the Pump Station, Aughwick, and even Adams and Mount Union (if agreements work out of course) are certainly much less than the impediments from Orbisonia south towards Three Springs and Saltillo.

The distance between Colgate Grove to Mount Union is actually shorter than the distance between Orbisonia to Saltillo. Track conditions aren’t nearly as overgrown or unknown because the track is far more accessible and less remote north than south. There are fewer trees growing on the main line, fewer bridges in number to repair (2 bridges compared to 3), and, to top it all off, new ties were placed in further up north for the connecting railroad, as well as a modern concrete dual gauge crossing.

From what I understand from photographs and websites, it would take less resources as well as less time to thoroughly restore trackage north rather than south. Not to say it’s not difficult (as it certainly is still going to be quite the challenge if it happens) but I would think it would be comparatively less difficult to extend operating trackage north than south.

That’s all up to what they want to do though. They make the choices, it’s not up to me. Just an opinion.

I'm not a new owner, not a principal, and I don't even play one on TV, but I DO have a lot of first-hand observation over some decades. So, with that:



With no disrespect intended to the caretakers for the past 60 years:
I can personally say that at least some of the operation and maintenance of the line and equipment was sub-par, and to a minor extent reminiscent of the "horror stories" of the last days of the last hold-outs of steam one could see in books such as Steam In the Sixties, Mived Train Daily, Slow Train to Yesterday, etc. I have heard personal accounts of at least three incidents that, if all true, likely would have frightened even some loyalists away from riding the trains. (One has been documented: a separation of train at speed on the Runk Road overpass fill approaches.) I've heard it said that the intervention of a few professionals--most notably Linn Moedinger--kept the railroad from having another situation similar to the Gettysburg incident that many swore would shut down most steam railroading overnight in the U.S.

If you walked along the tracks with an experienced eye, you probably might have had some negative things to say about the track upkeep in several locations.



This becomes a case where, as much as it's a clichéd reflex response by inexperienced "noobs" to such a scenario, "Ship it to Strasburg!" might actually be a feasible option if they didn't already have a backlog in both work and hiring.....

In the "thinking off the cuff" department: It's at least theoretically possible to potentially partner with regional technical training schools, such as the Pa. College of Technology in Williamsport or the Penn State Altoona campus (both Penn State University affiliates--and Penn State's main campus itself isn't that far away) for a hands-on training/engineering project for rebuilding, which could even ultimately help start the way for a new-build 2-8-2 "#19" with such improvements as roller bearings, improved metallurgy, etc.
I already know that Strasburg itself is desperate for qualified warm bodies with the necessary aptitude.........



I'm unclear what "regulations" you think are involved or could apply, but as a demonstration that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is willing to do or allow renovation of abandoned rail tunnels if there's motivation to do so and some concessions to endangered bats:

http://bridgehunter.com/pa/mifflin/prr- ... dy-tunnel/

http://paenvironmentdaily.blogspot.com/ ... visit.html

https://www.steamphotos.com/Railroad-Ph ... dy-Tunnel/

There's another one nearby, not officially opened--the trail detours around it due to a parallel road--but it's not sealed off, either:

https://discoverypa.blogspot.com/2016/0 ... unnel.html

Which EBT locomotive needs the most work for service?

How many track-miles are there between Orbisonia and Colgate Wye?