[4K] East Broad Top Steam Returns

Steam returns to the East Broad Top after a decade of silence with an engine silent for 60+ years.

The East Broad Top Railroad of Orbisonia, PA is a narrow gauge icon. The once prosperous narrow gauge railroad of Pennsylvania coal country was kept virtually intact when the line closed in 1956. The new owners kept the railroad as is, with steam returning in tourist service in 1960. Regular operation would continue for decades with several of the railroad's steam engines continuing to operate until 2011. Continued expense would shut EBT down for what seemed an indefinite amount of time.

In 2019, a new effort would be confirmed to restart operations on the East Broad Top, now as an all volunteer based operation. The line and various pieces of equipment would be brought back to service, and the steam engine chosen to be rebuilt first was 16, one of two engines to never run in tourist service. A thorough rebuild would be completed in early 2023, with 16 debuting for the Winter Spectacular for President's Day weekend 2023. Operating on both freight and a new fleet of passenger cars, the 16 put on a great show.