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East Broad Top Railroad Study of Alternatives Draft December 1990
Study of Alternatives East Broad Top Railroad Draft December 1990 Notice the tear on the back cover binding edge
America's industrial heritage project Southwestern Pennsylvania
Soft Cover
157 pages
Copyright 1990?
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION 1
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE EAST BROAD TOP RAILROAD l INTRUSIONS AND THREATS TO THE EBT 7
VISION, PURPOSE, AND GOALS OF THE STUDY 8 BASIC STORY CONCEPTS TO BE TOLD 8
THE EBT RESOURCE 11
REGIONAL CONTEXT 11
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE EBT 12
DESCRIPTION OF THE EBT RESOURCE/EXISTING CONDITIONS 16
The EBT and Related Communities and Resources along the Line 16
Bridges and Tunnels 18
The Heart of the EBT - Rockhill/Orbisonia 19
The Locomotives and Rolling Stock 21
Current Visitor Use 22
PLANNING EFFORTS 39
FACTORS AFFECTING PLANNING EFFORTS 39
PLANNING OBJECTIVES 42
ALTERNATIVES FOR RESOURCE PROTECTION AND VISITOR USE 45
ALTERNATIVE 1 - SHOPS AND STEAM 47
Visitor Use Scenario 47
Visitor Services and Interpretation 48
Story to Be Told 48
Strategy for Protecting the Resource 48
Parking and Other Development 48
ALTERNATIVE 2 - MINING THE MOUNTAIN 51
Visitor Use Scenario 51
Visitor Services and Interpretation 52
Story to Be Told 52
Strategy for Protecting the Resource 55
Parking and Other Development 55
ALTERNATIVE 3 - A WALK THROUGH TIME 55
Visitor Use Scenario 55
Visitor Services and Interpretation 56
Story to Be Told 59
Strategy for Protecting the Resource 59
Parking and Other Development 59
ALTERNATIVE 4 - THE PENNSY CONNECTION 60
Visitor Use Scenario 60
Visitor Services and Interpretation 63
Story to Be Told 64
Strategy for Protecting the Resource 64
Parking and Other Development 64
ALTERNATIVE 5 - ALL ABOARD ! 65
Visitor Use Scenario 65
Visitor Services and Interpretation 66
Story to Be Told 69
Strategy for Protecting the Resource 69
Parking and Other Development 72
POSSIBLE MANAGEMENT OPTIONS APPLICABLE TO ALTERNATIVES 73
OPTION A - CONTINUE EXISTING OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 73
OPTION B - EBT RAILROAD CORPORATION MANAGEMENT 74
OPTION C - PUBLIC OWNERSHIP/FOUNDATION MANAGEMENT 75
OPTION D - EAST BROAD TOP RAILROAD NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK AND EAST BROAD TOP REGION STATE HERITAGE PARK 76
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE ALTERNATIVES 77
INTRODUCTION 77
IMPACTS COMMON TO ALL ALTERNATIVES 77
ALTERNATIVE 1 - SHOPS AND STEAM 78
Impacts on Cultural Resources 78
Impacts on Wildlife 78
Impacts on Local Economies 78
Impacts on Visitor Use 78
ALTERNATIVE 2 - MINING THE MOUNTAIN 79
Impacts on Cultural Resources 79
Impacts on Wildlife 79
Impacts on Local Economies 79
Impacts on Visitor Use 79
ALTERNATIVE 3 - A WALK THROUGH TIME 80
Impacts on Cultural Resources 80
Impacts on Wildlife 80
Impacts on Local Economies 80
Impacts on Visitor Use 80
ALTERNATIVE 4 - THE PENNSY CONNECTION 81
Impacts on Cultural Resources 81
Impacts on Wildlife 81
Impacts on Local Economies 81
Impacts on Visitor Use 81
ALTERNATIVE 5 - ALL ABOARD ! 82
Impacts on Cultural Resources 82
Impacts on Wildlife 82
Impacts on Local Economies 82
Impacts on Visitor Use 83
EBT DEVELOPMENT COST ESTIMATES FOR THE ALTERNATIVES 84
APPENDIXES 87
APPENDIX A: RELATIONSHIP OF EBT TO AMERICA'S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE PROJECT 89
APPENDIX B: SUMMARY CHRONOLOGY EAST BROAD TOP RAILROAD 90
APPENDIX C: BRIDGE AND TUNNEL EVALUATION 95
APPENDIX D: HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD, MAPS OF ROCKHILL/ ORBISONIA AREA 104
APPENDIX E: ROLLING STOCK INVENTORY 112
APPENDIX F: EBT RIDERSHIP, BY MONTH, 1962-1989 113
APPENDIX G: LANDMARK NOMINATION FORM 114
APPENDIX H: OTHER EXCURSION RAILROAD OPERATIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA 124
APPENDIX l: MARKETING STUDY SUMMARY 126
APPENDIX J: AREA-SPECIFIC MAPS FOR EACH ALTERNATIVE 127
APPENDIX K: OTHER RECREATION AND EDUCATION PROJECTS THAT RELATE TO THE EBT 149
APPENDIX L: EBT EXCURSION OPERATING COSTS 151
BIBLIOGRAPHY 154
PREPARERS 156
ILLUSTRATIONS
Region 3
Railroad-Related Resources 5
Rockhill/Orbisonia Shops and Depot 20
Alternative 1 49
Alternative 2 53
Alternative 3 57
Alternative 4 61
Alternative 5 67
TABLES
1: Summary Comparison of Alternatives 70
SUMMARY
The America's Industrial Heritage Project (AIHP), which involves nine counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, is an effort to preserve, protect, and interpret the remains of the area's iron, coal, steelmaking, and transportation industries and the social and labor history of the area. The area and the related resources played an important role in the history of America's industrial growth, and the resources should be preserved and interpreted for visitors. The AIHP focuses on protecting selected sites related to the region's industrial heritage and using the sites to help strengthen the local economic base through the promotion of tourism.
The East Broad Top Railroad National Historic Landmark, in the nine-county AIHP area, relates to the AIHP's transportation theme. Recent studies undertaken by the National Park Service have concluded that the East Broad Top Railroad (the EBT) is the best remaining example in the nation of a regional narrow-gauge railroad system. In the opinion of the NPS study team, the EBT system - complete with railroad facilities and associated industries - is probably the only opportunity in the nation to tell a comprehensive railroad industry story. The EBT is a nationally significant, historic industrial workplace - in essence, an intact industrial system. However, the landmark is seriously threatened through deterioration, lack of operating capital, and legal threats to the right-of-way. The AIHP is interested in protecting and preserving the railroad, although it is privately owned, and in making it accessible for visitors to learn more about this significant resource. (For a discussion about how the EBT fits in with other AIHP resources, see appendix A.) This study, which suggests five different resource protection and visitor use alternatives and four options for management, will serve as a starting point for the consideration, discussion, and analysis concerning possible actions that can be undertaken to protect the railroad/landmark.
Under alternative 1, the visitor would have a chance to tour the machine shop complex, see the heart of the EBT in Rockhill, and enjoy a 5-mile train ride from Orbisonia to Colgate Grove. Visitors would learn about the shop complex and depot as components of an industrial workplace, and the railroad's operation would be interpreted. Alternative 2 encompasses alternative 1 but offers a 19-mile train ride from Orbisonia to Robertsdale and some interpretive media in Mount Union and Robertsdale. Visitors would learn about the operational and economic history of the EBT, the contribution and interaction of selected related industries along the right-of-way, and the technology involved in transferring goods from the EBT to the Pennsylvania Railroad.
Alternative 3 encompasses basically the same resources and story as alternative 2, but instead of a train ride visitors would use the entire 31.2-mile right-of-way as a recreation hiking/biking trail. Alternative 4 includes a 10.8-mile train ride from Rockhill to Mount Union and a recreation hiking/biking trail from Rockhill to Wood. Visitors would learn how the EBT functioned as a system and how it connected with the national story of railroading.
Alternative 5, the most encompassing alternative, involves a 29.8-mile train ride from Mount Union to Robertsdale. Visitors would learn the detailed story of the EBT and its role in the national story of railroading and transportation and about life in coal company towns.
The study also proposes several management options. These include continuing existing ownership and management, establishing corporation management, establishing public ownership or foundation management, and National Park Service acquisition with commonwealth of Pennsylvania provision of an adjacent state heritage park.
In accordance with Park Service policies, a preferred alternative has not been identified in this study. Future implementation of any alternative or combination of alternatives will depend on the coordinated efforts of the owner, various units of the government, and the people of the Broad Top region.
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