Your donations put the rails back in Saltillo and so much more!
October 1, 2026
Dear Friend of the East Broad Top:
Thanks to your generous support, we have concluded an incredible 2026 Campaign. We have again raised over half a million dollars, far exceeding our goal of $350,000!
Here is what you made possible:
- The railroad returned to Saltillo! The dedicated efforts of the FEBT and EBTF track crew continued the March to Saltillo by rebuilding the main line and passenger siding from the new Saltillo station towards Three Springs. Donations beyond the 2026 goal funded clearing and grading of the remaining ROW to Three Springs. These accomplishments complement FEBT’s forthcoming rebuilding of the Saltillo water tank and the EBT Foundation’s announcement that they have received a grant that will rebuild the Three Springs station.
- The March to Saltillo also accelerated with track construction underway from Pogue station south toward Price’s bridge on ROW cleared by the 2025 campaign using ties and material purchased by the 2026 campaign.
- The new Saltillo station moved toward completion with the installation of replica interior materials and completion of electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems.
- In Rockhill Furnace, the turntable side of the roundhouse roof was replaced, store house 2 received new framing and siding, and the coal dock was restored to operation. The new tender tank for engine 15 was delivered.
- The EBT Archives publicly released over 1,400 images, including photographs, ephemera, bound volumes, and corporate records from the EBT Foundation and Friends of the East Broad Top collections through the Digital Catalog’s monthly exhibits.
We enter the 2027 Campaign amazed by what we’ve accomplished together and excited with what we can achieve next year. Your continued support will enable more remarkable progress to restore the EBT.
- March to Saltillo – We will provide the track materials to allow the FEBT and EBTF track crews to complete track construction from Saltillo through Three Springs. We are dedicating $150,000 of the 2027 Campaign to support this effort.
- Rockhill Furnace Shops Restoration – We plan to complete the needed roundhouse roof replacement and install new roofs on the restored store houses 1 and 2. We are targeting $70,000 to support this effort.
- Archives – With your generous and on-going support, the Archives will continue to process and share EBT and Rockhill Iron & Coal Company corporate records, archival materials and photographs, while preparing to transition to a new facility in Mount Union. We plan to raise $95,000 in the 2027 Campaign to enable this work.
- Steam Locomotive 15 – FEBT will continue to support the restoration of number 15 to operation. The 2027 Campaign will contribute $25,000 for the restoration of 15’s tender frame to go under the new FEBT funded tank.
- Future restoration projects – We cannot always forecast all of our restoration needs in advance. We’d like to set aside $35,000 from the 2027 campaign for new or unexpected restoration needs.
- Our goal is to raise $375,000 in the 2027 Campaign to achieve these exciting objectives. If we are fortunate again to exceed our goal in 2027, the additional funds will be used to accelerate selected projects like the March to Saltillo.
You may donate online (credit card and Paypal accepted) at the FEBT Company Store, store.febt.org/donate. If you prefer to send a check or money order payable to FEBT, address it to Karen Bulman, FEBT Fundraising Treasurer, P.O. Box 43063, Cincinnati, OH 45243. FEBT is a designated 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax-deductible in the U.S.
The 2027 Annual Campaign starts on Oct. 1 and runs until Sept. 30, 2027. We look forward to acknowledging all donors in our newsletter!
Thank you for your support.
Yours truly,
Andrew H. Van Scyoc, President
Friends of the East Broad Top, Inc.
P.S. – Amazing things are happening. We need your support to keep the momentum going! Please contribute to the 2027 Campaign.