Standard gauge freight cars to the East Broad Top?

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 12:44 am

JimBoylan wrote:

About 1970, some of the narrow gauge hoppers at Mt. Union were sold to the White Pass & Yukon RR. and loaded into standard gauge gondola cars for interchange to PennCentral. Instead of firing up one of the standard gauge steam switchers in the nearby engine house, to do the switching, the Mack Diesel was borrowed from Rwy. to Yesterday.

I may have missed something here. Railways of Yesteryear operates out of Rockhill and has never had a standard gage connection to Mount Union. As I believe I have seen a picture of the Mack switching a gondola with a narrow gage engine in it, I'd like to hear the stories about how this was accomplished.

GME

JimBoylan · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 12:51 am

I'm sorry, I don't know where the Mack locomotive was before 1970, probably not at Orbisonia, but Jimmy McHugh took it from Mt. Union via highway truck to his yard near Penndel, Pennsylvania for long term storage during the 1970s and '80s.

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 1:20 am

I know a bit about its moving around over the years, what I'm curious about is how it traversed (apparently more than once) the segment between Rockhill and Mount Union.

GME

gcrr · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:21 am

Trainlawyer wrote:

I know a bit about its moving around over the years, what I'm curious about is how it traversed (apparently more than once) the segment between Rockhill and Mount Union.

According to this site http://sbiii.com/boxmack4.html, it moved by a Kovalchick truck.

Steamguy73 · **Joined:** Wed Dec 24, 2014 3:15 pm **Posts:** 595

I recall seeing photos of said Mack engine in Mt Union, as well as the hoppers being loaded in the PRR gondolas. Back then, many of the structures, such as the coal sorting plant and the Timber Transfer still stood in the yard. But I believe the year was 1968 (at least that’s what the pictures on Google state).

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6405

Les Beckman wrote:

One of my favorite photos of the EBT from its common carrier days, was a shot of a Gulf, Mobile & Ohio 40' steel boxcar being hauled amongst the narrow gauge cars behind one of the EBT's steam locomotives. Now there comes a report on the TRAINS website, that the EBT Foundation is looking for some vintage era standard gauge cars to replicate this type of movement. Brad Esposito, General Manager of the current non-profit owners of the line says that they still have 2 sets of transfer trucks on hand along with about 7 of the aluminum coupler adapters, which are needed to mate the standard gauge car with the 3 foot gauge equipment. This is a real neat idea! Anybody got a surplus vintage standard gauge freight car?

Les

According to a note (and photo) on the Ahead of the Torch website today, the EBT Foundation has acquired a PRR X29 standard gauge box car! No other info.

Les

T.E.P · **Posted:** Fri Aug 20, 2021 12:38 am

Les Beckman wrote:

According to a note (and photo) on the Ahead of the Torch website today, the EBT Foundation has acquired a PRR X29 standard gauge box car! No other info.

Said X29 is neè-PRR 6866, an REA assigned car, by way of Kiski Junction and Rosebud Mining.

Pat Fahey · **Posted:** Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:33 am

Attachment:

File comment: Photo copied from Face book.

EBT facebook page.jpg # 2.jpg [ 64.29 KiB | Viewed 3916 times ]

Hi All
I found a photo of the standard gauge Pennsylvania X-29 Boxcar on face book.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6405

T.E.P wrote:

Les Beckman wrote:

According to a note (and photo) on the Ahead of the Torch website today, the EBT Foundation has acquired a PRR X29 standard gauge box car! No other info.

Said X29 is neè-PRR 6866, an REA assigned car, by way of Kiski Junction and Rosebud Mining.

T.E.P. -

Thanks for the road number. So, would PRR 6866, as a REA assigned car, have had a different paint scheme when in regular service for the Pennsy?

Les

T.E.P · **Posted:** Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:32 pm

Les Beckman wrote:

T.E.P wrote:

Said X29 is neè-PRR 6866, an REA assigned car, by way of Kiski Junction and Rosebud Mining.

T.E.P. -

Thanks for the road number. So, would PRR 6866, as a REA assigned car, have had a different paint scheme when in regular service for the Pennsy?

Minor correction. Original number was PRR 54491, built between 11/1929 and 01/1930. Taken out of service and rebuilt in July 1934 for express service and renumbered PRR 6866.

To answer the question, though, the short answer is yes.

The REA-assigned had a variation of the 'Circle Keystone' scheme, along with steam and signal lines, high-speed trucks (2D-F7 or 2D-F14/Young), AB-1B brakes with a quick service valve suitable for passenger service, and additional sill steps and grab ions.

Les Beckman · **Joined:** Tue Aug 02, 2005 1:25 pm **Posts:** 6405

T.E.P. -

Thanks for additional info including photo of a similar PRR Railway Express Agency X29 car.

Les

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Fri Aug 20, 2021 8:50 pm

PRR 6866 was rebuilt and assigned to mail and express service in passenger trains. It received trucks with improved damping, also graduated release air brakes and steam and signal lines as well as a geared hand brake wheel.

Passenger X29's remained painted Freight Car Color but the lettering reflected the passenger assignment, often including "Railway Express Agency" although the cars were also used to move storage mail.

An X29c was 9' 4 3/4" over side sills and 13' 3" high with the geared hand brake wheel, mounted to the car end, meaning it easily fit in Penn Station NY without imperilling the brakeman setting the hand brake.

Phil Mulligan

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Fri Aug 20, 2021 10:35 pm

Which means it is the wrong car to illustrate what they want to... Hopefully they will reverse the changes to make it back into a freight car and paint it in the freight lettering scheme.

T.E.P · **Posted:** Sat Aug 21, 2021 12:50 am

Dennis Storzek wrote:

Which means it is the wrong car to illustrate what they want to... Hopefully they will reverse the changes to make it back into a freight car and paint it in the freight lettering scheme.

It's close enough, and the price was right. Most of the express service X29s were later returned to freight pool service or MOW service anyways, retaining their express service trucks.

Dennis Storzek · **Posted:** Sat Aug 21, 2021 11:28 am

Good to know.

Standard gauge freight cars to the East Broad Top?

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