This is off-topic, but I know there are folks here who are familiar with the New Jersey area; and this is in Phillipsburg near the Bel-Del operation. They also appear to have a trolley operation.

I found an old announcement from the museum's "Friends" group (link below). In this announcement, they mention:

"BIG ALICE" THE TRIPLE EXPANSION STEAM PUMP: Our 1913 Allis Chalmers triple expansion
steam pumping engine will be on view.

Does anyone have any pictures, or more information on this pumping engine? This is the first time I have heard of it; a triple expansion pumping engine would be a rare and unusual exhibit. I also assume it is in it's original pumphouse.

Thank you in advance; and please excuse the off-topic posting. This group has always been such a great resource for general preservation topics.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Old Open House Announcement
james@survivingworldsteam.com

This is from 1999:

"The property also includes a former water company building that
houses a rusting but massive Allis-Chalmers steam engine, built in
1913 to provide power for water pumps supplying Phillipsburg and the
surrounding area.

The Friends of the New Jersey Railroad and Transportation Museum are
hoping to strike a deal with the county allowing the group to restore
the four-story-high steam engine and open it to visitors of the state
museum proposed in Phillipsburg.

The pump, nicknamed "Big Alice" for its size, could move 6 million
gallons of water a day, said Daniel Preston, vice president and
division manager of Consumers New Jersey."

Anyone know if an agreement was reached? No luck finding a picture, yet.



SJHussar@aol.com

Steven;

It sounds similiar to the Allis-Chalmers vertical pumping engine in the Hackensack Water Company site on an island in the middle of the Hackensack river in Bergen County, New Jersey. I linked to a picture of it below. From what I have read on the net, these are two of nineteen such engines remaining in the country.

It was voted by Bergen County to donate the Hackensack Water Company site to the Water Works Conservancy, Inc. (link below.) This was over the objections of environmentalists, who wanted the pumping station razed and the entire island returned to nature. (Yep, Rail to Trails type arguement all over again.)

According to their website, the Historic Sites Council's Resolution is now in the hands of Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bradley Campbell, who will make the final decision. He had granted a one-year extension for a final determination of the County's request, to allow the County to reassess the preservaton of this important National Historic Site. Bergen County and all other stakeholders, including the WWC and the State and National Coalition to Save the Water Works, agreed to that request. The new deadline was June 2003.

That was now a year ago; I wonder what the final outcome was here.

A proposal was also floated yesterday in a meeting in Boston to preserve the Hi Service room of the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station as a formal museum, while the rest of the station is adaptively reused for comdos. I am waiting to hear the outcome of the meeting.

Finally, in case you didn't read it in the Flimsies, we lost our battle to save the compressor house at the Solvay Coke Plant site in Milwaukee. We are still waiting for a more definite word; but it sounds like NOTHING was set aside. ALL of the steam engines along with everything else may have been demolished.

All just a reminder that general preservation of historic structures and machines is under the same gun as railroad perservation.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

> This is from 1999:

> "The property also includes a former
> water company building that
> houses a rusting but massive Allis-Chalmers
> steam engine, built in
> 1913 to provide power for water pumps
> supplying Phillipsburg and the
> surrounding area.

> The Friends of the New Jersey Railroad and
> Transportation Museum are
> hoping to strike a deal with the county
> allowing the group to restore
> the four-story-high steam engine and open it
> to visitors of the state
> museum proposed in Phillipsburg.

> The pump, nicknamed "Big Alice"
> for its size, could move 6 million
> gallons of water a day, said Daniel Preston,
> vice president and
> division manager of Consumers New
> Jersey."

> Anyone know if an agreement was reached? No
> luck finding a picture, yet.


The Water Works Conservancy, Inc.

james@survivingworldsteam.com

Just recieved word from the site that all of the engines were removed from the compressor house prior to it's demolition. Piping is carefully being cut from each; with the exception of a platform breaking off one of the verticals and the loss of a governor; they are all intact.

Now to find homes for them all.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

(MJS) Engines running out of steam
james@survivingworldsteam.com

> A proposal was also floated yesterday in a
> meeting in Boston to preserve the Hi Service
> room of the Chestnut Hill Pumping Station as
> a formal museum, while the rest of the
> station is adaptively reused for comdos. I
> am waiting to hear the outcome of the
> meeting.

James, I was at that meeting and can confirm that the museum idea was in fact put forth, and happily, was mildly embraced by the developer. A very productive discussion followed in which the 'idea' of getting one of the giant steam engines turning was talked about.




SJHussar@aol.com

> James, I was at that meeting and can confirm
> that the museum idea was in fact put forth,
> and happily, was mildly embraced by the
> developer. A very productive discussion
> followed in which the 'idea' of getting one
> of the giant steam engines turning was
> talked about.

Stephen;

Thank you very much for the update. I am glad the developer was receptive to the idea. Chestnut Hill was not the uphill battle Solvay Coke was because the buildings and the Leavitt Pumping Engine have already been designated historical mounuments. I also assume the structures are in better shape than the compressor house was.

I was sent the proposal, and I also agree they are better off turning one of the small pumps, such as the Worthington cross-compound engine; than a big pump like the Leavitt.

Have the three vertical Holly triple-expansion duplex engines that were installed in the Low Service pumping station been scrapped already?

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

james@survivingworldsteam.com

James, I don't believe anything has been touched. The buildings are fairly sound, with a couple of small leaks in the roof and some seepage in the basement.

In the High-service building it looks like 5 engines will be preserved, instead of the 3 originally planned for. The smallest of these is a 1970's "Solar" gas turbine (which would fit in most closets) that I'm told is cabable of pumping the same volume as the giant Leavitt-Riedler!

SJHussar@aol.com