From photos I'm told are now posted on Facebook that show the standard gauge steam locomotive ( EBT 3) that was built for the East Broad Top's transfer yard at Mt. Union has been moved outdoors, had some of its running gear cut off and is supposedly being readied to ship off to a new owner.

I read on good authority that the whole Mt. Union complex was a registered national historic site including the steam engine that was purpose built for there to move PRR standard gauge cars which were being loaded for movement off the narrow gauge EBT onto the PRR which would take them to the world market.

My question is how can this locomotive be abused like this and be taken from this site.

Perhaps someone with greater computer skills than I have can bring the Facebook photos to this site???

Seems like an awful loss just as the rest of the EBT is enjoying a tremendous rebirth !!

Ross Rowland

If you know where it was posted (i.e. group and/or person posting it), it would make the process easier to find it. After a quick search, I’m unable to find any info or photos about it in two of the larger EBT groups

There’s been very periodic news about #3 in the EBT Facebook group over the past couple of years: some photos of the repainted tender being moved around to the other, vacant stall of the building.

It’s been common knowledge that the Kovalchick family sold off #3 at some point before the sale of the remaining parts of the railroad in 2020 to a third party: we have essentially no knowledge about who owns it, what the plans are for the locomotive, etc, so this wasn’t something that was done by the EBTF.

Even if they did own it though, because the track is owned by a different organization there’s nothing you could do with it at this time. And even in the best case scenario, where the locomotive is somehow made operable on EBT trackage in Mount Union, it certainly couldn’t be used there for more than shuttling through the yards and maybe about a mile or so down the track. Outside of maybe a few photo charter events or “hand at the throttle” experiences there would be little use for it.

Maybe this is just me, but the locomotive moving to somewhere where it could hopefully be used and seen by people isn’t such a bad thing, considering it’s been in private storage for close to 70 years now. Sentimentally a bit disappointing, but it didn’t exactly have much of a future in Mount Union for the foreseeable future.

The real fear of course is if something happened to it like what happened to #6 in Indiana. Can’t have that happen again.

I'm told it can be found at James Copenhaver on Facebook. I'm not computer literate enough to go get the photos.

Yes, the northern most several miles of the EBT were excluded in the sale to the EBTF as they had been previously purchased by someone else and that included the dual gauge yard at Mt. Union and the engine house and # 3.

Darn shame it couldn't have been saved for future inclusion in the reborn EBT.

Who knows maybe it will still end up there down the road??

Ross Rowland

Hello, I believe I was able to find the photos in question. I will post the link to them below, and I'll attempt to attach one picture to this post.

https://www.facebook.com/james.copenhaver.5/posts/6499267223462085?ref=embed_post

I hope this helps.

Interesting way to cut off the main rod...

Greetings:
I don't think that the main rod is cut off. The main rod has been slid out of the strap that holds the big end and the main rod big end bearing onto the main crank pin.
J.David

What would the black box photoshopped into the photo (behind the drivers) be blocking?

It's blocking a young child.

Hi All
All I can say the locomotive looks great in the new paint,, the person or the company that did the work should be congratulated because they did and excellent job...
Also letting her see daylight in 70 years did not hurt either,,, I don't know how you can call the locomotive as trashed...
There is no graffiti on the locomotive, just a well needed paint job, again congratulations on your work,, to the persons and/or company that did the work... Pat.

I am with J.D on this one. Without close up it sure looks like the rod was slid out of the bearing end which is still on the rod journal. Also agree the engine looks very nice all painted up. I can understand the sentiments of the engine leaving home and if "ifs were skiffs we could all row a boat". Just the way it is and sometimes we just don't get our wishes full filled right away or at all. With EBT so intact it does seem a shame to lose her. I know I sound like a railfan but, the paint does looks very nice. Regards, John.

I was told on good authority that those involved had cut the main rods so as to make the locomotive able to move on its own wheels. I'm very pleased that J. David says that is not the case.

Upon doing a little research I find that an individual named Larry Salone formed an entity a few years back that made a deal with the Kavalchick family to purchase the northern most 4 miles of the ng EBT into Mt. Union and the Mt. Union dual gauge yard, engine house and locomotive # 3.

If you Google Salone you'll see that he was heavily involved for a time in the Altoona Railroaders Memorial Museum ( 2006-2014 ??), and then heavily involved in the efforts to rebirth the EBT ( 2012-2017 ?? ) and that he has a number of personal bankruptcies in his past and lots of questions regarding his use of non profits to indirectly funnel monies to entities that he owns or controls.

Nevertheless, the Salone entity that owns the northern end of the EBT has evidently made a deal with someone to purchase EBT # 3 and it is about to go to the new owner unless the state steps in under the Historic Register law and prevents its departure. I'm not a lawyer and have no idea if that's even possible.

The good news is that the southern 95% of the EBT is undergoing a world class rebirth and will be a living, breathing national treasure for generations to come.

Ross Rowland

That main rod's not cut: it was removed from the big end, which has rotated on its journal so the empty 'jaws' point up, and probably unpinned at the little end -- it is hard to tell between the lighting and the black paint, but it appears the crosshead is not unkeyed from the piston rod, so the gudgeon pin was likely driven out, perhaps at the time the combination lever was taken down, and the rod itself would be in storage, perhaps in the tender.

You can see the child's hand just outside the box, against the driver rim.

I surmise the engine has been made free-running with as much 'balance' as possible, vs. just removing the main at the same time the eccentric crank and reach rod were disconnected. That reduces lubrication requirements to the journals and the rod bearings, and the engine augment might be virtually eliminated with a simple bobweight where the eccentric crank would mount.

Please double click on this enlargement.

I see that the radius rod and its associated parts are missing as well. This locomotive was 100% complete when last I saw it inside the engine house.

At least the paint job is nice...

It's not like it was going to run again. It is the most corroded engine that I have personally seen, due to being in the terrarium that the engine house was for years with its badly leaking roof. You could touch a rivet head on the boiler, and have it come off in your hand. Actually, I'm impressed that it would roll even with the main road cut. Just the same, I hate to see a steam locomotive being cut up for no reason.

Looking carefully at Kelly-s enlargement, I see the corner of the cut end of the main rod silhouetted against the driver rim -- looks like more than just 6" of length.

I concur that you see the cut forward end hanging -- I think the pin is still in place. Presumably the piston or crosshead is frozen, and this was the most expedient way to free it up to move.

This leaves me worried about just how the eccentric rod and crank were taken down... and what has happened to the combination lever if the eccentric rod was removed and the main rod cut.

Someone needs to take detail photographs that don't have the black washed out by underexposure and reflections.