Southbound At Rockhill #15298

The Story

East Broad Top Railroad #16 leaves Rockhill Yard pulling a string of empties southbound to the mines at Robertsdale. Just a few miles ahead lies the long uphill pull through the mountains into the coal mining town. There will be two tunnels through two parallel mountain ridges to get there too, but it’s all in a day’s work for this little narrow-gauge railroad.

In this modern-day reenactment of the 1920s industrial age, this train is much like the coal trains the East Broad Top hauled back in the common carrier days that lasted until 1956. Coal trains of up to 22 hopper cars ran in both directions usually with a combine car on the end typically doing the job. For an ever-practical reason, the train crews actually preferred the combine or other passenger cars to the usual two-axle bobber caboose due to a far better ride.

The railroad shop buildings beyond the train contained all the tools, materials, and know-how to keep this little narrow gauge railroad running. In fact, thanks to these shops and the skilled local workmen employed there, East Broad Top was nearly self-sufficient throughout its many years of common carrier operation.

Location: a view into the 1920s industrial age at Rockhill Yard, Orbisonia, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Picture and story © Andrew Dierks