Mt. Union Connecting Railroad
Eager to serve Huntingdon County
A PLW CR-4 is delivered to the Mt. Union Connecting by truck.
MTC Pictures | MTC Roster
| Current Status | |
|---|---|
| End of Track | Rt. 103 grade crossing |
| Locomotive | Delivered, under repair |
| North Loading Dock | Completed; in service |
| Yard Passing Siding | Almost done |
| Customers | Blue Rock Pallets |
| The Mount Union Connecting Railroad is a short line in Central PA that will service a few businesses located in and near the Riverview Business Park in Mt. Union. The MTC will use just over four miles of the northern-most part of the original narrow gauge East Broad Top Railroad mainline. Until the MTC was formed, all this trackage was overgrown with weeds and trees. In the spring of 1998 crews began clearing the right-of-way. In the fall of 1999 the Mount Union engine house received a brand new paint job. Because most of the trackage the MTC will use has been unused since the 1950’s there must be extensive track work to run the locomotive and cars. The third rail will be extended two miles past where it currently ends to run the standard gauge freight to the end of the business park. The Adams passing siding will be dual gauged also. There is a loading dock at the north end of the right-of-way. President, Mr. Allen Levin, a Lewistown attorney, would like to refurbish a few of the old East Broad Top hoppers for ballast service. On September 5, 2001, the MTC struck a deal with the Mohawk, Adirondak, and Northern to acquire their Plymouth 60-ton CR-4 diesel. It was delivered to Mt. Union on April 10, 2003. Many people have raised questions about the steam engine and the 170 rusting cars on the property. Number one, the steam engine, #3 and all 170 cars still belong to the East Broad Top and therefore the MTC has nothing to do with them. However, the EBT has no plans to get rid of #3 or most of the cars, except, possibly the hoppers which have no trucks. The estimated cost to get #3 running again is at least $1 million, but projects like this usually rise in price. When the full mileage of the MTC is rehabilitated there will be only two to three miles between the end of the MTC and the end of the EBT. Everyone interested in the MTC and EBT hope they will be connected one day. |
The information on this page has been authorized for publication by Mr. Allen Levin, president of the Mt. Union Connecting Railroad.
Copyright © 2001-2005 Lance Myers. All rights reserved.