Can FEBT "bring 18 and 29 home"? - PART I

[Anonymous]

Friends of the East Broad Top has a unique opportunity to bring two complete East Broad Top railroad passenger cars home. Near the end of EBT common-carrier operations, passenger-baggage combine no. 18 and baggage-mail car no. 29 were sold for tourist service. For the last several decades these cars have resided in Fort Lupton, Colorado. Now they are due to be sold at auction on July 20, 2002.

Though suffering from many years of exposure to the elements, both cars are complete with trucks and ironwork. Combine no. 18 even has its interior seats. While these cars require significant work, it appears quite practical to recondition them for service on the EBT.

At its April 6 meeting, the FEBT board of directors agreed to pursue the acquisition and return of these cars. We have obtained estimates for moving the cars to Pennsylvania and have an agreement in principle with the East Broad Top Railroad for outdoor storage at Rockhill Furnace.

The auction rules are simple. To buy a car, we must have cash in hand when we bid on July 20. To qualify as a bidder, we must have the financial ability to remove what we buy from the site within six weeks of purchase. This is an auction, and money talks.

No one can predict the going auction price for complete narrow-gauge passenger cars. We do know it will take approximately $30,000 to move both cars back to Pennsylvania and to protect them from the elements. Our board of directors can temporarily adjust some timelines for work on the current projects in our restoration program to provide part of the funds needed to bid on the cars now in Colorado, but we cannot cover the complete cost. Nor can we divert funds FEBT members have already donated to us for work on combine no. 16, our buildings in Robertsdale, or other restoration and development work. We need your help. The only way to bring these cars home to the EBT is to approach this auction with as large a war chest as possible.

The FEBT believes strongly in this project. We ask you for the generous support we must have to add this project to those already addressed in our current fund-raising campaign. Pledges are welcome, but funds must be on hand before the July 20 auction. If FEBT cannot successfully purchase at least one of the Colorado EBT cars, all donations to "bring 18 and 29 home" will be applied toward the restoration of combine no. 16 (unless your donation is accompanied by a written request that it be returned to you).

Please send your contributions for this initiative to FEBT restoration fund treasurer Nancy E. Jacqmin at the following address:

Friends of the East Broad Top
Restoration Fund Treasurer
513 Shady Avenue, No. 12
Pittsburgh PA 15206-4447

Mark your check (or indicate on the return envelope) that your donation is to be used to "bring 18 and 29 home." Note that contributions to support our effort to acquire these EBT passenger cars will be treated as part of our current fund-raising campaign. Thus each donor who contributes a donation of $50.00 or more will receive one of our art reproductions of Ted Rose's Mount Union Train.

For more details, visit http://www.febt.org/1829.html - Can FEBT "bring 18 and 29 home"?