East Broad Top Locomotive Roster
3 (3rd)

Common Carrier Era

Third #3 was the last steam locomotive purchased by the EBT and was also the most powerful in tractive effort (but not heaviest.) She acted as the primary switcher in Mount Union, yielding to much less powerful Locomotive #6 (3rd) when she required servicing. Unlike #6, #3 had modern Walschaerts valve gear and butt seam boiler. She did not adopt the Southern valve gear of the three big Mikados.

The Mount Union yard switchers were primarily responsible bringing empty standard gauge coal hoppers into the EBT yard from the Pennsylvania Railroad interchange. Those hoppers were spotted in the North Standard Gauge Yard then gravity switched through the loading portion of the coal plant and accumulated in South Standard Gauge Yard, then the switchers would move them out to the PRR for pickup. Narrow gauge hoppers were dropped off by the narrow gauge road locomotive and gravity switched through the unloading shed to the South Narrow Gauge Yard for pickup, so no switcher was needed for these. The switchers also handled delivering coal and ganister into and bricks out of the refractory plants, switching the extract plant and lumber business south of town and moving miscellaneous cargos around the yard.

The switchers were equipped with dual couplers to handle both standard gauge and narrow gauge equipment. The full sized MCB couplers were centered over the standard gauge centerline, and the 3/4 size MCB couplers were slightly lower and centered over the narrow gauge centerline. For this arrangement to work, the switchers always had to face north for both couplers to line up.

#3 was the last EBT locomotive to operate in common carrier service on 4-13-1956, moving the last of the standard gauge to the PRR interchange and cleaning up the yard. The following day was the official cessation of EBT operations.

Kovalchick Tourist Era

#3 remained in the Mount Union Enginehouse from its last operation in 1956. After the 1975 sale of #6, she remained in the building alone. By the 1980s the roof on the enginehouse had deteriorated badly, especially on the north end. This allowed weather in, and since #3's stack was not capped, into the smokebox and possibly the valves and cylinders. The roof was repaired in the early 1990's by a National Park Service grant and the building resealed. By this time there was extensive corrosion across the front of the locomotive. Extensive damage was caused to the bottom of the smokebox, which was corroded through in places. With the roof repaired, the deterioration was largely halted.

#3 remained in the enginehouse during the time the Mount Union Connecting Railroad leased the enginehouse and the EBT from Mount Union to Aughwick. (1998-ca. 2009) MUC periodically allowed fans access to view #3 but made no attempts to move or restore her. Indications are that #3 was not part of the lease.

Sale and Relocation

Sometime after the departure of the Mount Union Connecting circa 2012 and prior to the purchase of most of the EBT by the EBT Foundation in 2020, #3 was sold to undisclosed parties. This is reported as having been around 2012-2013. Nothing happened with the locomotive after this sale. Reports indicate that she was resold after the initial purchase, but continued to remain in the enginehouse. For a brief time, the locomotive was listed for sale online for $300,000, but the ad disappeared afer just a few days. Although never formally revealed, the second sale appeared to bring the control of the locomotive under the control of the East Broad Top Preservation Association or under the owner of that organization. The EBTPA purchased the Mount Union Yard and PRR Mount Union Spur in 2013.

In June of 2022 work began to remove the tender from the building and repaint it. The work continued into July. The intent of this work was unclear as at that time as there was no communication regarding it. The tender was painted black and lettered "E.B.T." in white (not the normal orange.) In late July of 2023, the tender was reported as removed and trucked away, but this was incorrect, as the tender had been placed in the other enginehouse stall where #6 had lived. 7-20-2023 the locomotive was pulled out of the enginehouse by Copenhaver Logging and Excavating. Copenhaver was contracted only to move the locomotive, with less than a day's notice after another firm had tried and failed to move the locomotive. A small buldozer was used. The locomotive was only pulled out enough that the front end cleared the enginehouse doorway. When pulled out, it was visible that the connecting rods on both sides had been torched off near each end, and the valve gear rods were missing. The locomotive had been painted black with red cab accents, and white painted smokebox, rods accents, driver tires and running boards, and bras boiler bands had been installed. Historically she was all black. 1-11 2024 the tender was pulled out of the enginehouse and, with great difficulty, to the main in the central portion of the yard. Next, it was attempted to do the same with the locomotive. A short distance from the enginehouse, the locomotive rolled a rail under the weight and the backhoe pulling broke through the cover over the ash pit. The locomotive was rerailed and pushed back inside and the tender remained in the yard. 1-15-24, the tender was craned onto a semi trailer and transported to points unknown at that time. Bryce Saylor & Sons, Inc. of Altoona, PA performed the lift. 6-19-24 it was discovered that the locomotive was bound for Red Bay, AL for a historical railroad park there as part of the Red Bay Museum ^G3. The rumored sale price to Red Bay was $330,000. Previous reports stated the locomotive was being trucked to Florida for display, the Kirby Family Farm Railroad mentioned in one report, but this was incorrect.

The transport of the locomotive to AL was contracted by the Red Bay Museum to the North Mississippi and Alabama Railroad. NM&A was not involved in the cosmetic restoration of the locomotive and tender in PA, nor the initial attempts at moving of the locomotive or the cut rods. 6-11-2024 NM&A moved the locomotive out of the enginehouse, up the engnehouse spur, and onto the main. She was then lifted to a section of panel track in an open area where she remaind for almost two months for prep work for transport. Lifting work was performed by Cranemasters of Taneytown, MD.

Prior to final loading for transport, scab plates and bolts were installed on the cut rod sections to hold them together, but the missing valve rods never reappeared. A long slot was cut across the cab roof behind the rear cab wall to pass lift rigging through it and around the rear frame. In preparation for the move the smokestack was removed to reduce overall height, and it was reinstalled after the move to Red Bay. 8-7-24 the locomotive was loaded by crane onto a special heavy duty hauler. Buchanan Hauling and Riggng of Fort Wayne, IN executed the move to Red Bay. Over the course of multiple days the locomotive was transported to Alabama. The tender had been stored on a trailer in Red Bay unil the locomotive arrived. About 8-19-2024 the tender were craned onto the display track in Red Bay and the the locomotive the following day. ^G7. The purchase and relocation of the locomotive was funded by Bob Tiffin, founder of Tiffin Motorhomes located in Red Bay ^G3.

The location of #3 after its move to AL is 34.44143, -88.1435.

A replica headlight, a builders plate and a whistle were installed on the locomotive in Alabama. After relocation to Alabama, a shelter was erected over the locomotive and tender. Despite this, rust began showing through the paint within a few months of delivery, indicating poor prep work before paint application in Pennsylvania by the previous owner. In August 2026 the Red Bay Museum contracted repainting of the locomotive by contractor 3B Painting of Talladega, AL who repainted their Illinois Central Caboose, which has been holding up well. The brass boiler bands had been removed by this time. Bob Tiffin also paid for the repaint.^{G5 G8}

As of this writing, the locomotive remains in Red Bay.

General References

• G1 - East Broad Top - Lee Rainey and Frank Kyper - p. 214
• G2 - A Ramble into the Past on the East Broad Top - Frank Kyper - p.60-61
• G3 - Steam locomotive delivery to Red Bay delayed, arrives July 1, Franklin County Times, 6-12-24, https://franklincountytimes.com/2024/06/12/steam-locomotive-delivery-to-red-bay-delayed-arrives-july-1/
• G4 - Restored steam engine beginning its trek to Red Bay park, Red Bay News, 6-12-24, https://redbaynews.net/2024/06/12/restored-steam-engine-beginning-its-trek-to-red-bay-park/
• G5 - Engine restoration. Red Bay News, 8-12-2026 Facebook post
• G6 - Dave Casima, drone footage in Mount Union. Facebook Page
• G7 - WHNT, 1923 Steam Locomotive To Be Unloaded At Red Bay Railroad Park | August 19, 2024 | News 19 at 5 a.m., https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GNyVHu8dvQ
• G8 - Locomotive gets new paint at Railroad Park, Franklin Coutny Times, https://www.franklincountytimes.com/2026/08/19/locomotive-gets-new-paint-railroad-park/