Unofficial Visitor's Guide to the East Broad Top

OK, let's get back to the tour. PA 994 turns to the south at the STOP sign, approx. 200 yards west of the Orbisonia depot. As you sit at the STOP sign, notice the small bungalo in the SE corner of the intersection (map ref. C); that was the residence of the late Mr. C. Roy Wilburne, last operating VP of the EBT. He came to the area as a mining engineer for the coal company in the 30s, ran the coal cleaning plant at Mt. Union for several years, and finally became Operating VP of the EBT -- a post he held until his retirement in 1989. Wilburne died in 1991. Across the street from Wilburne's home (to your immediate left) is a large structure that currently houses the local VFW post (map ref. D). It is known as the Markle House and was the residence of the EBT presidents. Quite a difference in status between Pres. and Op. VP, wouldn't you say!?

South of Rockhill/Orbisonia, the EBT climbs out of the Blacklog watershed and turns west to begin the climb to the Broad Top coalfield. The ROW parallels PA 994 for most of the way to the village of Three Springs. About a mile south of Rockhill, the railroad runs through a cut beside the highway and passes under a single lane road bridge (map ref. E). This marks Jordan Summit, the divide between the Blacklog Valley water shed and the Aughwick Valley to the west.

The highway and railroad turn west together and descend into Aughwick Valley; the highway following the rolling contours and the EBT using a series of cuts and fills. Just east of the South Huntingdon County High School (map ref. F), the track crosses PA 994 at grade and runs through the school's front lawn as it approaches the EBT's 265-ft deck truss bridge over Aughwick Creek. A county road runs under the west end of the bridge from an oblique intersection immediately at that end of the highway bridge. This bridge has been called, variously Upper Aughwick, Beersville, and Pogue over the years. Pogue is the name given to the small collection of houses 1/4 mi. to the west; it was originally named Beersville.

Map 4 (Not to Scale)
USGS QUADS:  ORBISONIA, SHADE GAP, SALTILLO
                                    PA 994
   PA 829/                              |#|+~ \ Orbisonia
    655                        Rockhill#|#|+ ~ \##
 +  |                                  -|---)-(-X-#
\+/#/#                                 C|D + ~  #\  US 522
/+\/#                                  #|  ++ ~   \-to I76-)   
L+/#                                   #|  +ñ ~ 
|X--#                                  #|# ++  ~~~~~~~~~~~~
/# |#                                   |  +    Blacklog Cr
K+ |                                    |  +
 + |J                                   |  +
 + |PA 829                              |  +      _LEGEND_
+  /                                    | +    
+ |#                                    | +     -  2 Lanes
+#|#Three                     ~         | +     +  RR Tracks
+#|#Springs    |--------|   | ~         |--E    ~  Water
--X--     H   +|+)(+++++|++ | ~    #F   | + \   #  Structure
+##\#   ++)(++ | G      |  +)++++(++    / +  \  X  Signal
 +  \)(--------|--------|---|)-(-------/ +    \
  ++)(++                      ~      +++
    I                         ~

The EBT crosses Three Springs Creek three times between Pogue and the town of Three Springs. I was not able to fit the creek in on the map. Another county road runs north from PA 994 about 1/4 mile west of the Pogue bridge. It crosses the tracks and Three Springs Creek at the east (north running) end of Pogue siding and turns west, with the creek between it and the railroad. About 1 mile west, the creek zig zags to the south (map ref. G). The railroad crosses on a steel through girder bridge (Price's Bridge) approximately 50 ft long. The county road recrosses the RR after another mile and joins PA 994.

Back on PA 994, continue west. The railroad is generally out of sight in the valley to the right (north), but it follows the creek to the southwest near the town of Three Springs. About 1/2 mile east of the town, it crosses the creek over a large, skewed, through girder bridge (Kyler's Bridge) and runs adjacent to the highway. The bridge is visible in a field about 100 yds. to the north of PA 994. It's hard to find a place to park really close to the bridge.

After another 1/2 mile, the EBT crosses to the south side of the highway and, almost immediately, both cross the Creek once more before entering Three Springs. There is an open area on the south side of PA 994 at the east end of the bridge where you can pull over if you want to inspect the Three Springs bridge. Incidentally, with an eye to the future, EBT management used standard gauge clearances and when it installed new bridges. This prescient act enabled it to haul standard gauge cars (re-trucked with modified 3- ft gauge trucks at Mt. Union) at least as far as Saltillo, thus saving the expense of break bulk ops at the Mt. Union interchange. During the construction of the PA Turnpike in the 30's, many loads of construction materials were moved to a transloading point at the end of the Shade Gap Branch in standard gauge cars, most notibly cement in covered hoppers. Imagine the sight of an EBT mike dwarfed by two or three covered hoppers! But, I digress . . .

Unfortunately, there is nothing of the EBT left in Three Springs, except the tracks and a street sign. At one time, the Atlantic Refining Co. (predecessors of ARCO, in think) maintained storage tanks in Three Springs that were served by the EBT. The traffic was not very heavy, apparently, but car rosters are not necessarily an indication since the EBT regularly moved standard gauge cars over the mainline on narrow gauge trucks. The oil facility, as well as the depot, are gone. You can get to the site by turning left (south) on PA 994 at the traffic light (I _know_ I said the only traffic light south of Mt. Union was in Orbisonia . . . the one here is the only other one, I swear!) and driving one block to the grade crossing. Turning left onto Railroad St, you'll see a dark patch with numerous cars and some small trees next to the tracks; that's where the depot stood. The oil storage tanks were in the SW corner of the intersection of tracks and road.

Back at the traffic light, follow PA 829 to Saltillo. Saltillo, according to local tradition, was named for a battle in the Mexican War (ca. 1846) in which a local volunteer company fought. But the local pronunciation is distinctly S. PA: Sal TIL luh.

Saltillo was an important spot in EBT operations, being approximately halfway from Orbisonia to the coal field. Saltillo sits at the foot of the long, steep (2.75%) climb to Robertsdale, the coal company town and center of EBT's coal field operations. A covered water tank was built on the bank of Three Springs Creek, and beyond that, was a wye. Local industry included a tannery and baseball bat factory and Saltillo was a shipping point for RR ties and other rough lumber.

During WWII, a spur was built from the south (north running) end of the siding and climbed a 4% grade to the NARCO gannister rock quarry on the side of Jacks Mountain. Gannister rock a form of quartz, was the key ingredient in the silica fire bricks that were made by three different plants in Mt. Union (SEE Pt 2). The grade of the NARCO spur crosses PA 829 about halfway between Three Springs and Saltillo at the point where a power line passes over the highway (map ref. J). It is now a jeep trail. Access to the quarry is possible, but equip yourself with a 4WD vehicle and USGS contour map.

To get to the EBT "facilities" in Saltillo, turn left (south) at the intersection onto PA 655 (I think there might be a flashing traffic light). The weathered red depot (map ref. K) is ahead of you, on the left (east) side of the road, after crossing the tracks. It is in a badly deteriorated condition and the roof has a few holes in it. Without intervention soon, it will probably collapse on its own. Some temporary protection from the elements may come in the form of loaned tarps for the roof and other volunteer aid via a newly formed public nonprofit preservation group. At any rate, get your pictures while you can.

The enclosed water tank stood at the end of a side street (map ref. L) that runs along the west side of the track. It was burned by local kids in January, 1990. The concrete foundation is still there, as is the through girder bridge over Three Springs Creek next to it. A basketball backboard marks the spot.

Part 6: Saltillo to Cooks

Map 5 (Not to Scale)
USGS QUADS:  SALTILLO, SAXTON                  PA 829/655
                                          |-----|
                               Coles      | +++ |                                                              
                               +++        |+   +|
                              + | +       |+  ++X_ PA 829
                             +  | +       +     /Saltillo
                       ~    +   | +      +|    |
                      \ ~  ++   | +     + |   _|  
                       \ ~PP+   | +   /+ \|__/ |-- PA 994
                       |  +     |N+  | +  PA994|  
  _LEGEND_              \ + + /-|-+\ | +     PA 655
                        |+~  |  | + \/ +
-  2 Lanes      PA994___|+~_+|     ++M+
+  RR Tracks       Cooks|+ ~O
#  Structures           |+ ~
~  Water               /\+ ~ Trough
X  Signal             /  +\_~ Creek
                     |   +  ~
                     |   + ~
                     |  \+/~
                     | ~/+\ 
                     | ~ Q

If you want to follow the track, leave Saltillo on PA 655/829 north and turn left (west) at the first road beyond the edge of town. Looking 100-200 yds to the south, you should see the grade above you as it follows the ridge to gain elevation. Proceed west on this side road about 1/2 mile to a "T" intersection. The track is immediately above you to the left (south) as it turns sharply to the south. Turn left (south) and follow this road to Fairview Rd. Soon you will pass the church on your left and, about 100 yds further south, the track emerges from a cut to cross the road and continues to the southwest. Continue on this road to the intersection with PA 994.

If you want to take the most direct route to Robertsdale, leave Saltillo on PA 655 south and turn right (west) on PA 994. You will pass an elementary school in a field on the right and wind through a series of hollows. Just beyond (west of) the "T" junction with the road from Fairview, PA 994 climbs steeply onto the side of Sidling Hill. Just at the point where the road begins the straight, climb to the top, the EBT crosses at grade. The concrete lined north portal of Sidling Hill Tunnel (map ref. M) is accessible by walking the tracks a little less than 1/4 to the south. There is a wide spot suitable for parking near the entrance to a dirt road that parallels the track. A short, easy walk takes you to the portal. Wooden doors were installed on this portal and at Wrays Hill Tunnel about 1912 to help keep temperatures above freezing. In the early 50s, the EBT replaced the wooden doors with electrically operated metal roll-up doors. Today, the doors are almost completely rusted away; the door frame at Sidling Hill has collapsed onto the tracks.

The road makes a hairpin turn at the top of Sidling Hill and drops down into a spot known as Kimmel. Right at the base of the west side of the hill, the EBT crosses again, and disappears into the undergrowth. Another open front shelter, the Kimmel flagstop, sat in the southeastern corner of the grade crossing. From the northwest corner, an overgrown access road leads to the site of the Kimmel section shed (map ref. N).

On the opposite side of the narrow valley, the main road jogs left, then right as it climbs up Wrays Hill. The semi-paved Coles Valley Rd. runs north from this area and reaches the mule shoe curve that crosses from Sidling Hill to Wrays Hill.

Continuing on PA 994, the grade of the Joller Branch will be on the hillside above you to the right (west). At the top, the road turns 90 degrees right. After turning, immediately to your right (south) you will see a rock cut through which the track passed on its way to the Miller Valley (later Joller) mine (map ref. O). There are places to park on either side of the road a short distance from this spot. NOTE: DO NOT BE CONFUSED BY THE MAP WITH THIS ARTICLE. TROUGH CREEK DOES NOT RUN THROUGH JOLLER; JOLLER IS ON THE MOUNTAIN ABOVE TROUGH CREEK VALLEY. There was a small community here into the late 1970s, when the owner evicted the few remaining residents to make way for strip mining operations. The entire area is now public land, controlled by the PA. Fish & Game Commission. The foundations, ruins of the slope mine powerhouse, and the mine opening are accessible by walking in from the parking area or by walking the grade of the S-Curve fill across the road from the rock cut. The fill was originally a wood trestle, which curved in both planes, being in the middle of a vertical curve.

Joller, by the way, is another of those post office confusion stories. The original owner of the mine was John (or J. O.) Miller and the company town was known as Miller Valley. But, once again, there was another Post Office with the same name in PA, so Joller was chosen from the owner's first and middle initials and the last 4 letters of his surname.

From Joller, PA 994 drops down into Trough Creek Valley, crossing the EBT at the village of Cooks. This is a beautiful area during the Fall Foliage season. The road crosses the track at the north end of the Cooks passing siding. Following the 1889 flood, Trough Creek was diverted to the east side of the ROW and two troublesome bridges were replaced by pipe culverts in this area. A piece of concrete from one of the demolished bridge abutments is visible in the streambed on the east side of the grade about 50 yds south of the grade crossing.

The south portal of Wrays Hill Tunnel and the dilapidated Rocky Ridge Depot (map ref. P) can be reached by walking the track for about 3/4 mile. It is one of the most beautiful nature walks you'll ever take, but you'll need to wade Trough Creek to actually get next to the depot and tunnel, since there is no longer a floor to the bridge there and it's very dangerous to try and walk across the often slippery flanges of the girders. Drive north from Cooks, with the track on your right (east). Soon after the road veers to the left, away from the ROW, find a spot to park and walk down to the track. There is a well worn path on and beside the track all the way to Rocky Ridge. This is a beautiful 15-20 minute walk: hemlock and mountain laurel abound and Trough Creek through here is a swift, tumbling mountain stream. The appearance of a passing siding tells you when you're close.

Another nice walk takes you the Martin's Old Mill Bridge, a standard EBT steel through girder (map ref. Q). To get to the start point, turn off the highway onto a dirt road at the south end of Cooks. The intersection is just south of the point at which the highway bears left and starts to climb the mountain.

Part 7: The EBT Coal Fields & Company Towns

Map 6 (Not to Scale)
USGS QUADS:  SALTILLO, SAXTON

              to Cooks
                                 ~ +
                 |               ~ +
                 |               ~ +
                 |               ~\+/V
                 |               ~/+\~~  Trough
                 |             ##  +   ~  Creek
   Broad Top     |             ---|++  ~
      (-PA 913/919---------|#     |++++)( +   
     City                  |#####S|++T ~  |###
                           --------++---)(|-  Robertsdale
    _LEGEND_               ###### R++U |~ |###
                                   ++ W|~X|------)PA 913
   -  2 Lanes                      +++ |~ \###  
   +  RR Tracks                  Y +++ |~#|#
   #  Structures                   +++  ~#|#
   ~  Waters                      +++   ~#|#
                                Z +++   ~ \#
                                  +++  ~  |
                                  ++   ~  To
                                  +   ~ Woodvale

Coming into town from the west, the first major building you see is the random stone company store (map ref. S). It is considered by preservationists at the national, state, and local level as the _essential_ center piece to an interpretive site when/if tourist service is opened this far. Unfortunately, it is heavily deteriorated and will require a complete rebuild, including expensive clean up work in the basement.

Across the street is the passenger depot (map ref. R), built in 1917 and currently leased by the Friends of the EBT for use as its temporary museum. A small freight warehouse, long gone now, sat to the north inside the wye. The FEBT has almost completely restored the depot to its common carrier era appearance. The depot also housed the scale mechanism for weighing loaded hopper cars before their being dispatched to Mt. Union. The scale pit was outside the bay window. The museum is supposed to be open weekends May - Oct.

Across the tracks from the company store is a two story concrete block building that housed the coal company offices (map ref. T). It now houses the Robertsdale Post Office.

Across the tracks from the depot is another concrete block two-story building that housed the post office during common carrier years. Now owned by FEBT, it is slowly being restored and will be the permanent home of the FEBT museum and C. Roy Wilburne Library. The FEBT possesses a very large collection of EBT memorabilia, photos, and reference material but lacks a central storage facility large enough and secure enough to house it and make it available to the general public. The 'Old Post Office' will serve as such a facility when it's finished.

Map ref. W is the site of the two-stall Robertsdale engine house. Today, only part of the footings and the ash pit (open and dangerous if you're not looking where you step) remain to mark the site. At the north end of the footings, there is what I believe to be a sheaf from a mine head lying in the underbrush.

The Broad Top Area Miners Historical Society has established a wonderful museum in the Reality Theater (map ref. X). I believe it, too, is open on weekends and is well worth a visit.

Two of the oldest mine tipple sites are accessible a short distance south of the depot. Rockhill No. 1, originally the Houck Mine, dates to the earliest operations in the Broad Top coalfields (map ref. Y). The tipple was wooden and is long gone; the mine entrance is visible deep in the second growth timber, but has collapsed. The tipple's extent can be easily traced by the pile of waste (boney). Just inside the tree line to the southwest of the tipple are the remnants of a primitive repair shop, including a small stone forge hearth and an A-Frame for a hoist.

The ruins of Rockhill No. 5 (also known as Rockhill Slope) date to 1889 (map ref. Z). Not only is the tipple site, on a high bank west of the tracks obvious, but the boiler mounts and many fixtures from the hoist house are still there. In a ravine further to the west is a partially collapsed ventilation blower house, complete with chain drive and paddle wheel. Following the trace to the south, you come to the entrance to the mine itself. There is a wonderful photo, taken in the 30's of 40's, of miners and supervisors sitting around this entrance during a safety award ceremony. The photo hangs in the Coal Miners Museum and is available for sale as a post card ($.25, I think).

This brings to an end my unofficial guide to the EBT. I hope this encourages you to visit the area during the RR's tourist season and return for further explorations during the cooler months. The best time to explore the inactive portion, by the way, is after the leaves have fallen . . . visibility is much better.

Whatever, please respect private property. I have never had a bad experience with anyone living in EBT country once I knocked on their door and asked. As a matter of fact, most people are ready with their own stories and anecdotes (some of them decidedly anti-company) about the EBT's operating years.

Enjoy and I hope to see you on the railroad.

END NOTE:

The best time to visit the EBT is during its annual Fall Spectacular, Sat-Sun of Columbus Day Weekend. The RR pulls out all the stops, running all operational locos, the Brill Gas-Electric (with original prime mover) M1, and special freight trains. And the FEBT hosts its annual reunion at that time and has special walking tours for reunion registrants and a Sunday A.M. gathering at the Robertsdale depot. That's also a good time to visit the miners museum, because a lot of retired miners are there and they love to tell their stories to visitors.

I hope this guide entices you to visit the area. The EBT, in itself, is reason enough. But, once you go there, you will realize that the railroad is rendered even more fascinating when viewed in the geographical and sociological context of S. Huntingdon Co. today, which is truely a microcosm of mid-20th Century norms and values (for better or worse).

ABOUT VAGEL KELLER . . .

I was introduced to the EBT during its inaugural tourst year in 1960 at age 4 and spent the rest of my life, until leaving the roost, pestering my parents to take me there every Sunday after church. My mother is a S. Huntingdon County native and spent her entire 1948-49 senior year in high school year living on the hill overlooking the Rockhill shops AND DIDN'T TAKE A SINGLE PICTURE!!!

I grew up less than an hour's drive away from the EBT and after I got a drivers license I began spending excessive lengths of time exploring it. I love the EBT almost to the point of unhealthy obsession, but, with therapy, the doctor says I should recover in 20 or 30 years.

For the past 16 years, I have served as an Army officer in various garden spots of the world and am currently nearing the end of a tour in Korea (one of those garden spots I mentioned). I gathered the information presented in this unofficial guide during frequent explorations of the EBT while I was stationed in Washington, D.C. from 1991-1993 -- during which time I served as Secretary of the FEBT Board of Directors.

DISCLAIMER: This guide is unofficial in every way. It has not been coordinated with the owner or management of the East Broad Top Railroad and Coal Co. or the Kovalchik Salvage Co. or Kovalchik Enterprises, or anything else relating to the Kovalchik family. It is intended solely for the education, enjoyment, and recreation of the reader.

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