East Broad Top Pictorial '96

Fall Spectacular, Oct 12-13, 1996

Rockhill Yard [96,hopstring] 600x403 (62k) - 1200x806 (198k)
A string of operable hoppers sits in Rockhill. Run as a unit train last year, it was idle this year.

Edge of Rockhill [96,edge] 600x402 (55k) - 1200x803 (179k)
This westernmost track in Rockhill leads to the paint shop and provides a second lead for the turntable. It's suffered a bit from erosion by the adjacent stream (looking north).

#17 at Coaling Tower [96,17coal] 600x401 (53k) - 1200x802 (162k)
#17 pauses at the coaling tower before switching over and heading to the roundhouse.

#17 Heads to Roundhouse [96,17rural] 600x405 (61k) - 1200x810 (203k)
After a short test run down the main and taking on some coal, #17 heads back to the roundhouse for the night.

Sleeping Hoppers [96,hop1] 600x402 (69k) - 1200x803 (205k)
Regular hoppers, the only (?) side-dump hopper, and extra trucks sleep away in Rockhill. The amusement park cars used for their benches can be seen inside the shed windows.

Sleeping Hoppers 2 [96,hop2] 600x404 (57k) - 1200x808 (173k)
Same Rockhill hoppers from a different view. The near track is one side of the wye.

Side Dump Hopper [96,sidedump] 600x402 (64k) - 1200x804 (196k)
The side dump hopper in Rockhill yard.

Preparatory Welding [96,weld] 600x392 (51k)
One of the dedicated folks of the EBT welds railing stanchions onto the unused rail to aid in crowd control.

Orbisonia Station Platform [96,platform] 317x480 (26k) - 574x900 (81k)
The day before the Spectacular offers generally unobstructed shots, like this one of cars being shuffled.

Portait [96,portrait] 323x480 (20k) - 605x900 (61k)
#15 pauses by in front of the shops while shuffling cars in preparation for the spectacular.

Rockhill Roundhouse [96,round3] 600x391 (44k) - 1200x782 (154k)
A happy roundhouse shot as the Mikes are hostled.

Orbisonia Station [96,station1] 600x395 (32k) - 1200x790 (109k)
The station at night (somewhat obvious, no?)

Roundhouse [96,round1] 600x397 (32k) - 1200x794 (122k)
#17 is tucked in for the night.

Rear of Roundhouse [96,round2] 600x396 (30k) - 1200x791 (151k)
When so many roundhouses are decaying or gone, *this* is a happy roundhouse; locomotives behind every window and over half are steaming. (Yes, I know this is a poor exposure, due to low flash power and not helped by grainy, high speed film.)

Mt Union Yard [96,mtu2] 600x396 (84k)
The north end of Mt. Union Yard behind the EBT's engine shed. There are several more tracks above the retaining wall at right (looking north).

Air Dump Car #13 [96,dualcplr] 304x480 (32k) - 570x900 (101k)
One of the gems in the yard at Mt Union, is air dump car #13, located near the enginehouse. Capable of coupling to either narrow or standard cars on dual-gauge track, this is a standard gauge car on standard gauge trucks with two couplers on each end. The larger, higher coupler is for standard gauge cars, and the second coupler is offset for narrow gauge cars.

Michael Kandolf adds:
It was used primarily to haul "boney" from the coal cleaning plant to the big piles of boney at the east end of Mount Union yard. The dual gauge couplers were probably so it could mate with a similar car #12, also an air dump car, but narrow gauge. Both of these cars are seen in Deane Mellander's "East Broad Top - Slim Gauge Survivor" book on page 111 [note: captions are reversed]. Most of the switching in Mount Union was done with the two standard gauge 0-6-0's which were equipped with dual couplers.
For running standard gauge cars on the main line, the one-piece cast aluminum adapter was used. Some good pictures of this item can be found on page 20 "Slim Gauge Survivor" and on page 26 of Grenard and Kramer's "East Broad Top - To the Mines and Back."

Air Dump Car #13 [96,dump1] 600x394 (61k) - 1200x787 (193k)
This is the opposite end of the car shown above. There are dual couplers on this end as well. This view shows the old standard gauge trucks.

Air Dump Car #12 [96,dump2] 319x480 (39k) - 598X900 (116k)
This is air dump car #12, stored with #13. The body is of standard gauge proportions but it is sitting on narrow gauge trucks (see the 1999 Winter Hop photos for a view of the trucks).

M-7 [96,m7] 600x412 (74k) - 1200x823 (230k)
[right side cropped a little]
One of the former Sault Ste. Marie diesels purchased 2 years ago has received a complete exterior treatment and been added to the roster as "M-7". Once again, it was called into service Sunday afternoon to help out at Colgate Grove.

Blacklog Creek [96,blacklog] 600x397 (67k) - 1200x794 (225k)
Just north of Orbisonia station.

Aughwick Creek [96,aughwick] 600x392 (59k)
Between Mt. Union and Shirleysburg, this deteriorating bridge over Aughwick Creek is one of the major obstacles to restoring service. Mt. Union is to the right.

#17 at Runk Rd [96,17scurve] 600x405 (59k) - 1200x810 (189k)
#17 heads into the S-curve just north of Runk Rd.

#12,15 Doublehead [96,dblhead1] 600x407 (48k) - 1200x801 (164k)
#12,15 take the open train north on the fill to Runk Rd. When there's such beautiful scenery, why go trackside for a closeup of the engine when you can do that while it's parked in the yard?

#12,15 at Runk Rd [96,dblhead4] 600x402 (52k) - 1200x804 (190k)
The doubleheader whistles at Runk Road (bridge at right).

#12,15 at Runk Rd [96,dblhead2] 326x480 (32k) - 612x900 (101k)
[slight crop at bottom]
Heading into the S-curve north of Runk Rd. Telephoto is also nice, rather than obscuring the subject to get close with a 50mm, with a 300mm you can shoot from rt522.

#14 South of Runk Rd [96,pass] 600x806 (67k) - 1200x403 (237k)
#14 takes the passenger train back to Orbisonia. Taken from across rt522 over top of a cornfield. Thanks to Kurt, for finding this spot.

#17 North of the Overpass [96,17freight] 600x800 (43k) - 1200x400 (144k)
[overhead wire airbrushed out of very upper right corner]
Returning to Orbisonia. Moo cows! (beyond boxcar).

#12 on Point [96,dblhead3] 600x401 (64k) - 1200x801 (206k)
#12 leads #15 on the same doubleheaded open train back to Orbisonia, north of the overpass.

#15 Following [96,dblhead5] 600x399 (62k) - 1200x797 (200k)
#15 follows #12 on the doubleheader back to Orbisonia, north of the overpass.

#27 [96,27scenic] 600x406 (70k) - 1200x811 (234k)
Caboose #27 in a scenic setting.

Pogue [96,pogue] 600x400 (73k) - 1200x800 (251k)
Enough chasing already. This is the bridge at Pogue, the largest on the EBT. The left end approach is a long, high fill. Rockhill is to the right.

Pogue [96,pogue2] 600x405 (83k) - 1200x810 (273k)
The other side of the bridge at Pogue. Rockhill is away from the camera.

Saltillo Station [96,salt1] 600x400 (43k) - 1200x800 (150k)
The station at Saltillo. The main and a siding/spur? are behind, opposite the sunlit side. Rockhill is to the rear right.

Saltillo Station [96,salt2] 600x397 (50k) - 1200x794 (174k)
The opposite sides of the Saltillo station. The lines of "rough" in the foreground mark the tracks. The water tower stood behind the camera.

Cooks to Wray's Hill [96,hike] 600x401 (88k)
The hike from Cooks to Wray's Hill south portal looks like this all the way. A moutain on the left, the tracks, a little streamside area (a random stone retaining wall in some places), and the tumbling Trough Creek. Definitely a nice hike (looking toward Wray's Hill/Rockhill).

Trough Creek [96,wraybridge] 600x398 (68k) - 1200x796 (211k)
Just south of Wray's Hill Tunnel, the tracks cross Trough Creek on this bridge. Rocky Ridge Station and Wray's Hill Tunnel are behind the camera, looking towards Cooks.

Rocky Ridge Station [96,rocky] 600x403 (87k) - 1200x806 (283k)
Rocky Ridge station is at the south portal of Wray's Hill Tunnel (looking towards Wray's Hill Tunnel, tracks to the right).

Rocky Ridge Station [96,rocky2] 600x401 (71k) - 1200x801 (228k)
Rocky Ridge station looking from the tunnel portal. With the tunnel, the station, the stream, the hills, and the bridge, this area is very scenic now and would be perfection with service restoration.

Wray's Hill Tunnel [96,wrayext] 600x400 (62k) - 1200x800 (197k)
The south portal of Wray's Hill tunnel. Both portals are concrete lined for about 20ft, beyond which is bare rock. The wooden frame held the rolling steel door, which is now lying on the ground in a roll.

Wray's Hill Tunnel [96,wrayint] 600x401 (49k) - 1200x802 (153k)
The interior of the south portal. Just beyond the concrete liner the ceiling has collapsed, the wooden poles marking the original sides and ceiling. The light at left foreground is from "daylighting", as th hole runs all the way up to the ground. It is DARK, there is a constant dripping of water, and a cool, musty breeze flowed steadily out. Definitely spooky. Despite being a straight bore, there was no light from the other end. I did not venture beyond the liner, in fact, it's probably a good idea to stay out altogether. Ambient light, f8,~30 sec.

Company Store [96,rob1] 600x399 (42k) - 1200x798 (143k)
This is the company store in Robertsdale, built in 1874 and quite a mess. Rockhill is to the right.

Company Store [96,rob3] 600x405 (71k) - 1200x810 (240k)
The track side of the company store. Rockhill is to the right.

Robertsdale Station [96,rob2] 600x403 (35k) - 1200x806 (111k)
This is the station in Robertsdale with the company store in the background. The tracks are in the foreground (looking towards Rockhill).

Wye at Robertsdale [96,robwye] 600x403 (70k)
The wye at Robertsdale converges to its eastern point at this creek just behind the current post office (formerly EBT offices). The frog and points are just on the other side of the bridge.

#17 in Roundhouse [96,17round] 324x480 (31k) - 608x900 (82k)
Looking across the ash pit and turntable at #17, parked for the night.

#14 [96,14turn] 600x403 (49k) - 1200x805 (144k)
#14 sits over the ash pit by the turntable.

York Railways car [96,dualtrol] 322x480 (36k) - 604x900 (100k)
York Railways #163 from the Railway to Yesterday trolley museum rides the dual gauge track on the Rockhill wye.

Night Trains [96,night2] 600x402 (20k) - 1200x804 (58k)

Night Trains [96,night] 326x480 (12k) - 611x900 (33k)
Saturday evening sees locomotives 15 and 14 getting ready for the two night trains.

Night Train [96,cab] 600x400 (19k) - 1200x799 (57k)
The fireman is hard at work getting #15 steamed up for the night train at Rockhill. Ambient light, f5.6,~2 sec.

Mt Union Tipple [96,tipple] 600x401 (59k) - 1200x801 (204k)
This tipple was for loading highway trucks. This photo shows a pair of chutes back to back, and another pair are just to the left of the photo on the same trestle.

Mt Union Yard [96,mtu] 600x405 (53k) - 1200x809 (192k)
Looking north, the left track leads to the tipple shown in the preceding photo. There are many tracks loaded with hoppers in the forest at right. Most of the tracks In Mt Union are dual gauge.
NARCO Brick Factory?? [96,brick] 600x398 (64k)
These are the remains of [something] along the east side of the Mt Union yard (looking north).

Concete Cone [96,cone] 600x404 (114k)
The concrete settling cone and various foundations from the coal cleaning plant in the Mt. Union yard.

Tank Car in Mt Union Yard [96,tank] 600x405 (84k)
A standard gauge single dome tank car sits in the southeast area of the Mt Union yard, next to the concrete settling cone of the coal cleaning plant.
Rt 522 Overpass [96,overpass] x480 (39k) - x900 (129k)
Rt 522 passes over the track and Aughwick Creek just north of Shirleysburg (looking north).

RTY's "Pink Panther" [96,panther] 600x402 (61k) - 1200x804 (183k)
The trolley museum's standard gauge switcher sits near the shed at the east end of the Rockhill wye.

Tales of the Pink Panther by Andy van Scyoc

#14 on Wye [96,14wye] 600x405 (62k) - 1200x810 (193k)
The crew of #14 begins the reverse move on the Rockhill wye after unloading the passengers.

#17 on Dual Gauge [96,dual17] 322x480 (43k) - 604x900 (120k)
#17 rides the dual gauge track of the Rockhill wye.

Rockhill [96,overlook] 600x402 (50k) - 1200x803 (164k)
An overview of the Rockhill yard. Can you spot all four Mikes? (the fourth's cab is above the grey boxcar's door).

Rockhill Coke Ovens [96,cokeoven] 600x408 (95)
Just to the east of the 'boney' pile in Rockhill are these remains of the beehive coke ovens. There are two double rows, the first row has 2x20 ovens, the second has about 2x40 (or more??) ovens. Simple brick domes, the fronts have collapsed on all of them, and about 1/4 have completely collapsed.

Wheel Lathe [96,lathe] 600x408 (43k) - 1200x818 (124k)
This wheel lathe was used to profile the tires on wheels and drivers. The three-speed drive wheel is at bottom right, and the cutting tool was used on the right wheel. When done, the wheelset would be rolled to the "turntable" in the foreground, spun around, rolled back up to the lathe and the other wheel cut.

Brass Furnace [96,foundry] 600x405 (k) - 1200x810 (k)
In the foundry are two funaces, one for iron (see 1995 photos) and this smaller one for brass and other high temperature metals. Note the overhead boom for positioning ladels, the brick wall lining to prevent fires, and the stairs up to the coal bunker for the iron furnace.

Machine Shop [96,shop] 600x403 (48k) - 1200x806 (134k)
An overview of the machine shop. In the foreground are two lathes, with a drill press and large planing table in the rear. Along the back are spare parts, wrenches, and the bins where the drill bits, cutting faces, etc were stored.

Machine Shop [96,parts] 322x480 (34k) - 604x900 (95k)
Spare parts, scraps, etc at the back of the machine shop.

Shear/Punch Machine [96,shear] 600x401 (39k) - 1200x802 (103k)
This giant machine dominates the boiler shop, the basic structure being over 6ft tall. Used to work sheet steel, the left side is a shear and the right side is a hole punch.

Shop Boilers [96,boiler] 323x480 (32k) - 605x900 (89k)
These are the twin Babcock&Wilcox boilers that provided steam and mechanical power for the machinery, air for the furnaces, and heat for the employees. The twin stacks visible from outside start here. The new wood framing was installed between the '94 and '95 Spectaculars as structural reinforcement.

#14 [96,14return] 600x409 (57k) - 1200x817 (194k)
#14 returns to Orbisonia station after a trip to Colgate Grove.

Traffic Jam [96,trafjam] 325x480 (21k) - 609x900 (58k)
The preceding train has run into trouble at Colgate Grove, so the crews of the following doubleheader cut off the lead locomotive at McMullins Summit for individual reverse moves back to Rockhill. After clearing the main, M-7 is dispatched to Colgate Grove to help.

Rockhill Yard [96,hopstring2] 600x401 (43k) - 1200x802 (143k)
The string of operable hoppers in Rockhill recreate a scene from the past.

Sideling Hill Tunnel [96,sideling] 325x480 (58k) - 609x900 (190k)
The unlined west portal of Sideling Hill Tunnel.

The Competition [96,hbtmrr] 600x402 (49k) - 1200x804 (163k)
This locomotive commemorates the standard gauge Huntingdon and Broad Top Mountain RR at Dudley, PA, just west of Robertsdale. It hauled coal from the same coal fields to Huntingdon. This is not an actual H&BTM locomotive.

page by Bill Adams