FEBT Restoration – Flatcar 108

Project Years: 2006 (Jul)

Flatcar 108 was part of a batch of 12 such cars constructed by the East Broad Top in 1923. Flatcars on the EBT were used to haul a variety of bulky loads that would not fit in boxcars.

After the end of common carrier services, 108 was parked with some hoppers on the lead ramp to the Coal Dock. There it remained for decades — so long, in fact, that it came to be known as the “Tree Flatcar” because several conifer trees had grown up through the car.

In the mid-2000s, after the EBT speeder crew had reopened a portion of the main line south of the Rockhill yard, it was possible to extract several cars from the Coal Dock track, including two hoppers and the flatcar 108. Despite decades of neglect, 108 was in surprisingly good condition. An EBT crew cleaned and repainted the car and repaired the mechanicals.

The car was then turned over to an FEBT crew, which redecked the car and completed the restoration. The car has since been used in a number of replica freight trains, as well as for storage.

[foogallery id=”1301″]