The most complete historic railroad - East Broad Top Tour Part 1 

26:07 I had the opportunity to talk with this guy on the shop tour and afterward at the station. He was there with either his grandkids or some family. After talking for a little about the railroad, the route, and god knows what else he took me in the shop and bought me a map of the entire railroad. On this map details the locations of things, what track is operational, under construction, or disused, and the grades of the alignment. He ended sending my grandpa and I south to find a trestle and see the future alignment. We ended up having dinner at this family owned pizza joint in Three Springs. That day was one to remember.

“We built a railroad shop… and then it sank into the swamp. But THEN! People came and started lifting it out of the swamp. They’re still lifting to this day. Why? It’s just that cool of a place, that’s why.” Yeah, paraphrasing the Monty Python sketch quickly went off the rails here!

One thing that I know we aren't getting in the video is...the smell. I can't imagine how this place smells; musty, old, preserved, and perfect!

The railroad kept so many parts for their locomotives they have parts for, I think, the first number 5 which they sold in 1895. Up with all the air brake parts there is a vacuum pump that was on 5 before it got air brakes and it’s just been sitting there for over 100 years. It just goes to show the really kept their parts.

this has got me wanting to know and see what my little old new zealand has got in the way of railway history!

That civil war headstone is very touching hear that finally after a century plus that everything is set right and done so properly.

Man so much has changed since this was filmed, cant wait for people to come see it and please come get involved with the friends if you are able, it is seriously a great time. Awesome video Hyce, hope you make it back soon (tm) :)

Very impressive operation. Very class act making sure that veteran is getting his marker with what sounds to be full honors.

This installment was absolutely informative and amazingly interesting, Mark. It is such a privilege for us to get this insider tour for the E.B.T. I’m always astounded by its completeness. Such a concentrated survival of industrial structures is an ultra rarity. I shouldn’t be surprised by all that survives because as I like to say “they never throw anything away in Pennsylvania!” 😂 The restoration being done is fabulous and first rate for sure. Such attention to detail like matching the sheathing styles and restoring the original windows! That alone makes me scream for joy. Great shot of the before and after to show us the amount of dedicated work going on there. The 18th-century stone farm house was beautiful and adapted to fit a new use, such a great story. Like you Mark I was OMG to #18, what a size contrast with #12. Many thanks to Jonathan Smith for an excellent tour. As always so many thanks to you Professor for being a fabulous host and making all this happen! Cheers to you and looking forward to part two!

Jonathan gave me and my father a tour. He is so nice and gave a very detailed tour to the whole group that went through the whole roundhouse/machine shop.

This is very cool. I made up my mind a while back to go up to EBT from West Virginia and at least do the shop tour. Not sure when I'll pull it off, adulting and bills suck, but wow I gotta see this place. Old mechanical systems built to last forever and no one had yet invented the cursed term 'planned obsolescence.' It also warms my heart in a weird way to see that putting the heavy stuff up top isn't limited to modern fools building mixed pallets 🙄🙄. It has a long history. Thanks for the video! Looking forward to part 2!

I just visited here today because of your videos. Sadly No 16 was down for maintenance, but got to set it in the round house. Had a good time!

wow the new RRO update looks crazy

This is so over the top. Thanks Hyce for shining some light on eastern railroad history beyond the well known giants. This collection stands tall among other giants with possibly better known names.

And here I was thinking, disappointed, that you'd posted all your EBT content. Really glad to see there's more to come!

that tombstone really touched me.

I could watch hours of episodes like this one. Thank you and East Broad Top!

Having moved from the Northeast to the Midwest, I always find it funny that people look at me like I'm crazy when I say my town was founded in 1690.

THE railroad where the door was closed and locked with everyone walking away is the Nevada Northern RR in Ely, Nevada which was the railroad operation of the Kennecott Copper Corp. The railroad was built from Cobre, NV on the SP south to Ely in 1905. It operated from 1906 till 1983. The Kennecott Copper Corp gave the railroad to the City of Ely, NV as the least expensive way to divest itself of the property in 1986. All of the records are still there.

Omg I can't wait for part 2! These vids are awesome, can't wait to see where you go next!

Back in July I attended an RPM in Mount Union and Jonathan was a speaker. He seemed to have a great story. I was going to ask him if he knew you because of his background and your visit to the EBT a few months ago, but didn't get a chance. I guess this video answers that question. I visited the EBT a few times since it reopened and recently I decided to join the FEBT.

jeez, Nick Kavalchick really was a man of "I'll do you one better"(s)

You got me excited for part 2 and to get back into modle trains

Amazing, amazing video. So informative and entertaining! And special props to Jonathan- he is one of the most well-spoken tour guides I have ever heard.

E.b.t. could very easily supplement some income by supplying other seam shops across the country. So many places don't have the infrastructure that ebt still has avaliable to reference.

Steam train love is the only thing that can out-live the universe

man, so jealous. cant wait to get up there.. .Hyce is living my dream life, really. He does everything I want to do and does it better than I could. So glad he shares his adventures through life.

I wish I had more time to travel and go romeo many of these amazing preservation Railroads. Ohnsure we have some in our area but going to EBT would be a great way tomjust time travel 100 years into the past and really experience what railroading once meant to people back then. It wasn't just a means of getting cargo from point A to B it was a way of life this work was being done because it benefitted the community and that's what makes railroad preservation so much fun. At least through this video I can enjoy a sample of it but I do hope to make my way out there someday and really get to enjoy it. Thank you Hyce for going out there and doing this tour and big thanks for the EBT for giving the tour in the first place. Absolutely wonderful I love it.

Another wonderful video with so much information given in a bright enthusiastic way! Excellent job everyone! 😺

This was a really cool part 1, can't wait for part 2!

I'd LOVE to see a part three of this interesting series!

Hey, those are some good looking windows in that freight office, the guys who did that must really know their stuff. ;-)

Wow i live in Greencastle about an hour away and took my family to see it when they were visiting from Vegas. We did that in October, cool to see you were there close to when i was!

I've been there in 2010 and it's really an amazing place to be. To feel all that ancient steam era thing and the unique history is awesome. Best in memory is the turning of the steam loco on the turntable. I was on one of the push poles and it was an experience in dancing performancen to keep the turntable balanced the right way, until the engine was finally turned a full 180°. Since that day, i have a total different look to hand-driven turntables at all. Books may tell about such "things" but to experience it in real live on your own bones, that's something special which can only be provided by the hard work of the men, keeping this (and other museums-) railroad alive. I really look forward to visit Rockhill Furnace once again.

I got a tour of the shop and roundhouse spring of 2022. That definitely is a very interesting place.

22:03 southern valvue gear is more like baker but with a sliding block

You should really head out to the Nevada Northern Railway sometime! It's just like the EBT where everything was just left after the railroad closed.

Such a fantastic series about the history and preservation efforts of the EBT. Cass Scenic Railroad has a pretty impressive and interesting history, and so thankful for those who had given, and continue to give, so much to ensure that history and experience is preserved and showcased. But wish it had been preserved and documented throughout its history as well as the EBT has. Truly a testament to those who back then, and now, have a vision and dedication to keep this history alive. Bravo and thanks to Hyce and all those behind the scenes of the channel to make this happen and bringing this story to life, and to the EBT staff and volunteers for their work and effort to keep this history alive. Will be experiencing the EBT for the first time this fall, am so excited!

Another amazing vid and it makes me so happy to see what you're doing for EBT. I just keep falling further in love with this railroad with the more I learn about it and can hopefully go see it gor the first time for my birthday next weekend 😋. This vid has definitely made up my mind to not only join the "Friends" just by fees but to try and get some hands on volunteer work as well, as I am fairly nearby! I'm a mechanic and can swing a carpenter's hammer... ok so hopefully they will have the patience to train me / put me to work. I would love to be apart in preserving it for not just my sons future but others as well. Sorry for the rant but thank you for everything you do! Side note I'm really coming to like your hat in these vids, definitely not the standard kind you can get from the gift shops, if I wanted one is there an online place you know of I could order one from?

You guys put together such a fantastic and professional piece, and I’m really looking forward to the next part. (The fact that the EBT is a literal snapshot of a moment froze. In time is incredible. But this drives it home.)

Part 1 makes me happy

Beautiful rolling stock!

Awesome job y'all. Looking forward to part 2!

Such a cool rail road! Imma have to trek out and visit at some point!

The EBT really helps show the difference between thoughts that railroad management would have. Traffic goes down and some places would just close the door and walk away like the EBT and Nevada northern. Other places traffic would decrease and management would do an almost scortched earth approach and scrap as much as they could leaving pretty much nothing as was the case for places like the sumpter valley

Had to laugh at the talk about when history 'starts' for east vs west coast. I'm sat in the UK, a stones throw from Avebury stone circle and Stonehenge.

Happy Birthday Hyce!

Hey hyce I am absolutely loving your videos. You got me into Derail Valley and it's already one of my favorites. I'm an airplane guy and you've gotten me into learning about trains, and I always love finding a new subject to hyperfixate on. Goodness knows there's enough to learn about it to keep me occupied for a good long time. Genuinely I feel like if aviation starts to lose market share to rail here in the States or I just choose to leave aviation, my goal will probably be to work in rail. Obviously I would love most to work in preservation. But I'm sure it's the same as aviation, where preservation is the work everyone wants to do and spaces open rarely and are either volunteer or low pay, but still, I would love to maintain and restore facilities like this. But I would also be glad to just work on current in-service railroads, I don't know what the jobs usually entail for maintenance on a railroad but I would love to work on locomotives. I'm sure techs just work on all the types of cars? Or are there locomotive mechanics and specific car mechanics? And do mechanics just have to learn whatever the company's fleet is or do you specialize in one type, like how in aviation we often just focus on one aircraft type when employed on a commercial scale?

Taking the shop tour my next visit. Truly a time capsule. Once I’m financially stable again. Yeah might go volunteer at one of the two railroads in my state

Can’t wait for part 2!!

Great video! I find it really neat that EBT has all of their original facilities. I work at Mid-Continent, and when the museum started, there were NO facilities. Everything we have had to be built from scratch. I’d love to spend some time there soon!

I was just at the EBT about 2 weeks ago, and it was amazing all the cool buildings and locomotives and was just so cool

I hope you got to see the archives that be pretty cool if not this time maybe next time

ebt they just left for lunch but drgw just said hear you go have fun

Man I wish I knew you were in the area! Would’ve loved to meet you and learn some train stuff first hand!

Heck yeah I’ve been waiting since the line stream

Another awesome documentary! I would love to see more B roll during some of the interview segments. It’s hard to picture what is being described and talked about if you’re not seeing it in person (like some parts of the first building you guys were in).

Hyce I am a volunteer at the East Troy Electric Railroad a 7 mile long 115 year old Interurban Railroad in Wisconsin and we would love to have you visit maybe I would get to show you around

this is so COOL!!! :)

Superb video. Maybe next year I can wonder out to see this piece of history.

Layout goals

Go to Altoona Pennsylvania

Literally just rode that train yesterday!!! It's a nice train ride, totally weird mash up of equipment on the engine itself. Go get an Orby Cheese steak!!!

Awesome video. :)

Awesome video, Mark. This is such a cool place.

Seeing you talk Hyce, makes you the American version of Lawrie 😅 Good stuff!

Meeting of the Minds!! Would be cool to get one of theirs to run at CRM, vice versa, 🕶

Wow

I didn't know the East broad top was in Pennsylvania which is funny because I'm going to Pennsylvania tomorrow

Hyce all I'm going to say is what was the Denver and Rio grande 109

Come on! If I knew that you were in PA, I could ould have asked one of my parents to that place. I still haven't met a RU-vidr that I watch. :(

21:51 Hyce: How does Southern valve gear work? Me: What are do you mean........... Oh. That's a bit odd.

I mean from 8:00ish we’re going to go fulfill a contract and put a man’s headstone on his grave. EBT deserves everything.

Whats up hyce this is guys!

I keep thinking the overhead shots look like a model railroad

It's places like this that make me wish I lived in the US because I would spend every spare living moment helping out. I just wish the healthcare and taxes and stuff weren't so goddamn stupid so for now I'm staying in the UK

I might be able to go and visit next time I visit family

imagine hearing kenosha in this video...

I would love to work at the east broad top but idk if i will be able to pay for a house and food and stuff to be able to live up there

Is the ultimate goal to restore the entire line?

Hyce when ye going to the Durango & Silverton eh?

when you going to go see 1309?

Have you ever visited the Nevada Northern?

fun fact: they have 2 sg 0-6-0s AND THEY'RE STILL AROUND! :D pls mention them

B is for Broadtop

Did they let you drive the choo choo?

Hey hyce I got to see the Colorado railroad museum yesterday and I am wondering why is 491 disconnected from its tender? Anyway love the videos

always very weird to see hyce not in over alls

So is 18 the same size as a K-36?

I don't have a great sense for these things, particularly after only seeing them on video, how does 491 compare to EBT 12 & 18, size wise - somewhere between or smaller than both?

What are "patterns" in this context?

19:41 huh 🙂

what does a pattern shop do?

What is happening on the 27th of December at the Colorado railroad museum

Hyce there a new up there a slug for the flight diesel it out now go check out

love the video, EBT man is a wee bit quiet though, can we get the volume a little higher next time please?

31:35 No, guys. History "out West" starts much earlier than that, it is just that that culture was pretty thoroughly displaced and erased by the railroads :/ I do love me a steam engine as much as the next bean, but this tendency, of foamers in particular, for selectively forget at least as much of railroad history as remembering it always bugs me.

I am confused - why the HELL did the Smithsonian not do anything to further preserve this place?! If the Smithsonian gave this place the seal of approval, it should be a National Historic Monument at least! if any tourist railroads deserve the honor of being part of the Smithsonian, it has to be this place and Steamtown!

i see the person who picked out the colors for the station is color blind, lol, eew

I want to know how they LOST the headstone in the first place!! How do you lose that for that long!? After 5 years you would go looking for it! Maybe less! The railroad was active til the 50s so how the Hell did they not notice this laying in the depot??