Atlantic Coast Line 1504 "Project Return to Glory"

From Trains Magizine:

Trains magazine, CSX Corp. partner to double impact of 2013 Preservation Award

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Trains Magazine’s annual 2013 Preservation Award of $10,000 has been doubled by a match from CSX Corp. for the cosmetic restoration of Atlantic Coast Line No. 1504, a 1919 steam locomotive on display in CSX’s headquarters city of Jacksonville, Fla.

The award goes to the North Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society in cooperation with three other railroad history groups in north Florida; the NRHS named the locomotive to its top eight endangered railroad landmarks in April.

This marks the first time a major Class I railroad has partnered with Trains, the world’s largest popular magazine and Web site devoted to railroading, to match the award. This is the 14th year for the award, which has now contributed $140,000 to railway preservation projects nationwide. The 2013 award was chosen from more than 50 applicants.

The locomotive is the only remaining original U.S. Railway Administration steam locomotive in essentially its original as built appearance. It has been on display outside for more than 50 years and is deteriorating rapidly in the hot and humid Florida climate. The engine is displayed at the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center.

The award was announced Oct. 19 during the annual Association of Tourist Railroads and Railway Museums conference, held this year in Riverside, Calif.

The North Florida Chapter NRHS is coordinating efforts to rescue No. 1504 with its “Project Return to Glory.” The Trains Preservation award will fund the project’s first phase, which focuses on the engine’s appearance and stabilization. Also participating are the Atlantic Coast Line-Seaboard Air Line Historical Society, the Southeast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society, and the North Florida Railroad Museum.

“We are thrilled at the coalition of public and private organizations that have joined together to save this vital piece of railroad history,” said John S. Holmgren, president of the North Florida Chapter. “Thanks to Trains Magazine and CSX, we can rescue engine 1504 through urgently needed cosmetic restoration and help ensure a bright and secure future for this historic locomotive.”

“We are appreciative of the railway history groups in the southeast banding together, and we’re extremely pleased with CSX’s participation in this effort to make the 1504 a wonderful reminder of the past as we all look forward to tomorrow,” said Trains Editor Jim Wrinn. “Through its top endangered landmarks list, NRHS has certainly done its job by pointing out the urgency with which we should all be focusing on this project.”

From the President of the North Florida NRHS:

Thanking the board members of the North Florida Chapter: Carlton Sims, George Bollinger, Jim McGinn and Jerry Sullivan.



2) Thanking those you worked directly on the proposal:



a. Mark Fraizer, M&M Consulting, whose work was vital

b. Larry Goolsby, ACL-SAL Historical Society

c. William Howes, Southeast Chapter of the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society

d. Steve Arrington, Retired – Jacksonville Transit Authority

e. George Bollinger, North Florida Railroad Museum

f. Joel McEachin, City of Jacksonville



I leave to your discretion. But if any names are mention, it should be the 6 individuals who worked directly on the proposal. The NRHS should be mentioned to for having the foresight for inclusion on the Most Endangered List.



John S. Holmgren

With this all being said there is much activity going on to get the ball rolling on "Project Return to Glory" Additional information and details will be shared as they develop.

Mark A. Frazier M&M Consulting

On July 13 2013 there was a through visual inspection done of the ACL 1504, that inspection gave and overall grade of the locomotive of a B+ and the tender a D-. That inspection reviled that 1504 is in fact a zero miles locomotive. At first glance the effects of the Florida weather have taken their toll on the locomotive there has been very little effects on it mechanically. In 1986 the locomotive did go through a Haz-Mat abatement. The lagging has been removed and a new jacket put on it at that time. Testing of the paint on the locomotive verified that there is no lead paint danger.

The tender is suffering from extensive decay from corrosion coming from inside the tank. This appears to go back to when the locomotive was in service as there are several patches on the tank. The corrosion is so bad that there ar basket ball size holes in the bottom of the tank.

Since the announcement of the Trains Magazine/CSX 2014 Preservation Award the team being lead by the North Florida Chapter of the NRHS is moving forward with the implementation of Phase I of "Project Return to Glory" .


Mark A. Frazier
M&M Consulting

Am I the only one stunned at the fact that CSX did something that supports historic preservation?

Will this mean she'll go under cover? If not, it's almost a waste of time and expense, as she'll be in the same shape in another 10 years or so.
I'd heard rumors that several steam people have looked over this locomotive over the years with an eye for possibly operation. If she's in such good mechanicial shape, I can see why. Such a shame they welded her to the rails back in the day, it made her last move quite tricky.
I saw this engine a few times when I lived in Florida, and she was looking might sorry even in the 90s. Good to hear something's going to happen, but she really needs to get under cover!

Wait... they actually welded her to the rails?

As far as I was told, at least one of the drivers was welded to a rail but I am not 100% sure of that as it's something I heard.
Watch the video of the move from the CSX HQ, it appears that the drivers were welded to a condition where they couldn't roll, but again I don't know the specifics, you can clearly see them having to slide it instead of rolling it, though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7dA47FGZp4

Not to hijack this thread, but why is CSX so anti-steam? Also Thanks CSX for the donation.

I visited this locomotive when I was around 10 years old with my Grandmother circa 1980. At that time it was parked at CSX headquarters. I remember noticing then that parts of the drivers were welded together to keep them from moving. I remember thinking that can't be too good, but my dad insisted that it could be undone, if there was a good reason to do so.

Bill Purdie (former Southern Railway Master Mechanic- Steam) told me that he had personally inspected the engine and that small blocks of steel had been welded to the crosshead bars ahead of and behind the crossheads to prevent the pistons (and therefore the drivers) from moving. He thought it would have taken 15 minutes and an angle grinder to remove them. I'd guess the moving crew just opted not to mess with the running gear since greasing the rails for the short move was probably easier.

Mr. Purdie said the engine was in very good mechanical shape and might indeed be one of those mythical "overhauled immediately prior to being placed on display" locomotives.

At any rate, I'm glad things are looking up for this locomotive. I grew up along the ACL mainline; although I was born 3 years after their last steam was retired, I'm sure my dad watched this locomotive (born the same year as he was) roll through town many a time when he was growing up.

Thats sounds a little more like what I would expect them to do. If its just the blocks on the crossheads... I wonder if she is worthy

In answer to is or was 1504 welded to the rail? Yes the rear wheel set of the tender has wedges welded to the wheel and to the rail. This is not much of a loss as all 4 tender wheel sets have rim stamped wheels and solid bearings.

The blocks that were mentioned being on the back of the crossheads are there, and yes a grinder will make short work of removing them. While in theory 1504 could be rolling in less than a hour, there would be much more work that needs to be done before that could happen. With all that said the mechanical parts of the locomotive appear to be in very good condition.

Mark A. Frazier
M&M Consulting

More importantly, will the 1504 be painted green when restored?

OK, that was in jest, but as I recall, ACL passenger power wasn't always in black. I seem to recall that some engines--some of these 4-6-2s, and the big Baldwin 4-8-4s--were in a two-tone grey and black scheme, with aluminum lettering and in some cases, a genuine aluminum herald on the tender.

http://home.earthlink.net/~steamloc/

Oh, and a reminder--I believe this is one of the remaining USRA original locomotives. She mostly appears to be in as-built condition, too.

A few other ACL steamers are still around to keep the 1504 company:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 99&nseq=35

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 53&nseq=34

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 04&nseq=55

While we're at it, let's be thankful for a small gesture to steam from CSX. Is it too much to hope that someone will overturn the current operating ban?

Kudos to CSX for the matching grant money. CSX sees what is going on around them, and matching the grant may well be a sort of "dipping their toe in the water". With that in mind, continue to show the good side to CSX ( east coast steam operators, you know who you are)....

As far as remaining (as opposed to preserved) ACL steam, don't forget 2-8-0 #712, formerly used on the Rockton & Rion, at the SCRM in SC:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPi ... ?id=928947

and there's a preserved 0-6-0 #143 in Florida:

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/florida/ ... 200705.jpg