Because the mainline mileage between the Aughwick bridge (about MP 4) to Woodvale (about 31) and that adds up to about 27, I’d say no, none of the Branch right of ways were included in the purchase. I don’t think I’ve seen anything saying they would be or implied they would be included either. Not much of a reason to build most of them as well due to the fact that there’s over 20 miles of track past Orbisonia waiting to be rebuilt. Most of the Wyes however that started these branches will (I’d assume) be built or rebuilt where they once were if/when service returns to those areas.

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Dearborn Village also converted their engines from oil to coal.

For me, more important than the return of steam or reopening the line toward Robertsdale was the mention of a SPRINKLER SYSTEM.

Vivid imagination - had to chuckle at the visual...

Look, Mt. Union looks virtually nothing like it did in 1956. If this change in ownership could have happened before about 1980, a lot could have been done at the Mt. Union end of the line, but you've got (or had) a supermarket and a Sheetz sitting on part of it, the yard was cleaned out and the rusting hoppers mostly scrapped, and don't even think about recreating the Timber Transfer rig. There are decades worth of projects to do on what was sold to the foundation. One thing that ought to be considered, if I may, would be lengthening the usable wye at the picnic grove, so longer trains can be turned. That would have been high on my list.

Another long-term thing that is going to have to happen eventually is building replicas of at least some of the more fragile operating artifacts to conserve the originals. The M-1 probably should not be operated in revenue service anymore. The first time I was there in the mid-1970's it could pull a full coach for a trailer; then it was a caboose, and now just it's own weight for only one or two trips the entire railfan weekend. Also, from what was said at the Friday press conference, the NEWEST steam locomotive on the property is 100 years old this year. And, yes, they have not had really hard use for the last 50 years, but eventually we're going to get to a point where building a new "#19" Mike that burns an environmentally-friendly liquid biofuel (a la Grand Canyon Scenic) that can operate reliably on a daily basis is going to need to be done. Replica coaches to increase passenger capacity and preserve the originals, will also eventually need to be built. Save the originals for special events, where the participants will know and fully appreciate the operating originals. The bus tour leaf peepers riding during the week wouldn't know the difference (see White Pass and Yukon, and consider the people building their new equipment to do new ones for EBT).

“The bus tour leaf peepers riding during the week wouldn't know the difference”

“I happen to think that it is the height of arrogance to assert that other theoretical “people” are not going to understand something that you yourself understand. Like you are better or something.” - Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde.


I’m not sure why Durango can run 100 year old coaches but East Broad top can’t. If you need the coaches for extra capacity, great. But the point is to preserve the history and operate it for the public.

Are the 16 and 18 arguably in the "worst" shape?

To add to your point about replica coaches, I think it’s more about the fact the EBT doesn’t exactly have a plethora of real coaches to choose from, not really the fact of the condition of the coaches that have been kept indoors and in good exterior condition.

Think about it for a second. There are a total of 8 EBT coaches left we know of: 4 combine cars (14 and 15 used regularly in excursion service, 16 in NJ leased by the FEBT, and 18 owned by the FEBT awaiting restoration), 2 coaches, (5 on the tweetsie and 8 in regular service), 1 parlor/private car (20 or “Orbisonia”) and 1 baggage car (29, owned by the FEBT). Only 3 of those (being 8, 15, and 20) were operational on the EBT at the end of 2011 I believe. 14 is currently getting a full restoration by the FEBT.

The D&S as well as the C&TS have a pretty good amount of newer built or historic coaches they can use in their operations that look like historic coaches or even a variety of historic coaches being restored to operate on special occasions. The EBT doesn’t have that luck when it comes to rolling stock. It’s not only a matter about keeping original equipment in good condition but more of the fact that they probably need more actual coaches to operate longer trains. If I recall, there’s an unfinished replica coach left in one of the buildings, I believe it’s named “Aughwick”.

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The story I’ve seen online is that in the mid 80’s, #16 was originally going to be restored to be the new operating 4th locomotive, but because the paperwork was lost (basically requiring a full thorough inspection) it didn’t happen, and #14, which had been taken out of service in the early 80’s, was chosen for restoration instead. Haven’t heard of a serious attempt for #18 though.

I want to watch this.

From a great distance. With binoculars and a 100x zoom on the video camera.

Even if they restored ALL the track to like-new condition and found a way to run a Herzog ballast train down there for the ballast delivery.

(How's THAT visual, folks? <:-D )

Here's the problem. If you're going to have a trainload regularly dropping folks in Mt. Union, you have to have something for them to see or do. That simply isn't there now. Places like Silverton, Frostburg, Bald Knob, Grand Canyon, Jim Thorpe, etc. at least have something to look at when you're at the far end, maybe get an ice cream cone or coffee, see the flea market of local crafts vendors, look at that big hole in the ground, etc. At some of the British heritage railways, they go as far as a PUB in the station!!! Meanwhile, Mt. Union almost fits the stereotype of the dying Appalachian town where the only stores left are the gas station and two or three of the "dollars stores," with the WalMart twenty miles up the road. (Mt. Union is lucky, it has a Weis Markets, a well-regarded regional grocery chain. Now, think a minute: I also just described Orbisonia, which lacks the grocery store.)

Now, as I remember, the proposals floated by the NPS/Commonwealth studies proposed self-guided walking tours of the remains/ruins/site of the to-be-cleared-of-trees yard, refractory site, station, etc. The PRR passenger station is long gone; the freight station is now a seniors center called the Bricktown Senior Center. IF--and I emphasize IF--such a plan ever comes to fruition, even if a Steamtown-size bag of money were dropped on the place, it would take a decade for this to come about. That would give the borough and/or county time to develop itself as some kind of tourist stopover. Not impossible--but difficult.

Further, too much of the online chatter about this weekend's news centers around breathless fanatics eager to make Amtrak trains stop at Mount Union so "passengers can transfer" to ride the EBT. This, of course, presumes that there is lodging at Orbisonia, Robertsdale, or wherever. (And the caboose at the Rockhill Trolley Museum is not listed on AirBnB, sorry.) Never mind that, just as another example, the Amtrak stop at Williams, Arizona, which saw FAR more tourist traffic than this proposed stop ever would, was discontinued by Amtrak and its sponsors a couple of years ago for lack of use.

This was the state of the car "Aughwick" when I visited the EBT in September 2010...

It was located in a building shared with the Trolley Museum at the time (looks like a Porto car just visible on the right) and presumably is still in there.
Couldn't find anything online concerning how much it has progeressed since then.

Looking at my photos, the train I travelled on in 2010 was composed of cars 8 & 20, together with caboose 28 and an open car numbered 168.

Has the line north of Shirleysburg been converted into a bike trail or small road?

Mike

“Amtrak stop at Williams, Arizona, which saw FAR more tourist traffic than this proposed stop ever would, was discontinued by Amtrak and its sponsors a couple of years ago for lack of use.”

Not true. The shuttle was discontinued by the hotel because they didn’t like the number of train passengers who were using the hotel lobby as a waiting room. it had actually become too popular for the way it was set up and operated.