This
video release for the first time in 2021 brings us good action on the
East Broad Top Railroad, based in Orbisonia, Pennsylvania. Randy Scholl
shot video of a special photo freight charter featuring coal hoppers
like the railroad hauled until it shut down regular service in 1956.
This photo special features great action runbys with lots of smoke and
good sound from 2-8-2 number 14. In addition to the photo charter, Randy
got there early enough the day before to catch some action with #14 on
the regular excursion train with some fall colors. Then we watch number
14 heading to the yard, passing the water plug and coaling tower, and
headed to the turntable and roundhouse area. The engine gets serviced
over the ashpit before it rests for the night. The next day features
scenes of #14 inside the roundhouse, and then it pulls up further under
the stack exhaust hood. There are some nice close-ups before we see it
back out of the roundhouse amidst a cloud of cylinder exhaust. More
scenes are viewed pulling in and out of the roundhouse, onto the
turntable, and some morning views of it sitting outside in the cold
morning sunshine.
Then it's off to the
coaling tower where we see the crew working on getting coal into the
tender. After this is finished the engine heads into the Orbisonia yard.
It must switch the excursion cars from the day before to get the
combine coach from the consist that will be used with the coal hoppers.
This was common practice during regular service as the combine provided a
place for a few passengers on each run. There are several scenes of the
train being made up and several at the lovely old Orbisonia depot. Then
we start doing formal runbys where 14 puts on a good show. We hit all
the good spots heading northbound, and then after the engine is turned
we see more good views heading back to Orbisonia.
There is a grade
northbound and Southbound so it works hard in several places. After the
train returns to Orbisonia, some shots are made in the yard and service
area. Then the train is turned, and the combine on the rear is replaced
with an EBT caboose. Another run is made in the afternoon north and then
southbound. We see a couple more views of the train in the yard near
the coaling tower before the show comes to an end.
We also have some
history of the railroad in the beginning section and later on have a
nice locomotive history segment after the charter train is finished
making up the train. There are some great shots here, and some of it
shows fall colors in this October video. This is being offered on DVD
for the first time, as the footage has not been seen since 2000. The
newly formed East Broadtop Railroad Foundation acquired the railroad a
couple of years ago and plans on operating in late 2021. Here is a
chance to view the EBT in 2000 and enjoy great steam action.
