Any subscriber or forum member here want to give us more than the preview does?

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/conte ... sburg.html

If that's a real number and not just some reporter's off the cuff estimate, they apparently plan to re-enter it in a big way if they plan on spending that much.

On a related note, back in the 70's there was an excursion train on the Everett RR in or near Everett, PA. I only saw the brochure and never got around to riding it. Anyone have more info on that operation? Where it ran etc? Is it related to the current operation?

I know they are restoring 2 steam locomotives at the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad shops. A small 2-6-0 and a 2-8-0. The 2-6-0 is farther along. Somebody from WMSR could comment more.

The original Everett RR ran out of Everett, Pa.

Go look at a map and see how far Everett is from Hollidaysburg. Go on, I'll wait.

The original Everett started in 1954 to take over operation on a former section of the Huntingdon & Broad Top between Mt. Dallas and Tatesville when the H&BT retreated/abandoned. Service to Mt. Dallas continued up to the early years of Conrail; the PRR line originally stretched from Hollidaysburg all the way to Cumberland, Md. with the junction just east of Bedford. PC quit south of Bedford, and Conrail abandoned ca. 1982. The Everett just kept buying what the connecting RR kept abandoning and jettisoning off the failing end of the remaining track, and now what started in Tatesville now stretches in two branches from Holly to Claysburg/Sproul and to Martinsburg/Curry.

Maybe I should have just posted this instead:

http://www.everettrailroad.com/railfans/history.aspx

http://www.everettrailroad.com/excursio ... sions.aspx

http://www.everettrailroad.com/excursio ... pment.aspx

I rode the Everett excursion train in 1970 (I think) when they were running ex-M&NF 11, a 2-6-2. I managed to get a cab ride on the engine. We left the depot with hardly more than a bushel basket of coal in the tender which was used up in about a half mile. The engineer got off and walked backed to Everett where he started up their Davenport diesel and rescued the train.

I actually had a similar experience on the L&N Centennial Special in 1959 when L&N ran the borrowed IC 4-8-2 2613 run out of coal at Gallatin, TN. It was rescued by a pair of E units that had followed the train all the way from Louisville.
However, the IC 2613 had it's fire re-built and pulled the train back to Louisville.

-JH

You ever considered a career as a politician? Lots of rambling, most of which is unrelated to the question I asked.





That would explain the name, and it is related to the question. How far did they run? Yard limits? Cincinnati?



30 miles or so. What's your point?



OK, so that's the line in general. How much of that did they use for excursions?



Pretty much useless for what I was asking.



Where did they run? What did they use for equipment? That's what I'm trying to figure out.




A bit of info on the modern fleet, which is apparently unrelated to the previous fleet.

I'm hoping this project results in a sustainable and well produced experience that will help develop the tourism part of the economy of this region. It certainly seems well planned and I'm looking forward to finding out how much difference the advent of steam power makes in their visitation. It certainly did a lot for NHVRR.....

Best wishes to all involved.

dave

Why do you have to be snotty?

You don't have to answer his questions. If they bother you, don't answer them.

You are so knowledgeable. I am always impressed with your posts. Except this one...

The original Everett Railroad excursion train operated 1965-1970, inclusive, from the old Huntingdon & Broad Top Mountain depot in Everett, PA. For the last two years, the train was operated by the non-defunct South Penn Chapter of the NRHS.

Locomotive: Ex-Morehead & North Fork 2-6-2 #11 (Baldwin 1909)
Coaches: #101 - ex Erie Stillwell #2191
#102 - ex Reading #1544
#103 - ex Lackawanna #246 (modernized four axle heavyweight)
Caboose: #C-17 - ex B&O #2647
Open cars: #201 & #202 - ex B&O flat cars

There were two ex-B&O six axle wood passenger cars, one employed as a gift shop and one as a museum. There was a tank car for storing water. Privately owned ex-EJ&E office car #50 was on the line briefly. The South Penn Chapter later bought a Reading coach (#1461) which may have been used a few times.

All of the company owned equipment was sold to the Williams Grove Amusement Park in Williams Grove, PA, after the close of the 1970 season and was towed there on its own wheels by Penn Central. The steam engine and caboose have since been repatriated and are displayed by the Bloody Run Historical Society at the Everett depot, now relocated a short distance from the old right-of-way. The open cars, and I believe the tank car, are still at Williams Grove. The three steel coaches and two B&O wood cars sat at Williams Grove in derelict condition for years and I understand have since been scrapped. The EJ&E office car is in a private collection out west and the South Penn's Reading coach I last saw a few years ago in poor condition at the Coral Caverns attraction in Manns Choice, PA.

The present Everett Railroad still operates under the company's original 1954 charter but other than filing cabinets full of old paperwork, there is little relation to the ex-H&BT line.

Alan Maples

Thanks Alan, exactly what I was looking for!

Where did they run to? How far was the trip? I regret that I never got the chance to go.

I spent some time at Williams Grove, but didn't realize the connection. I recall the derelict coaches out by the mainline, at that time the WG's train was a flatcar converted to a coach (probably the excursion car you mention) and a caboose if I recall correctly. I suspect the sharp curves wouldn't have been friendly to the coaches.

Alan -

Interesting thing about number 11; her Baldwin serial number was 33333. There had to be other serial numbers from the locomotive builders that had all the same numbers, but I think that this is the only one surviving. Incidentally, she was originally built as Kanawa, Glen Jean & Eastern #200 in Glen Jean, West Virginia.

I hadn't realized that an EJ&E office car was still in existence. Our museum has a number of pieces donated by the "J" in its collection. I wonder when the railroad disposed of number 50? It's certainly nice to know that the car is still around.

Thanks for all the info on the Everett tourist operation.

Les

The "original" Everett Railroad was only about four miles long. As I understand it, the steam train would back from the Everett depot about a mile to the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge spanning Route 30 and the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River at Mt. Dallas, PA. After pausing on the bridge, the train would then travel north, past the depot, to the end of the track near Tatesville a distance of about three miles, before returning to the station.

Just before they quit excursions at the end of the 1970 season, the steam train made a couple of trips over the PRR Mt. Dallas Branch to Bedford. It was advertised as a 22-mile round trip.

Alan Maples

In my (extensive) experience with answering substantially vague, "broad-brush" questions from people who seem clueless on any aspect whatsoever about what they're asking, I find it wise to give the inquisitor enough background that it either 1) satisfies their whimsical curiosity or 2) sets them on the proper road for further research.

What I scribbled was what I could do off the top of my head. If you want a detailed response requiring what would have been, on my part, a couple hours or so of (not-online) research, you'd better be paying me, or it better be something in which I have a personal interest. I even have personal connections to the Bedford area (my mother ran the newspaper there for about two years), and I'm still not well-versed on what happened there.

Beside which, I assure you Brother Maples has forgotten more about that operation than I'll ever divine, and he's actually on here. And you'll notice that the Everett RR's website is--needlessly, for a company not yet offering public excursions or seeking history grants--quite railfan-friendly.

Funny, I don't recall my "vague" question being directed to you specifically, or asking you to reply. In fact, it even states "anyone", which would seem to indicate it's a general inquiry not directed at any specific person.



Well then, here's an idea. Since it would have apparently required research on your part, and he knows the answer off the top of his head, why not just keep quiet and let him answer? He didn't seem to have any difficulty comprehending my question, or coming up with useful and non-snarky replies. That's more than I can say for you.

Very well. At your request you are hereby blocked on my feed so I don't have to see or answer your queries. Cheers.