I just posted this link in Flimsies. Interesting to hear about this story. It's sad, but I also think it might qualify as any news is good news. The general public would be more aware of the line and its historic significance. Especially beyond the operating stretch of track. I hope the missing track gets re-layed soon.
O. Anderson

http://www.wjactv.com/altoona/16773631/detail.html

much time should be served AFTER they relay the rails and tamp them...

At some point, there has to be some level of responsibility accepted and taken by the end point, the scrap dealer. Clearly when a couple of guys just show up with several lengths of rail, there have to be questions raised. Similarily when someone shows up with a load of copper pipe or wire, or anything else.

These folks need to be the last line of defense. I know it's a lot to ask of legitimate dealers simply trying to run a business to sort through the stories and alert the police if suspicions are raised, but isn't the dealer just as guilty on some level of receiving stolen property if there isn't some level of inquiry ?

A reputable dealer can take license information, video came surveillance, and fingerprints, but in the end - how much can they do? If they make it too hard, people are going to go somewhere else. They will sell to less reputable dealers that won't cooperate with anyone. A legitimate dealer isn't going to accept a brand new spool of copper wire, but these guys had fake business letters from the EBT.


I could make comparisons to many railroad "collectors". How many of their items are acquired legitimately, vs. the wink-wink nod-nod deal? I am not really surprised about the EBT - the railroad looks completely forgotten and abandoned. With scrap prices so high... only a matter of time, unfortunately.

If anything can motivate the dishonest, it is a quick buck. I really hope this leads to federal charges with a stiff penalty to act as a deterrent to future misdeeds of this type. Also, bringing the plite of the East Broad Top in the spotlight could hopefully lead to positive actions for the future of this narrow gauge gem. The work recently conducted by the Friends of the East Broad Top showcases the positive motivation of people trying to save a REAL piece of our industrial history. Hopefully these sorry dishonest scum spend some time in the slammer.

The reporter, or those s/he talked to, was probably engaging in a bit of hyperbole and exaggeration with the "federal charges" line.

The EBT *may* be a "National Historic Landmark," but that declaration is probably worth only the paper it's printed on.

To be a bit snide about it, if the railroad's owners wanted nothing to do with Federal or state monies in a purchase arrangement, why would they want "federal" involvement in what can sarcastically be described as competition between scrap merchants? "Calling in the Feds" for this instance would strike me as more than a bit hypocritical.

On a more serious note, the rails in question are getting harder and harder to acquire on the market, and EBT will have a devil of a time finding replacement rails without poaching their own supplies. I've heard of similar problems cropping up with other narrow-gauge restorations, with at least one having to go to heavier rail simply because that's what was available.

The Kovalchick Salvage Company, owners of the EBT, seems to have lower weight rail available at some quantity. They have supplied materials to the WW&F. I doubt lack of supplies is the problem, but investing in the reconstruction would be.

It looks like the reconstruction of the EBT near Robertsdale may now have started in a way no one imagined.

There are small supplies of lower weight rail out there, for the time being at least. Old Pueblo Trolley has some light weight material, which will be scrapped eventually as we clean out our storage areas. We will have a list of items available for purchase at the annual Association of Railway Museums meeting at Colorado Springs. As we are in need of capital for certain projects, the materials that we have for disposal will be for sale only-no trading.

As for scrap, anyone else hear the NPR story on Thursday about manhole cover thefts?

Hi,

Apparently the perpertrators have been caught and the rail located. See post on NGDF.

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php ... msg-112075

Doug vV[/url]

At least it appears that they were caught. Now to see if they get any real punishment. I wish that the prosecutor would also go after the scrap dealers-unless they cooperate with the investigation or turned the culprits in.

If indeed the miscreants have been apprehended now it is up to the lawyers - including counsel for the East Broad Top. I know of some instances where a shortline has been successful in claiming restitution as part of the criminal process based on the cost of putting the track right rather than the intrinsic value of the stolen material. This usually requires a fair amount of effort on the part of the railroad to establish the cost basis for the repairs and sell the amount to both the prosecutor and the court.

As this was not active trackage, that strikes me as a hard but not impossible sell.

What I suggest to my clients is to file a civil action as soon as possible and use that to recoup the difference between the ordered restitution and the actual damage.

GME