Re: Full Article Is Online Now! Re: Preservation Magazine - "End of the Line? The storied East Broad Top may soon be derailed"

EBTfan15 Wrote:
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> what about... railways to yesterday...they took
> over the D&SNG(have done a pretty good job) and it
> is still running.

I have tremendous respect for Mr. Harper, American Heritage and everything they've done to keep the D&SNG vibrant -- the D&SNG is probably one of the biggest private-sector employers in the whole four corners area! I am especially impressed by how well they have recovered from the 2003 fires and how much the D&SNG does for railfans.

That said, I would not want to see what has worked so well in Durango happen to the EBT. In the last few years, Durango's north yard was sold off and replaced with parking, many of the D&SNG's freight cars were auctioned off, and the K37s have been stored out in the elements.

The D&SNG also severely limits access to its yard. The Durango museum is great, but I'm not so sure a similar approach to the Orbisonia yard would go over so well -- EBT fans are accustomed to having almost complete access throughout the Orbisonia yard. (Conversely, I wouldn't want to try running the EBT like the D&SNG without competely shutting down access to the EBT's yard.)

Finally, I suspect that the D&SNG's onboard alcohol sales are a key reason why the railroad stays in the black.... but I do not think that selling alcohol on board the EBT would go over very well in Huntingdon County.

Don't get me wrong -- the D&SNG does an amazing job of running trains profitably. I just think that saving the EBT is going to take more than just applying the D&SNG's business model to the EBT.

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Chris Webster
[www.speakeasy.org]