ROCKHILL FURNACE, Pa. — The family responsible for saving the East Broad Top Railroad has been honored by the EBT Foundation for its role in preserving the narrow gauge line.
In a Saturday ceremony, the EBT dedicated a monument to Fannie and Nick Kovalchick and their family. The Kovalchicks, who operate a scrap metal firm, purchased the assets of the railroad when it closed in 1956, but rather than scrap it, they reopened part of the railroad for operations in 1960, with Nick — who died in 1977 — and son Joe operating it until 2009. It was then leased to the East Broad Top Railroad Preservation Association, which operated it until 2011. In 2020, the family sold the railroad to the East Broad Top Foundation, which resumed operations in 2021 and is engaged in a continuing effort to restore portions of the railroad that have not opened since its 1956 closure.
“This railroad means everything to my father and also to me, because we both love trains,” Joe Kovalchick, who helped his father Nick operate the railroad, said during the ceremony.
The EBT Foundation has recognized the role of the Kovalchicks since the purchase was announced in February 2020 [see “The East Board Top will run again …,” Trains.com, Feb. 14, 2020], and now has a more permanent reminder of the family’s role.
“The Kovalchicks’ legacy will forever stand as a reminder that preserving history takes courage, foresight, and love of community,” the EBT said in a Facebook post on the ceremony. “We are grateful to carry their story forward with all of you.”
The Kovalchicks’ role in rail preservation extends beyond the East Broad Top. They were recently recognized by the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad for their role in the donation of an operating SW7 locomotive to the WMSR [see “Western Maryland Scenic acquires …,” Aug. 19, 2025].
