Historic Saltillo Water Tank to Rise Again: East Broad Top Railroad Launches Major Restoration Project
Published: May 7, 2026
By: Adam Burns
SALTILLO, Pa. — In a significant step forward for one of America’s most celebrated narrow-gauge railroads, the Friends of the East Broad Top (FEBT) and the East Broad Top Foundation announced on May 3, 2026, that they will partner to rebuild the historic wooden water tank at Saltillo, Pennsylvania. The project revives a key piece of infrastructure destroyed by fire nearly 40 years ago and supports the ongoing effort to extend steam-era operations southward along the line.
The announcement came during the Friends’ annual reunion at the nearly completed Saltillo station, just a short distance from the original tank site. The new structure will be a fully functional recreation of the 1912-built enclosed square tank, which once supplied water to steam locomotives before they tackled the steep 2% grade up Broad Top Mountain toward the coal mines at Robertsdale.
“This is the true phoenix project, rising from the ashes,” said Andy Van Scyoc, president of the Friends of the East Broad Top. “It brings back another piece of the history of East Broad Top. It also will literally serve to water the locomotives as they’re here during layover on rides. It’s a critical part of the infrastructure to bring East Broad Top back to Saltillo.”
If you would like to donate towards this cause please visit the FEBT at https://store.febt.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=119&products_id=600
A Landmark Structure Returns
The original Saltillo water tank was a signature feature of the East Broad Top Railroad & Coal Company, a 33-mile narrow-gauge line established in the 1870s primarily to haul semi-bituminous coal from the Broad Top fields to market. Built in 1912, the 30-foot-tall wooden tank held approximately 8,000 gallons and remained in place even after the railroad ceased common-carrier operations in 1956. It survived the transition to tourist service in the 1960s but was lost to a fire set by vandals in December 1986.
The rebuilt tank will closely match the historic design while incorporating modern upgrades: it will be fed by a new well rather than the original spring and will have a slightly larger 9,000-gallon capacity. Preservation architect John Bowie of Philadelphia prepared detailed structural drawings based on Interstate Commerce Commission valuation records and other historical sources to ensure historical accuracy, functionality, and compliance with current building codes.
Rebuilding the tank is estimated to cost $250,000 and is already fully funded through generous donations from FEBT members Mark and Becky Reese, plus an anonymous third donor. The project launches the organizations’ new Naming Opportunities Program, which encourages major gifts to support specific restoration elements.
Part of a Larger “March to Saltillo”
The water tank project is closely tied to the “March to Saltillo,” a joint initiative by the Friends and the EBT Foundation to reopen approximately nine miles of track south from Rockhill Furnace through Pogue, Three Springs, and into Saltillo — territory that has seen no trains since 1956. Tracklaying is actively underway in Saltillo, with about a half-mile of main line and the station siding being reinstalled this year. Earlier segments to the north have already been restored and returned to service.
The Saltillo station itself — a near-duplicate of the 1892 original, which was demolished in 2004 — saw groundbreaking in April 2025. Its exterior is now complete, utilities are installed, and interior work (including salvaged original elements like the ticket window and freight door) is progressing.
Together, the station and water tank will enable regular passenger trains to reach Saltillo for the first time in seven decades, breathing new economic and historic life into the community of about 417 residents. Local leaders, including the EBT Corridor Committee, report the town is “truly abuzz,” with sidewalk repairs and new construction underway in anticipation of visitors.
A National Historic Landmark on the Move
The East Broad Top, designated a National Historic Landmark, is widely regarded as one of the best-preserved narrow-gauge railroads in the United States. After the nonprofit EBT Foundation acquired most of the line in 2020, restoration has accelerated dramatically. Volunteers and staff have rebuilt track, restored historic shop buildings at Rockhill Furnace, and returned steam locomotives to service. The Friends organization contributed more than $600,000 to the March to Saltillo effort alone and logged over 14,000 volunteer hours in 2025 across various projects.
The railroad’s recent fund campaign exceeded its $350,000 goal in just seven months, with surplus funds directed toward ties, ballast, and track materials. Additional milestones include land purchases for future operations near Coles and plans to expand the passenger car fleet.
Construction on the new water tank is expected to begin this summer, with the structure rising on the exact footprint of its predecessor. Once operational, it will not only serve as a working piece of living history but also symbolize the railroad’s broader revival.For rail enthusiasts and local residents alike, the phoenix-like return of the Saltillo water tank marks another triumphant chapter in the East Broad Top’s remarkable story — proof that, with dedication and community support, even structures lost to fire can rise again.
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