Re: EBT late-August update

As Bill says, there's a lot of track work going on now on the operating portion of the line. As for the track from the current end of operations to Mount Union, there's been some talk of reopening that. The EBT's new operator, Larry Salone, has said both that he'd like to run trains to Mount Union and that he'd like to get a second steam engine online, and I believe he's looking for grant money for both projects.

Reopening the track would be a pretty big undertaking -- it's been out of service for more than 50 years and the ties are completely gone. Trees and vines obscure the right of way so thoroughly in the summer that you can be on the road right beside it and have no idea there's a railroad anywhere in the area. You'd basically be starting from scratch on the existing grade. There are also a couple of washouts that would have to be dealt with, and of course the three-arch concrete bridge. It would be a lot of work, and it wouldn't be cheap.