East Broad Top Best of 2003

by Lance Myers

Another year has gone by at the East Broad Top. 2003 was definatly a good year. Much-needed repairs were continued on several shop buildings, including new roofs on the roundhouse and farm house, plus #15's FRA rebuild continues. As in the last two years, I have created a "Best of 2003" gallery for your convenience. This collection of pages includes the 60 very best photographs that were shot by myself over the past year including the Fall Spectacular. This collection of images represents the season the best. I want to thank the entire EBT crew and staff; they are the people responsible for keeping the railroad operating day-to-day. This will probably be the last year I am able to be a regular at the railroad as I will be finishing school and starting a career over the winter.

May 27 - Repairs to Runk Rd. Bridge
	Repairs to this bridge were a must to operate the next weekend. 16 bridge timbers were replaced with brand new ones. M-7 is supplying air to an air hammer to make spiking much faster.
June 7 - Opening Day
	On a rainy morning surrounded by steam, #14 is turned on the turntable for the first day of the 2003 season.
	#14 takes on water and the water column. Throughout the year this water column would be plagued with troubles. It was used off and on.
	The train is now seen heading across the long fill.
June 16 - Carl Franz Coal Train Charter
	A runby is performed south of McMullen's Summit.
	Here is a horizontal view near Black's field.
	Nowadays it is rare that a locomotive be pointing south at the ash pit. #14 is uncoupled from the train, gets water, and has it's fire cleaned out.
June 21 - Normal Day
	#14 leads train #2 toward Enyeart Road.
	After turning the train, #14 coasts past the one-of-a-kind shop complex.
July 14 - Tender Swap
	#14's tender needed taken out of service for repairs. #14 would barrow #15's tender for the remainder of the season. #14's tender sits on the escape track next to the turntable.
	#15 sits in the roundhouse without her tender. See the section of photos documenting the repairs to the tender here.
July 19 - #14 Barrows #15's Tender
	Train #2 passes some trees.
	#14's new paint is evident in this side view. Notice the freshly painted accent paint and cab roof. Also notice the vulcan trucks under #15's tender. #14's tender has arch bar trucks.
	#14 sits at the station. Here you can see the number "14" on the locomotive and the number "15" on the tender.
	Inside the roundhouse, #12 and #17's smokebox covers have been reinstalled since performing any work on them is rather pointless now. Chances are these two will never operate again under the present ownership.
	The FEBT is working today. This shows the repairs they are making to the electrician's shop.
August 9 - Community Appreciation Day
	McDonald's Grimace visits with the kids today.
	The FEBT's track crew works hard to bring track three operational. At the end of the day, the track was spiked to the north end of the car shop.
August 16 - The Farm House
	Today we take a rare look inside the 1860's farm house located in the EBT's yard. The is the first wooden addition to the south looking east.
	Now on to the second floor of the stone portion. Looking east we see all sorts of pockets and slots for everything a railroad needs.
	This form identifies rolling stock to be removed from service for repairs. This form dates from 1938 to 1952.
September 7 - Repainted Switch Targets
	It took us about 2 and a half days, but Nevin and I painted each switch target at the EBT. Around 10:50, the train pulls up to the station to begin boarding passengers.
	Look at these lovely flowers. Oh, there happens to be a steam train in the background.
	Train 1 heads back up McMullen's Summit southbound.
	The EBT's M-1 is seen next to the RTM's 205 in the EBT/RTM car barn. M-1 is in the carbarn for replacement of the coupling between the engine and generator.
	Remember the 400 lb locomotive tires that used to lean against the carpentry shop? They have been moved and stacked neatly on the concrete foundation on the north side of the carpentry shop.
	#14's tender pokes around the corner of the farm house.
September 28 - FEBT Work Session
	Only three stalls to go on the roundhouse roof. The old roof is green and on the right. The new roof is black (tar paper) and on the left. It will be covered with ruber roofing.
	Here is the restored generator room of the shops. It still needs some wood painted.
	Two local masons are working on repairing the brickwork of the boiler house today.
	Henry and Phil of RTY are installing new switch timbers for the yard ladder track. This switch splits into track three and the RTY-EBT carbarn and will be important for the use of track three.
	An FEBT track crew sets spikes on track three under the shop stacks. This track hasn't seen use in years.
	Painting of the electrical shop is nearly complete.
	It has begun to rain, but the job has been completed. Track three is completely spiked, but a later work session will be spent leveling the track.
The Fall Spectacular - October 11-12
	Fog hangs in the air early Saturday morning. #17 is leading a recreation of the last common carrier freight train on the EBT.
	Phil Raynes' EBT speeder is present. That last appearance was 2001.
	M-7 returns to Rockhill with the picnic train.
	#14's train kicks up some dust at the farm road just south of Colegate Grove.
	#14 coasts down McMullen's Summit and past the stunning fall color.
	A replica of EBT Transit #6 is parked next to Orbisonia station.
	#14 is working hard up the summit at Black's field southbound.
	M-1 follows the passenger with many happy riders.
	The full moon hovers over #14's pilot as her fire box is cleaned out.
	Light from the roundhouse area relfects off #17 and the box car.
	One of the first trains of the day comes into the yard greeting a group of photographers.
	This is one of several lathes in the shop. This particular one is proably the oldest piece of equipment on the EBT, dating from the civil war era.
	M-1 returns from the 12 pm run.
	We now take a ride aboard M-1. The wall separating the engine and baggage compartments was left out after the replacement of the coupling between the engine and generator.
	Through M-1's windshield we can see the tail end of the picnic train on the long fill.
	An artsy-fartsy shot of rail and hoppers.
	It's time to put #17 away. After pulling forward and switching to the main, #17 is pushed through the yard.
	At the roundhouse, a large croud gathers to watch #14.
October 17 - Jim Gunning Coal Train Charter
	#14 begins to slow down, then will reverse and do another runby.
	The train continues northbound at Enyeart Road.
	#14 makes plenty of smoke as she heads north on the fill.
	We now race to Colegate Grove to watch the train being turned. No one else got shots here. #14 speeds along the straight tangent into the grove.
	#14 takes on water at Rockhill.
October 26 - Closing Day
	Some of the last fall folliage hangs on some trees as #14 passes by.
	The 1 pm train reaches Blacklog Creek.
	Henry is taking down the red, yellow, green flags that surround the station.

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