East Broad Top sale

Great Western · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:07 pm

EDM wrote:

I've never ridden on or behind the M-1, but I was able to take a look at it's engine once and the biggest thing that struck me was the size of those spark plugs! Since these are no longer available, and the existing ones have to be rebuilt, would it be possible to machine a set of adaptors that would allow modern spark plugs to be used? Something along the lines of a pipe bushing, like putting a 1/4 NPT fitting into a 1/2 NPT hole? Not that those are the actual sizes, of course, far from it.

Many unusual sizes of spark plugs are still available on ebay, etc., or at swap meets. You can still find new-old-stock sometimes.
However, making a bushing to take a modern plug is done all the time. A lot of the older engines liked long reach plugs. There are many modern examples that can be used in bushings placed in the old spark plug holes.

Kelly Anderson · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:08 pm

PaulWWoodring wrote:

It's been 15 years since I was there, but my understanding about the M-1 is that the major issue wasn't the traction motors, it was the prime mover. Totally obsolete. They were having to rebuild the spark plugs to get it to run because they could not find any suitable replacements.

More likely that they couldn't get Joe to pay for any. I believe that there is a whole cottage industry devoted to making oddball spark plugs for antique engine collectors. Sort of like steam engine parts, be prepared to pay.

Alexander D. Mitchell IV · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 4:46 pm

Even more likely is the prospect that, simply because it was a "once a year" toy,, it was low on the priority list and essentially "forgotten about" in between Fall Spectaculars.

Someone had to make repairing M-1 a priority. That may not have happened.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:16 pm

There was a dedicated group of volunteers keeping M-1 going. It did run only on festive occasions, though.

Remember that's an original 1930 gas engine.

Phil Mulligan

LVRR2095 · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 6:22 pm

EJ Berry wrote:

Remember that's an original 1930 gas engine.

Phil Mulligan

I would bet that many 1930’s engines like those in a Model A Ford will still be running long after the modern engines in our cars, with computer controls, are long scrapped as obsolete.

Keith

David Dewey · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 7:26 pm

I have a 1925 Model T Ford engine still running great--but then I don't know its history, it may have been rebuilt in the 1950ss. OTOH, I can rebuild it should it need it! Just because an engine was made in 1930 doesn't mean it can't be made to run reliably. As for spark plugs, there are a LOT of spark plugs out there, some are even NOS (New, Old Stock), so the spark plug story doesn't go far with me. Heck, the rebuildable ones tend to me more robust than modern production.

Kelly Anderson · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:35 pm

EJ Berry wrote:

Remember that's an original 1930 gas engine.

Our #2 Plymouth has an original 1930 engine. Our #1 Plymouth has an original 1926 engine. They both run great without much in the way of pampering.

EJ Berry · **Posted:** Mon Mar 16, 2020 11:27 pm

Touche!

I've seen and heard SRC 1 (1926 Plymouth gasser) running; it's in good shape.

Phil Mulligan

John Risley · **Joined:** Tue Aug 24, 2004 10:34 pm **Posts:** 928

Kelly are those old Plymouth motors from Climax? MC #2 was built in 1928 sn#2911. They left straight water in the motor and it froze, cracked the block. That is how I remember the story told. In 1970 or 71 a couple members went down to East St. Louis and picked up donor motor from a scrap yard. Was told it came out of an old tug? After the motor swap it ran but it sounded like a "calliope". The intake manifold is not original and was fabricated. Quite a pc of equipment. I have an affection for them. Getting to old to bring one home. Regards, John.

Kelly Anderson · **Posted:** Tue Mar 17, 2020 11:17 pm

John Risley wrote:

Kelly are those old Plymouth motors from Climax?

Yes, both are Climax engines, a six cylinder in #1, and a four cylinder in #2. 200 cubic inches per cylinder. Both have single barrel carburetors, both have magnetos. #1 has dual ignition, with a distributor, and twelve spark plugs. #1 has a fabricated exhaust manifold, due to the original rusting out. Otherwise, they are all original.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Wed Mar 18, 2020 2:23 pm

More pix from Facebook, found on a site about steam engines and turntables (there are sites for EVERYTHING there--and you spend too much time on them, too)--but what's interesting is the original site--an individual site for a Jesse Clemmer of Clemmer Fire Protection, Inc.

That suggests work is starting on the fire suppression system.

Text and photos by Mr. Clemmer, dated March 14, 2020:

Quote:

Awesome morning flow testing for Phase 1 of the East Broad Top project. Very amazing place rich with history and good people. Looking forward to being a part of preserving this rare hidden history book.

J3a-614 · **Posted:** Thu Mar 26, 2020 11:48 pm

Some more pix from the East Broad Top site:

https://www.facebook.com/ebtrr/

First, though, a caption from a collection of pictures posted at one time, on March 21, 2020:

Quote:

This week brought a lot of distractions and worries to everyone, but nonetheless we managed to make some big strides at the EBT: Two locomotives are just about ready to have old asbestos boiler lagging removed (whenever a contractor is permitted to do so) so that we can test their boilers. For those of you keeping score at home, it seems likely right now that one of these two will be the first returned to steam. And two unexpected repair projects got underway: Bolsters on our one usable flatcar turned out to need work, and the last remnants of ties collapsed under the track leading into stall 5 of the roundhouse, prompting an emergency track project.

And now the pictures, with captions when available.

Quote:

No. 16's smokebox door was lifted off with help from the Rockhill Trolley Museum's boom truck. That's General Manager Brad Esposito on the right, and I think Nevin Byers is behind the door. Christopher Brang supervises. (Photo by Josh Capp.)

Quote:

No. 14's steam dome from above. (Photo by Josh Capp.)

Quote:

Daniel Gilliland and Roy Miller remove the engineer's side handrail from the 16.

Quote:

Jason Lamb, the general manager of the Everett Railroad, helps Nevin Byers empty out the 16's sand domes so they can be removed.

Quote:

The view through stall 2 with the 14 indoors, stripped of appliances and hardware, as work on the 16 continued.

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Josh Capp and Christopher Brang reattach a bolster beneath flatcar 117.

Quote:

Track guru Henry Long checks the lever of relaid rail for stall 5 of the roundhouse. Henry is a longtime EBT volunteer (and sometime employee) and is also chairman of the board of the Rockhill Trolley Museum — and one of the most entertaining of the many entertaining folks you'll meet at the EBT. That's Nicholas Brightbill sitting on M-6's coupler, giving Henry grief, while Brendan Anderson leans on the turntable arm.

hullmat991 · **Joined:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 11:12 pm **Posts:** 204

Apparently within the last week there was an accident at Runk Road Bridge by an over-sized vehicle that that knocked it out of place. Of course whoever did it didn't bother to report the accident. More on the Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/ebtrr/posts/10158412116396663

Pat Fahey · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2020 4:39 pm

Hi All
Please correct me if I am wrong, is that the bridge, heading towards Mt. Union and the picnic grove? Thank you Pat.

PaulWWoodring · **Posted:** Tue May 05, 2020 5:26 pm

Runk Rd. is the one-lane road underpass where the EBT is on a fill just before you get to the picnic grove/wye.

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