Bridge repairs and ballast boost Broad Top revival hopes

Hopes that the East Broad Top Railroad in Pennsylvania, USA could reopen after 10 years of closure have been boosted by the completion of significant bridge work.

Repair of the damaged Runk Road Bridge 3½ miles north of the EBT yard and HQ at Rockhill Furnace had been underway following an incident in 2020 when the bridge was damaged by an road truck.

The collision dented a girder and knocked the track out of alignment. Rebuilding included concrete and stone abutment work and placing new I-beams and bridge timbers on the span, which is about 12 feet long.

In mid May significant ballasting was able to take place on track towards the bridge, 500 tons of crushed limestone dropped in a day.

Stone is a new material for EBT ballast, the line in the past relying on loco ash and furnace slag. This retained moisture and broke down over time, accelerating deterioration of the untreated, non-creosoted sleepers used originally.

A mile of track requires gauging, sleeper replacement and surfacing to make the line usable to Colgate Grove, previously a destination for excursion trains.

EBT Baldwin 2-8-2 locomotive no 16 is currently under overhaul while other developments continue at and around the Rockhill Furnace station, yard and workshops.

A former coal route, the EBT was closed in 1956 and bought by scrap dealers the Kovalchick family, which reopened part of the line for tourists. Operations ceased in 2011 and the line lay dormant until 2020 when it was bought by the EBT Foundation, Inc., with the aim of reopening much of the original 33-mile main line.