THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE RESOLUTION

INTRODUCED BY FLECK, GEIST, BEAR, BEYER, CALTAGIRONE, COHEN, DONATUCCI, EVERETT, GODSHALL, GOODMAN, HELM, HENNESSEY, KORTZ, MAJOR, MUSTIO, PHILLIPS, QUINN, READSHAW, ROCK, ROEBUCK, SAINATO, STERN, SWANGER AND VULAKOVICH, MAY 24, 2010

INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, MAY 24, 2010  

A RESOLUTION

Recognizing the East Broad Top Railroad on the occasion of its

50th anniversary of operation as a tourist attraction.

WHEREAS, The East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Company (EBT) was

originally chartered on April 16, 1856, to mine and transport

coal from the rich fields of Broad Top Mountain; and

WHEREAS, The railroad did not commence operations until more

than fifteen years later when the Rockhill Iron & Coal Company

(RIC) was incorporated; and

WHEREAS, The founders of RIC bought a controlling interest in

EBT stock and made plans to construct a narrow gauge railway;

and

WHEREAS, The line was opened from Mt. Union to Rockhill

Furnace on August 30, 1873, and was completed in 1874 to the

company town of Robertsdale; and

WHEREAS, Trains made several daily runs to Mt. Union, where

coal was transferred to the standard gauge cars of the

Pennsylvania Railroad; and

WHEREAS, As the railroad prospered, passenger service was

expanded to include public excursions as well as transport of

miners; and

WHEREAS, In 1906, a new passenger station and company offices

were constructed at Rockhill which bears the name of the

neighboring town of Orbisonia; and

WHEREAS, In 1919, the EBT was purchased by Madeira, Hill &

Company (MHC); and

WHEREAS, In 1938, after MHC's bankruptcy, bondholders

reorganized the company as the Rockhill Coal Company; and

WHEREAS, In April 1956, the last run was made to Mt. Union

and the EBT became the last operating narrow gauge east of the

Rocky Mountains; and

WHEREAS, Soon after closing in 1956, the Kovalchick Salvage

Company of Indiana, Pennsylvania, bought the railroad and all

its assets; and

WHEREAS, In 1960, passenger service was restored to celebrate

the bicentennials of Orbisonia and Rockhill and the EBT was

designated a National Historic Landmark in 1964 and remains the

most complete and authentic narrow gauge site in America and the

last original narrow gauge east of the Rockies; and

WHEREAS, The Friends of the East Broad Top was incorporated

in 1983 to document, preserve and restore the EBT; and

WHEREAS, In 2009, the nonprofit EBT Preservation Association

signed a three-year contract to operate the trains of the EBT

with an option to purchase; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the

East Broad Top Railroad on the occasion of its 50th anniversary

of operation as a tourist attraction; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the East

Broad Top Preservation Association.