East Broad Top

[Grewup on the CW]

East Broad Top back in business or are they trying to drum up funds to re open?

PhotoID: 715152 Photograph © Marc Glucksman/River Rail Photo

PhotoID: 715160 Photograph © Marc Glucksman/River Rail Photo

[mowingman]

It was just a special photo event. No, not back in business, and not raising money to open back up.
Jeff

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by mowingman

It was just a special photo event. No, not back in business, and not raising money to open back up.
Jeff

Concur. I suspect that the event was organized by and for people who WISH that the EBT could operate again. Unfortunately, I was committed to another charter event last weekend and could not have attended, even if I had known about it in time to get one of the tickets.

Quite honestly, I think the next major milestone for EBT will happen either when some sugar-daddy buys the railroad to save it (least likely), or when the owner passes, and his estate sells it off.....quite possibly piece by piece (more likely). The owner apparently does care that it all stays together, but who knows about the family. They might just be looking to cash in the chips.

It's sad that Paul Allen is gone. He had an interest in history, and the funds it would take to save and develop the EBT would have been chump change for him.

[Grewup on the CW]

Thanks for the info. Now to just win the lottery......

[KevinM]

The owner is said to want several million dollars for the operation (lock, stock and barrel), and from a practical standpoint, any potential buyer would need at least an equivalent amount of cash just to rehab the equipment and facilities into something that could regularly run. It would require the inspection/repair of at least two steam locomotives and some restoration work on the historic rolling stock. And then there's the question of what do you use to haul visitors on a regular basis? It probably wouldn't be wise to do that with the historic passenger cars. Best to leave those for special operations. EBT had lots of cobbled-together, open tourist cars, but those were pretty beat when the operation closed, and not really suitable for 3-season operation. Lastly, the place really needed a destination for the train ride. The picnic grove in the woods really wasn't something most people would drive 2-3 hours to see. Now, if the train were to run to Mt. Union, and lay over for an hour or two, that might be more attractive, if there were restaurants and/or historic sites to visit within walking distance.

Realistically, I think that about the only way the EBT could survive is for someone to set up some sort of historic trust, to operate it as a museum. It's viability as a tourist railroad is doubtful, mainly because of its remoteness, the lack of a nearby patronage pool with lots of disposable income and because the current equipment is really unsuitable for everyday tourist operations.

[miningcamper1]

Colorado and New Mexico saved what became the Cumbres & Toltec.
West Virginia saved what is now the Cass Scenic.
Why can't Pennsylvania do likewise with the East Broad Top???

[EMTRailfan]

Originally Posted by miningcamper1

Colorado and New Mexico saved what became the Cumbres & Toltec.
Why can't Pennsylvania do likewise with the East Broad Top???

PA couldn't even save a bridge until it was too late and killed a RR because of their exemplary reactionary habits to everything instead of being proactive. But hey, we have a beautiful viewing platform now that raises next to nothing for income for the Commonwealth vs. an operating railroad raising tax income from selling passenger tickets to ride across said Commonwealth owned bridge and souvenirs on top of the freight revenue and employee income taxes that they were generating.

[ShortlinesUSA]

Not for nothing, but Pennsylvania does have one of the most generous shortline grant programs of any state. Much of what the Reading & Northern is doing to expand service comes from state grants.

[Decapod401]

Originally Posted by ShortlinesUSA

Not for nothing, but Pennsylvania does have one of the most generous shortline grant programs of any state. Much of what the Reading & Northern is doing to expand service comes from state grants.

Nice thought, Mike, but unless the EBT starts hauling coal, ganister rock, and other commodities to enable industrial development, I can't imagine that it would even remotely qualify for such a grant.

[bbrant]

This was posted on a local news station website. Looks like there's some hope for the EBT yet.

https://wjactv.com/news/local/nonpro...ate-and-reopen

[Decapod401]

Another link:

https://www.pennlive.com/life/2020/0...new-owner.html

[miningcamper1]

Great news for a change! (See Marc Glucksman/River Rail Photo's latest photos.)

Here's hoping the new management will eventually re-open even more of the line!