“It has been a long process,” Salone says, “much longer than we thought.” The next step, he says, is hiring an engineering firm to assess the condition of the four-arch concrete bridge over the creek.
Salone says he is arranging private and commercial financing to purchase the rest of the railroad from Aughwick to Alvan, including the section between Orbisonia and Colgate Grove operated as a tourist railroad for many years. He declines to say how long that may take, but hopes it will be soon.
As soon as the weather breaks, track workers will resume inserting ties in the dual-gauge track in the Mount Union yard area and will proceed south to the industrial park near the village of Allenport.
Meanwhile, Salone says, an application is before the federal Surface Transportation Board to set up a new “EBT Connecting Railroad” to operate standard gauge track in Mount Union from a connection with Norfolk Southern at CP Jacks. The trackage serves an industrial park, which currently does not have any active rail customers.
Yes it will be wonderful if any of the East Broad Top RR can be restored and maintained in operating condition. The more the merrier! If it wasn't for the decision of Nick Kovalchick, not to dismantle it after his company purchased it in the mid 1950s, there would be little or nothing to preserve in any fashion now. Thanks to Nick Kovalchick.
I am very happy to hear that the dual gauge trackage at Mt Union is being saved. Let's hope that as much as possible of the original and remaining facilities of the line can be saved as well. I explored the Mt Union and Rockhill Furnace yards a few years ago. Good luck and bravo to all involved in the EBT preservation efforts and I look forward to visiting the line again.
Congrats to Mr. Salone and the EBTPA! Let's hope that this is another positive step in securing the EBT's future.
Thanks to those who put in the work and creative ideas to make these things happen!
So does this mean that the,all be able to hual freight with the narrow gauge steamers? That be cool.
It would be great to see the EBT be revitalized and reopened.
Caveat Donator!
Before giving to his charity, google "Larry Salone" and review his organization's IRS filings, which are available at guidestar.org.
Bill Thoms,
I would very much like to see track between Chama and Durango (not to mention the Farmington branch and Antonito to Alamosa and the Chili line…). But it has to be able to pay for itself, somehow.
Absent the break-of-gauge issue the problem with that stretch of track is the lack of on-line traffic. The San Juan Extension was a product of the Silver Purchase Act which was repealed in 1893. This repeal was the death knell for rail service in the San Juans, though it managed to totter on for another 60 years.
But it would be very nice to see…
EBTC filed with the STB today to operate at Mount Union.
FEBT listed at goodsearch.com
The need to differentiate between the two affiliated properties may lie within the IRS regulations. I believe the EBT preservation effort is under the not for profit rules, and if they make too much money with the connecting railroad there is a potential tax problem. Thus the connecting railroad operates as a for profit entity which donates sufficient monies to the non-profit entity to lessen or avoid taxation.
Just call it East Broad Top. There's just no need for "Connecting" in the name whatsoever.
Good for the EBT group! What an accomplishment it would be for them to get ownership of the entire railroad and finally control their own destiny.
Hopefully opening the standard-gauge subsidiary into the Mount Union industrial park will provide a reliable income stream to support their preservation efforts.
Best wishes to them for continued success!
Wouldn't that be great!
I can't think of better news except getting a TIGER grant to relay track between Chama and Durango.