EBT Fall Spectacular

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Mississippi, the East Broad Top Railroad's 2000 Fall Spectacular took place this past weekend. Near-perfect fall weather and fall color, four steam engines and gas-electric M-1 in service. #16 was even pulled out of the roundhouse and placed at the head of a draft of hoppers on a yard track. The numbers and initials were touched up, but otherwise she appears pretty much as she did in 1955.
At 12:25, the annual whistle salute took place. Directed by EBT owner Joe Kovalchick, each locomotive first sounded a standard crossing whistle, and even #16 got into the act courtesy an air line from diesel M-7. Then all four -- sorry,5 -- engines, M-1 and M-7 cut loose in unison, in a blast of sound that echoed around the hills for several minutes!
The only mechanical glitch in the weekend occured as #12 suffered a leaky flue, which got progressively worse as the day went on, and by mid-afternoon, they dropped her fire and put her away.
For many visitors, the high point of the weekend were the night runs. #14 pulled a coach-only train, lit by oil lamps and warmed by coal stoves, and #15 followed behind with the bench-equipped flatcars and a caboose. It was a clear, moonlit night, and the light from the firebox intermittently lit the steam and smoke rolling back across the train. The whistles echoed and reechoed from the hills, and time stood still.
The rambling shops were opened for tours, there was plenty to see as trains ran in fleets of three, the Friends of the East Broad Top has the station at Robertsdale open, and if that wasn't enough, the Rockhill Trolley Museum was in full operation.
A good time was had by all!