Honestly, if I were any of you, I would not worry about any of the things that are feared to happen to the EBT. Like others have said before me, the EBT is owned by the Kovalchick (I think that's how you spell it) and are opting out of the ownership of the EBT. The EBT is not dead, and won't be dead anytime soon (restoration crews are still heading out there once every month to restore buildings and cars.) The guy who is trying to buy it is the owner of the East Broad Top Preservation Association, and has great plans for the railroad if Kovalchick lets him buy the entire 33 mile mainline. If the EBT really was dead, the last excursions would've been in '08 referenced by Larry Salone (Owner of the EBTPA). I feel as the EBT has a very bright future ahead.

Here is a good 13 min video on the plan for the EBT in the future

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JcDBSSUrLOM

I hold great hope to, but worry about the time frame to raise 6 mil just to purchase this line. It will take at least another 6 mil to restore the main yard, buildings, locos, and rolling stock. They have the facilities to rebuild VERY OLD rail stock and locomotives for other groups to raise more capitol, but thats a ways off. Then they have to tackle the infrastructure, rail, maintenance, etc. I feel that without state or fed funds the EBT wont reach its potential which is capable of being more then the D&S or even the C&T is right now. It needs massive inflows of cash. They have the man power saving it the best they can, but need cash and lots of it. Larry has a great idea to support it, but he needs to think bigger to raise more cash to make the little railroad what it is capable of being. Making even $250,000 a year with his EBT Interchange Railroad business isn't going cut it. He needs a larger yard to store rolling stock, and repair more. Attaching to the Railroad Museum of PA or Strasburg RR may not be a bad idea to add to the cause without stifling progress.

Don't pie-in-the-sky restoration numbers like that. It is naysaying and makes people give up hope. Successful projects go in for a tiny fraction of those numbers.

They do because that kind of pie-in-the-sky cash does not exist -- good thing, because if it did, it would be a calamity for the project -- it would be looted by the greedy or wasted by imbeciles. Simply preventing that from happening is a full-time management job if that cash existed, and the manager will be the most hated figure in the project. The love of money is the root of all evil, it makes people maliciously stupid.

Whereas a cash-short project will motivate people to pull together.

The EBT is the poster child for why the U.S. needs something like Britain's lottery heritage fund. The EBT cannot and will not be saved by small investments or the hope of reinvesting operating revenue. It needs (and IMHO deserves) a dedicated funding source with no expectation that it will ever earn back what it takes to save it. Once restored, maybe one could hope ticket sales would cover day to day operating costs, but it is unlikely even a mint-condition EBT could stay afloat just off fares and merch.

Of course, it's not a great time for investment even though central PA needs it. You have 6 great rail attractions in the Altoona area that combined could be the epicenter of rail tourism, but there are problems:

Horseshoe Curve - undeniably a world-class attraction. Is closed for major parts of the year. Funicular to avoid waking up 13 stories is currently broken.

ARRM - a beautiful museum with deteriorating interactive displays and a rolling stock rot issue. Needs funds. Needs K4 finished.

Portage Heritage Site - haven't been, can't judge

EBT - shut down

Rockhill Trolley Museum - great attraction. Can it survive long-term w/on the EBT?

Everett Railroad - newest steam tourist line in the U.S. off to a good start with high-quality experiences.

I would guess an investment of $25 million dollars across these properties is all that it would take. That's not a lot of money if budget priorities are set set right. Considering that PA can barely fund the state museum network, I am not holding out hope, but a heritage lottery or something similar would be very interesting.