http://www.losttracksoftime.com/p47324941

On two separate occasions last month, by special invitation and permission by railroad management, I was allowed access to the East Broad Top’s roundhouse and backshops.

The granddaddy of steam-era portals to the past, I found the interiors particularly difficult to photograph; to capture both the magnitude of preserved industrial revolution before my eyes, and what I was feeling while roaming the hallowed grounds. It boggles the mind that these scenes from 100+ years ago still exist.

All the stable mates are there; old friends - still together - getting older: 16, 18, 12, 17, 15, 14 & M-1.

Time stands still.

Enjoy,
Matthew

Superb images as always, Matthew!

It gives me hope to know the old girls are all still there, snug in the roundhouse in Rockhill Furnace.

-Philip Marshall

fantastic pictures, thanks for sharing.

Dare I say it, it pains me to know that not only are those locomotives cold, there are no apparent plans to change that anytime soon...

An older news story (2014) that I don't recall seeing posted on RyPN before:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxhuwMfWg-g

The saddest part is that the entire paper archive and records of the EBT are still not preserved in a proper document archive, still not duplicated/backed up, and still not available to researchers for any reason.

That archive includes the Baldwin original builders drawings of the locomotives, which is every single part and the assembly drawings, the rolling stock parts and assembly drawings, daily records, etc... Everything there should be protected.

The EBT is one small fire away from disappearing from written history.

One word: Yarloop.

Tom

EBT area is not prone to drying out like the west coast or Australia with its hotter summers, I havent heard of serious wildfires in the midwest like what Yarloop experienced. Not about to debate wildfires.

I tried that site but I got 765 or some engine...duh? or check harder for the correct pic?

http://www.losttracksoftime.com/p93350694

The EBT roundhouse and backshops photos mentioned in the original post, as well as the rest of my images from that railroad, can be found in the above updated link.

Matthew

Its not about Yarloop. Just google: Roundhouse fire.

Skagway Alaska rd house burned in 1969, (dieselized by then) and its difficult to get anything to burn up there. That cost us an incredible quantity of paperwork, blueprints, etc.. from the 1899 gold rush, through WW1, WW2, Korean War, etc.. All the old locos from all over the country were there, and so were the only copies of their paperwork. Its gone now. That has happened a hundred times, or more, during the last century.

It can easily happen in Orbisonia.

The iron wears out, the info can easily exist forever.

On Saturday, July 30, 2016, a pare of very rare publicly-available tours (tours not chartered by groups, but were announced to the public and given to anyone who reserved a spot - for $10) were given of the EBT.

This tour was a chance for me to get out to Orbisonia for the first time since I was a boy and get to see first-hand the shops, engines, and the area in general. I hope it won't be my last time, and hopefully the next time I go, steam will be rising up over the EBT once more.

https://youtu.be/dHieyO4Uqo4

The EBT is in the proccess of being purchased and turned into a national landmark isn't it? The family that owns it agreed to sell it, and with the price its a piece meal purchase. The reason for purchasing the yard/interchange was to fire up a business to help pay for the purchase of the remaining railroad. Is this correct or have I heard wrong? I was concerned until I heard there is a real effort to sustainably purchase and run the line. The idea is the businesses created along the line will provide precious income for the future restoration and operation of the preservation part of the line. When they don't have the wealth of the D&S or C&T backing this seems like a sustainable idea, but slow. I hold a soft spot for the EBT and have a good feeling for its future, but it will take time to get the ducks in line to get it to a definite state of permanent preservation and operation.

Let's see if there's a "diplomatic" way for me to phrase this.

That's kind of sort of the plan that has been announced and was in progress. Minus that "national landmark" thing--that's a new spin on it.

I think it would be safe to say that the consensus around those who have dealt with the individual(s) in question would be something along the lines of "if you trust everything that's been said on this, you probably also trust everything being said by both major party candidates for president of the U.S. right now!"

And let me assure you a lot of the cynics would LOVE to be completely wrong about this, and indeed see a successfully preserved-for-good and reactivated EBT. But no one's yet shopping for "crow sauce."

Just a reminder to Brother Mitchell that the EBT was designated a National Historic Landmark back in 1964:
National Park Service - East Broad Top Railroad, National Register Information System ID: 66000666

The point being, it doesn't have to be "turned into a national landmark" as was postulated. Methinks the chap was confusing "landmark" with "historic site/national park/national monument"--which sure happens often enough by those unfamiliar with the exact distinctions. Heck, I still run into folks that assume that just because a building was documented for the HAER/HABS it was supposed/required to be preserved!