Back 'er up! With the cylinder cocks open and the valve gear set in reverse, the crew of EBT Locomotive #16 takes their newly restored Baldwin Mikado backward toward the south yard in little Orbisonia, PA, on the locomotive's very first day of operation. Judged by the EBT restoration crew to be in the best shape of the 6 Mikados in the railroad's roundhouse, the 16 was selected back in 2020 to be the first engine to be restored to service by the new EBT Foundation. The process took nearly 3 years, but the result is that a shiny steam engine is once again roaming the yards in this historic railroad town. Below the cab number, the engine carries the name "Nick", which is a tribute to Nick Kovalchick, the owner of a salvage company, which came into possession of the EBT when it closed as a common carrier. Instead of scrapping and parting out the railroad, he elected to save it and turn it into a tourist operation, which operated from 1956 until 2011. It is because of Nick Kovalchick that we have this railroad to enjoy today and naming the 16 for this man is a most fitting tribute.
A look at the one-time coal-hauler, which ran as a tourist railroad for decades and finally ceased operations in 2011. The album includes photos from an October 2010 charter as well as images from the very last Fall Spectacular in October of 2011.
