I have read about how the EBT mated standard and 3/4 knuckles when transporting standard gauge cars on there line. "The EBT used a special cast-aluminum adapter to allow the standard-gauge coupler to attach to the EBT's narrow-gauge couplers...." My question is does anyone know what this adapter looked like? Any dimensions?

There is a photo in George Hilton's "American Narrow Gauge" book. They were aluminum castings that sat in the full size coupler and mated with the 3/4 coupler.

Steven -

Does the EBT have any of these still laying around? I have often thought that one way to make special EBT photo freights more interesting, and to attract more riders/visitors/revenue, is to put a vintage standard gauge freight car on these trains. Bring a different freight car in each year from rail museums in the area. Return it after the special event(s). At least try it one year to see how it goes.

Les

Considering all the talk about the fragile condition of EBT, I can not imagine this. The standard gauge cars approached the limit of what was safe and feasible with 3 foot gauge.

Found this pic on the 'Unoffical EBT site'.
Not a very good picture,but you can see the adapter and the loading gauge differences.

http://www.spikesys.com/Bin/EBT/rcs_68.jpg

There are still a couple hand fulls in storage at the EBT.

Even though they are aluminum, they are still quite heavy.

This post got me to thinking a bit more about the truck switching operation. Did the brake rigging get reconnected to the narrow gauge trucks? Or did they just run the train line through and leave the 'converted' car unbraked? Adapting the brake rigging had to have some headaches involved due to the differences in truck lengths and widths. I know it was SOP to put the standard gauge car next to the tender at the head end which would have put the entire weight of the following train on the coupler adapters, so I would imagine they were a sturdy unit.

So the EBT does have some of these adapters. Is is possible for some one to get photos and measurments of them? Also how did they attach to the full size knuckles?

If the operating portion of the EBT had access to the main line at Mount Union, this might be possible if the selected car has roller bearing trucks. With the need to truck and equipment in or out, it would still be quite interesting to see, but much more unlikely due to costs I would think.

Doug

If FEBT didn't already have a full plate, the acquisition of one or more standard gauge freight car bodies, permanently mounted on EBT trucks, would be an appropriate (operating) exhibit.

Wesley

Heck, just take one of the ex-B&M USATC boxcars the K family has stored at Mount Union. Or are these gone now? Last time I saw them one would have needed a good size chain saw to dig them out.

Speak of the Devil...looks like something showed up on the Narrow Gauge Discussion Forum...

http://ngdiscussion.net/phorum/read.php?1,99125

The EBT's adaptors slide down into the closed standard gauge coupler. The EBT coupler then couples into the adaptor.

Good luck getting measurements since these adaptors are a "company or trade secret."

It should be quite easy to guesstimate dimensions, however, based on standard and 3/4 coupler sizes.

Some time ago I created a web page about the use of retrucked standard-gauge freight cars on the EBT RR, including a list of cars known to have rode the EBT.
http://www.totalracing.com/ebt/stdgauge.htm

I need to update this list as I have quite a few more additional car numbers to add.

PS There are several of the aluminum coupler adapter castings stored in the paint shop building in Rockhill Furnace, and the "U" shaped hook for the Timber Transfer is stored in the "alley" between the shop buildings.

Jim -

Thanks for posting your web page with the East Broad Top's procedure for using standard gauge freight cars over EBT's narrow gauge trackage. The graphics for the actual operation of the railroad using their Timber Transfer crane to accomplish the switch, was especially enlightening. And although it would be expected that most of the standard gauge cars that were used in this service would have come from the interchanging Pennsylvania Railroad, some of the other railroads were surprising. Mobile & Ohio? ITC? Wow!

I guess the question now would seem to be, do any of the special modified narrow gauge trucks with the additional side pads, still exist?

Thanks again Jim.

Les