FEBT Restoration – Handcar

For many years the East Broad Top and most other railroad used “pump” style handcars to transport track-maintenance crews to their work locations along the railroad. After the turn of the 20th century, speeders with small gas-powered engines displaced the handcars.

Only one original EBT hand car is known to exist. In the late 1980s, FEBT was able to purchase that car from a collector and return it to the EBT. The car was stored for many years in Robertsdale and brought out for light demonstrations, but it had serious issues, including a broken beam and cracked bearings.

So the the handcar was transported to Rockhill for restoration. New bearings were made and installed and the broken beam was replaced. The handcar was made fully functional and was made available for rides for the remainder of the year, after which it was returned to Robertsdale. Since then it has been brought to Rockhill occasionally for special events.