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Atlantic Coast Line 1504
Atlantic Coast Line No. 1504 on static display in Jacksonville, Florida, in March 2016
Type and origin
References:[1]: 13 [2][3]
Power typeSteam
BuilderALCO's Richmond Works
Serial number59314
Build dateMarch 1919
Specifications
Configuration:
​
 • Whyte4-6-2
 • UIC2′C2′ h1
Gauge4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Driver dia.73 in (1,854 mm)
WheelbaseLoco & tender: 70.79 ft (21.58 m)
Length80 ft 9.5 in (24.63 m)
Axle load59,333 lb (26,913 kilograms; 26.913 metric tons)
Adhesive weight178,000 lb (81,000 kilograms; 81 metric tons)
Loco weight278,000 lb (126,000 kilograms; 126 metric tons)
Tender weight193,000 lb (88,000 kilograms; 88 metric tons)
Total weight471,000 lb (214,000 kilograms; 214 metric tons)
Tender typeUSRA
Fuel typeCoal
Fuel capacity16 t (16 long tons; 18 short tons)
Water cap.10,000 US gal (38,000 L; 8,300 imp gal)
Firebox:​
 • Grate area66.70 sq ft (6.197 m2)
Boiler pressure200 psi (1.38 MPa)
Heating surface:​
 • Firebox242 sq ft (22.5 m2)
Superheater:
​
 • Heating area794 sq ft (73.8 m2)
CylindersTwo
Cylinder size25 in × 28 in (635 mm × 711 mm)
Valve gearBaker
Performance figures
Maximum speed80 mph (130 km/h)
Tractive effort40,750 lb (18.5 tonnes)
Factor of adh.4.12
Career
OperatorsAtlantic Coast Line
ClassP-5-A
Number in class5th of 70
NumbersACL 1504 (originally 497)
Delivered1920
RetiredDecember 31, 1952 (revenue service)
Current ownerU.S. Sugar Corporation
DispositionUndergoing restoration to operating condition
Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Locomotive No. 1504
LocationJacksonville, Florida
NRHP reference No.100001388
Added to NRHPJanuary 23, 2018

Atlantic Coast Line 1504 is a 4-6-2 USRA Light Pacific steam locomotive built in March 1919 by the American Locomotive Company (ALCO) of Richmond, Virginia, for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL) as a member of the P-5-A class. It was assigned to pull ACL's mainline passenger trains until it was retired in 1952 and subsequently donated to the city of Jacksonville, Florida, where it sat on static display as the only original USRA Light Pacific steam locomotive to be preserved. In 1990, No. 1504 was designated as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

As of 2022, the locomotive is being restored to operating condition for use in excursion service on the South Central Florida Express shortline railroad in Clewiston, Florida as part of U.S. Sugar's (USSC) heritage tourist passenger train named the Sugar Express, where it will eventually ran alongside ex-Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) No. 148.

History

Design and abilities

No. 1504 was the fifth member of seventy USRA Light Pacifics built by American Locomotive Company (ALCO) between 1919 and 1920 for the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad (ACL).[1]: 8  Originally classified as a P-5 and numbered 497, it was reclassified as a P-5-A and renumbered to 1504 in 1920.[2][4] No. 1504 was assigned to haul ACL's premier passenger trains such as the Miamian, Florida Special, Palmetto Limited, Southland, South Wind and Dixie Flyer.[1]: 7  It had the capability to haul a 10-12 passenger car train at 70–80 mph (113–129 km/h) between Richmond, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida.[1]: 7  While some of the P-5-As were re-equipped with Worthington feedwater heaters to improve their performances, No. 1504 was one of the few that were not re-equipped with this feature.[3][5][6] When the ACL railroad dieselized its passenger trains in the late 1940s, No. 1504 was reassigned to fast freight service in the Tampa, Florida area.[5] During that time, it hauled 50-60 freight cars at maximum allowable speeds until its retirement from revenue service on December 31, 1952.[5]

Preservation and display

No. 1504's ASME plaque in 2016

No. 1504 was chosen for preservation by ACL president Champion Davis and the Head of ACL's Mechanical Department, John W. Hawthorne.[1]: 7  In 1960, the locomotive was mechanically overhauled and was put on static display in front of the ACL General Office Building in Jacksonville, Florida.[1]: 8  No. 1504 became the only surviving USRA Light Pacific steam locomotive in original as-built condition with the exception of its headlight, tender trucks, and pilot truck wheels.[1]: 7 

In 1986, ACL's successor, CSX donated the No. 1504 locomotive to the Jacksonville City Council, where they relocated it to its new static display site in the parking lot of the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center, located at the former Jacksonville Union Terminal.[5] On October 23, 1990, No. 1504 was designated as a National Historic Mechanical Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).[1]: 1 

In late 2013 and early 2014, the North Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) received $20,000 from both Trains Magazine and CSX Corporation to fund the cosmetic restoration of the No. 1504 locomotive, which has been sitting on display outside exposed to the elements.[7][8] The cosmetic restoration work would include adding new cab windows and doors, and renovating the headlamp.[9] In July 2015, the North Florida Chapter NRHS volunteers finished cosmetically restoring the No. 1504 locomotive with new paint.[10]

A new lease on life with U.S. Sugar

In June 2021, the Jacksonville City Council donated the No. 1504 locomotive to the North Florida Chapter NRHS, who would eventually sell the locomotive for $50,000 to U.S. Sugar Corporation (USSC) for use in excursion service on the South Central Florida Express shortline railroad in Clewiston, Florida as part of USSC's Sugar Express tourist passenger train.[11][12] In late August, No. 1504 was removed from static display and moved to the former Lucey Boiler Company building in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the same place where Southern Railway 4501 was originally restored in the mid 1960s.[13][14] No. 1504 is currently undergoing an extensive three-year operational restoration and rebuild performed by FMW Solutions.[14][15]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "USRA Steam Locomotives: Atlantic Coast Line 1504 and Baltimore and Ohio 4500" (PDF). American Society of Mechanical Engineers. October 23, 1990. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 18, 2019. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Huddleston (2002), p. xii.
  3. ^ a b Prince (2000), p. 137.
  4. ^ Prince (2000), p. 136.
  5. ^ a b c d Huddleston (2002), p. 54.
  6. ^ Huddleston (2002), pp. 138–139.
  7. ^ Marbut, Max (October 28, 2013). "$20,000 in grants to restore Downtown landmark". Jacksonville Daily Record. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  8. ^ "North Florida NRHS Chapter Awarded $20,000 to Save Engine No. 1504". National Railway Historical Society. February 2, 2014. Archived from the original on January 6, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  9. ^ Scanlan, Dan (March 2, 2014). "Old No. 1504 passes inspection; restoration gains steam". The Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  10. ^ "ACL 4-6-2 No. 1504 restoration complete". Trains. Kalmbach Media. July 21, 2015. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved November 30, 2021.
  11. ^ Marbut, Max (June 4, 2021). "City may transfer historic locomotive at Prime Osborn". Jacksonville Daily Record. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021.
  12. ^ "U.S. Sugar interested in acquiring second steam locomotive". Trains. Kalmbach Media. June 7, 2021. Archived from the original on June 7, 2021. Retrieved June 7, 2021.
  13. ^ Scanlan, Dan (August 24, 2021). "Jacksonville's ol' No. 1504 leaves the station en route to restoration". The Florida Times-Union. Archived from the original on August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "Former Lucey Boiler Company Site to Host Historic Steam Locomotive Restoration". FMW Solutions. August 31, 2021. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 9, 2021.
  15. ^ Benton, Ben (September 18, 2021). "Restoration of century-old locomotive under way in downtown Chattanooga". Chattanooga Times Free Press. Archived from the original on September 24, 2021. Retrieved July 25, 2022.

Bibliography

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