Foggy East Broad Top: The Sisters. EBT Locomotive #15 passes little sister "Millie" (EBT #12) as she departs Orbisonia northbound toward Mt. Union with a morning freight. This head-on view provides a bit of perspective on the relative sizes of Engines 12 and 15. Built 100 years ago in 1911, the 12 was the line's first 2-8-2 "Mikado". With a weight of 112,000 lbs and a tractive effort of just over 22,000 lbs, she could theoretically pull about 15 loaded hoppers. The 15 was built 3 years later, in 1914. She weighs 150,000 lbs, and has a tractive effort of just under 28,000 lbs...or about 18 loaded hoppers. So although the 15 is 34% heavier than the 12, her pulling power is just 25% greater...at least by my math. Little "Millie" did pretty well for a light Mikado. Sadly, "Millie" is not currently operable and would need a pretty thorough overhaul to meet current FRA standards. Incidentally, the nick-name "Millie" was only applied to the 12 in 1960, when EBT became a tourist line. She was apparently the first of the line's engines to be placed in tourist service and was named for the daughter of EBT President Nick Kovalchick.
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.
