East Broad Top status?

[ACY Tom]

I've heard some disturbing rumors about the status of the East Broad Top, specifically in Mt. Union, PA. Can anybody shed light on the status of the equipment & facilities?

[Overmod]

I have heard nothing firsthand, but there are several threads on RyPN including one that involves firsthand information from Mr. Kovalchick.

It does appear that large numbers of the cars at Mount Union are being cut up.  It does not mean that the railroad itself, or the shop complex, are in imminent danger.

[NorthWest]

As I understand it, the cars that are being scrapped are all standard gauge boxcars, not the narrow gauge hoppers. I'm not sure what this means for the future.

[Firelock76]

Could be the standard gauge boxcars are being scrapped strictly for the cash value, as they're of no use to a narrow-gauge 'road and the EBT could sure use the money.

At any rate if they're 40-plus years old they're no good for interchange with other 'roads anyway.

[MidlandMike]

The box cars are WWI wooden cars.  There are also a number of NG steel hopper cars that they plan to eventually scrap.  About 20 years ago I was in Mt. Union looking for the EBT yard.  I saw a woods where I thought the yard should be.  I walked into the woods to find a forest of 4" diameter trees had grown up in the yard.  Some of the hoppers were so rusted out that some had trees growing up thru holes.  There are preserved hoppers in the Rockhill yard.  For more info see last weeks Trains NewsWire story and 3 pages of comments at:

http://trn.trains.com/en/Railroad%20News/News%20Wire/2013/12/Standard%20gauge%20boxcars%20scrapped%20EBT%20hoppers%20safe%20for%20now.aspx

[ACY Tom]

First, let's be clear about the location. This is happening in Mount Union, PA, where the East Broad Top made connection with the PRR. It does not include the Rockhill Furnace yard, roundhouse, shops, and station where the tourist railroad was based, and where the narrow gauge locomotives and rolling stock are stored. I haven't heard any information one way or the other about whether these might be threatened now or in the future. The rumors do not address anything about the status of other fixtures (track, bridges, etc.) along the dormant line. I have known of the existence of these standard gauge boxcars for some time and have looked them over first hand, although not recently. They have been there since the early 1960's at least, and have had NO maintenance. Their latest paint indicates U. S. Army ownership, although older paint indicates Bangor & Aroostook ownership. They were all SUF outside braced cars with at least 2 variations of steel end styles, and I believe their length was about 36 feet. I think they all had Andrews trucks (if I remember correctly). Someone has suggested that the trucks had cast-in C of G lettering, but I can't confirm this because I never thought to look. If that is true, I don't know whether it means that the cars actually originated on C of G, or if the Army bought the cars with outdated trucks and re-trucked them with a batch of old C of G trucks. The last time I saw them (a year or more ago) it looked like restoration would require replacement of every bit of wood, and you would probably need at least 2 cars to provide enough REUSABLE steel parts to make one restored car. I have heard from several sources that the standard gauge boxcars have already been scrapped, but have not heard whether any vintage parts (such as trucks, couplers, brake gear, etc.) might have been saved to be available for other restoration projects. This is apparently being done by Kovalchik Salvage (which owns the E. B. T.), The rumor is that the property has been or will be sold. The narrow gauge cars at Mount Union are said to be next to go, with usable parts (trucks, etc.) to be saved for potential sale for reuse. E. B. T. standard gauge 0-6-0 switcher number 3 and a diesel critter are stored in the Mount Union enginehouse, and are said to be safe. The two standard gauge side dump cars are also said to be safe, although I have no information regarding the standard gauge tank car at the old prep. plant site.

[trackhammer]

I visited the Mt Union yard several years ago not knowing what I would find and was thrilled and fascinated to see all the old equipment hidden amongst the trees. It was my first time seeing dual gauge trackage "in the flesh" and I especially enjoyed seeing the dual gauge turnouts. I noticed that some of the army boxcars had fire damage, mostly on the floors. I hope that some of the mix of standard, dual and narrow gauge trackage as well as a couple of those army boxcars can be preserved. The East Broad Top is an absolute treasure.