The Rockhill Trolley Museum brought their car our for the day's runs. We will take a tour of the car barns and a ride, you can enjoy the brief history of the East Broad Top Railroad.
Chris Parker and I finished photographing the buildings of the East Broad Top when I saw the first trolley being brought out for the day's activities at the Rockhill Trolley Museum. We walked over and caught it coming out to their station. This is Pennsylvania's oldest operating trolley museum.
The first trolley we saw was York Railways {PA} 163, a rare curve-side Brill built in 1924.
York Railways 163 was at the station platform with the Orbisonia Station behind it. I met the operator who was expecting us this morning and took us to Car Barn 1.
In front of it was the 249 trolley from Oporto, Portugal, a "Maxi-traction" semi convertible built by Brill in 1904. We then took a tour of Car Barn 1.
Inside is Philadelphia & Western snowplow 10 built by Wason in 1915, along with C64, a single-truck freight flat from Oporto built by STCP in 1933.
There was a trolley under restoration minus its trucks.
Philadelphia & Western snowplow 10 built by Wason in 1915.
Philadelphia & Western 402, a freight motor built by the Detroit United Railway {?} in 1920. Once we were done in Car Barn 1, we walked down the dual gauge track to Car Barn 2. After we unlocked the door and turned on the power to the building, we started our tour of the second barn.
Inside was Car 172 from Oporto, Portugal, single-truck semi-convertible built by STCP in 1929.
Daimler Chrysler {Adtranz} Elmira, NY GE 25, a 25 ton diesel-electric built by General Electric in 1942
Philadelphia & Western 162, a high-speed interurban car built by Brill in 1927.
Scranton Transit, PA single-truck snow sweeper 107 built by the C&JER in 1910.
Philadelphia Suburban four-section articulated Liberty Liner built by the St. Louis Car Company in 1941 for the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad. Once our tour was done, the operator excused himself and we set up to get a picture of him bringing out Car 1875
Rio de Janeiro Tramways from Brazil built by Brill in 1912. This is the only open car operating in Pennsylvania.
We photographed Car 1875 in the bright Pennsylvania mid-July sunshine.
The car reversed out onto the mainline and came forward to pick us up for the Safety Run of the day. This run is to make sure the track and wire plus the car are all working as they should.
We headed up the line on the last part of the dual gauge track. The trolleys use the standard gauge tracks while the East Broad Top Railroad uses the narrow gauge tracks on the museum grounds to wye their trains.
The trolley tracks follow Blacklog Creek on what used to be the Shade Gap Branch of the East Broad Top.
Further up the valley we traveled.
We neared the small two track platform at the end of the line where we got off for a few pictures.
Car 1875 at the end of the line before heading back to the museum.
Running back down the grade back to the museum.
Back at the passing track.
Taking a curve in the forest.
On the way back we ran past the ruins of kilns.
Running down the duel gauge to Car Barn 2.
We ran down the dual gauge along the Car Barn 2 towards the wye then passed Car Barn 1.
Our trip was over as we arrived back at the station platform. We thanked our operator then walked over the East Broad Top tracks.
