East Broad Top Steam Special DVD

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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.