East Broad Top Railroad to revive unused historic track

HUNTINGDON COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — The East Broad Top Railroad has announced that they’ll be embarking on a project to revive a piece of the historic railway.

A south segment of the track has been unused since 1956. EBT Foundation (EBTF) officials and Friends of the East Broad Top (FEBT) volunteers gathered to celebrate the completion of the first section of track installation. That installation officially marks the farthest any work has occurred south since the railroad ceased freight operations nearly 70 years ago.

This phase of expansion aims to extend the railroad’s operating mainline nine miles south of Rockhill Furnace to the boroughs of Three Springs and Saltillo. This tenacious project will include clearing decades of brush and tree overgrowth, repairing bridges, laying new tracks and reactivating road crossings.

The East Broad Top operated as a primarily coal-hauling railroad from 1874 until its closure in 1956. In 1960, 4.5 miles of that original line were reopened under new ownership, offering train excursions over that excursion route while the rest of the line lay dormant, reclaimed by nature. Seasonal steam-powered train rides continued until 2011 when the railroad once again ceased operation.

In 2020, the non-profit EBT Foundation acquired approximately 28 miles of the original line, announcing plans to revive train service along the former excursion route and extend operations over sections of the mainline that have sat unused since 1956. Steam-powered excursions resumed in 2023 along the existing route, with expansion efforts now underway.

“We’re breaking new ground today in many ways,” Railroad General Manager Brad Esposito said. “From this point forward, we’re doing something that many dreamed of but never thought possible, which is both physically restoring tracks that have sat dormant for over six decades while also reviving more of the East Broad Top’s storied history than ever before.”

When complete, the railroad plans to expand its current excursion schedule to include regular train rides over the route and align schedules with new and existing community-oriented special events like carnivals and sports games.

“Historically, the EBT was the lifeblood of the communities along its corridor,” Esposito said. “As we continue to grow and expand our operation, it’s our mission to ensure the railroad continues to foster economic growth through heritage tourism while also protecting the historical character of the EBT Corridor that makes it a great place to live and a great place to visit.”

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While there is no timeline for service to resume, EBT Foundation officials have already been working with local municipalities to prepare for the railroad’s arrival.

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