CHATTANOOGA, TN (March 27th, 2023) – Railroad contracting, engineering, and mechanical services firm FMW Solutions has received its ASME “S Stamp” and NBIC “R Stamp” Certifications. These two certifications enable the firm to complete the new fabrication and repair to “Code” regulated pressure vessels, including steam locomotives operating at theme parks and historic traction engines. FMW is now under contract to assist a steam heritage railroad and a steam traction engine owner with code work, utilizing these new certifications to aid those clients in operating and restoring their historic boilers.

“FMW’s earning of the R and S Stamp certifications allows us to expand our quality boiler repair work beyond just FRA-regulated locomotives,” explained Shane Meador, FMW Vice President – Mechanical. “This development allows our firm to continue providing one-stop, in-house solutions to our heritage customers, utilizing our team of mechanical engineers, welders, fabricators, and machinists to champion craftsmanship in the 21st Century.”

First on the list of “Code” work for FMW is the provision of on-call steam locomotive mechanical, inspection, and repair work to a steam heritage operation in New England. The state-regulated railroad is home to three operational steam locomotives that it operates throughout the tourist season.

In addition to our work in New England, FMW is also assisting with the overhaul of a Nichols & Shepard steam traction engine. While the engineering survey is underway for the boiler, it is envisioned that a new boiler will need to be fabricated for the vintage traction engine. FMW will complete the fabrication of this new boiler at its Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee, machine and fabrication shop.

FMW Solutions and its subsidiary National Rail Consulting Group offer a suite of professional services for the railroad industry, including mechanical and engineering design, diesel locomotive servicing and repair, rail operations, strategic planning support, marketing, public relations, safety compliance administration, training, and alternative fuel technology research and development. FMW is also an accomplished rail preservation resource, with expertise in the restoration and operation of historic equipment. For more on FMW Solutions, to request a quote, proposal, or to explore opportunities for your railroad operation, email us, or call (423) 425-9753.

Vice President of Mechanical Shane Meador walks us through the condition of Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotive no. 1361's frame at the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Learn what we've discovered about the frame’s current condition and our expectations for future work on the Spirit of Altoona.

To learn more about the project or to support the museum with donations or memberships, visit www.railroadcity.org/1361. Vintage and historic footage courtesy of the Railroaders Memorial Museum.

To learn more about our work on the K4, click here.

HISTORY

For the past 30 years, the K4-type locomotive has been disassembled, partially restored, but unfinished. In 2019, FMW Solutions performed a comprehensive inspection of No. 1361, including a full review of all past work performed, and a full engineering study of the integrity and repairability of the locomotive boiler. This six-month process included engineering calculations and reporting, 3D modeling, non-destructive spectrometer, radiograph, and ultrasonic thickness tests, rivet material review, visual inspections, and consultation with the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

FMW has determined that much of the boiler’s firebox will need to be replaced with new steel. FMW’s findings and repair procedures have been reviewed and accepted by the FRA. The repairs will allow the original Belpaire boiler design to be preserved while being brought up to contemporary safety standards. Projections indicate the restoration, which will include repair of the boiler, appliances, frame, spring and brake rigging, drivers and running gear, and test runs will cost in excess of $2 million dollars.

Initial fundraising efforts are being led by railroad preservation advocates Bennett Levin and former Norfolk Southern and Amtrak CEO Wick Moorman. Among other rail preservation efforts, FMW is currently assisting with the rebuilding of Nashville, Chattanooga, & St. Louis steam locomotive No. 576; recently completed the restoration of U.S. Sugar No. 148, and is undertaking the relocation and eventual rebuilding of Atlantic Coast Line No. 1504. For more on FMW Solutions, to request a quote, or to explore opportunities for your railroad operation, visit fmwsolutions.com.

Atlantic Coast Line steam locomotive no. 1504 has arrived at Lucey Quarter for restoration. Southern steam locomotive no. 4501 was originally restored at Lucey Boiler in the late 1960s and now operates at the nearby Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.

CHATTANOOGA,  TN - FMW Solutions has expanded its Tennessee operations through the lease of a portion of the Lucey Boiler Company,  increasing its railroad restoration shop capabilities in the region. Lucey Boiler will host the complete overhaul of historic Atlantic Coast Line steam locomotive No. 1504, which was relocated to the region from Jacksonville, Florida in an effort assisted by the City of Chattanooga and the Tennessee Valley Railway Museum.

“We’re genuinely thrilled to be growing our company’s craft in Chattanooga,” said Shane Meador, VP - Mechanical of FMW Solutions. “In addition to our machine and fabrication shop in Soddy Daisy, Tennessee, our firm is capable of taking on mechanical and restoration projects of any scope, including complete steam and diesel locomotive overhaul, at remote locations across the U.S.”

The 52,000-sq foot Lucey Boiler Company facility is slated for redevelopment into Lucey Quarter by Southern Spear Properties. This investment in the Highland Park Neighborhood aims to transform the century-old industrial complex into a mixed-use community gathering place adjacent to the East Line pathway and the former Belt Railway of Chattanooga. 

“Lucey Quarter will be a historical destination for Chattanooga residents and the southeast,” explained Sean Compton, President of Southern Spear Properties. “The rebuilding of this incredible machine will drive buzz and be the crown jewel in our historical redevelopment. FMW Solutions are incredible in the work they do and pride they apply to their craft. We are thrilled in this partnership and hope to make it a staple of Chattanooga for many years to come.”

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Acquired from the City of Jacksonville earlier this year by Sugar Express LLC, locomotive No. 1504 is being returned to operation as a key part of a regional rail tourism and education program in South Central Florida. 

FMW Solutions has worked in collaboration with Sugar Express since 2019, including having successfully completed the restoration of No. 148, the first steam locomotive in the Sugar Express operation. FMW is also underway renovating passenger cars and aiding Sugar Express with strategic planning and operations at its headquarters in Clewiston, Florida. 

“We’ve grown our staff considerably in the last eight months to include 18 full and part-time positions across the United States, and we’ve also grown our services to include experts in safety training and FRA compliance, operations, fabrication, marketing,  grant-writing, and more,” explained Meador. “Our use of the Lucey Boiler facility will also serve as a jumping-off point for our continued growth in alternative fuels research and development; which is another growth sector for our business and signals yet another investment in Chattanooga.”

As part of its network for both rail preservation and modern railroad clients, FMW also maintains a heavy machine shop space and tooling in Watervliet, New York and an engineering and design office in Colorado Springs.

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About Atlantic Coast Line No. 1504: Constructed in 1919, locomotive No. 1504 served across the entire Atlantic Coast line engine was retired in 1952 and donated to the City of Jacksonville, where it was later cared for by the North Florida Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. The locomotive will undergo an extensive three-year rebuilding process at the Lucey Boiler site and current plans call for the finished locomotive to be shipped back and reassembled in Clewiston. 

For more information on Sugar Express, visit sugarexpress.com.

About Lucey Quarter: An urban hub planned for the Highland Park neighborhood, Lucey Quarter is a $20 million, 52,000 square foot development planned for the Lucey Boiler Company site and will include spaces for community, commerce, entertainment and housing. 

For more information in Lucey Quarter, visit luceyquarter.com.

FMW Solutions and its affiliate National Rail Consulting Group offer a suite of professional services for the railroad industry, including mechanical and engineering design, diesel locomotive servicing and repair, rail operations, strategic planning support, marketing, public relations, safety compliance administration, training, and alternative fuel technology research and development. FMW is also an accomplished rail preservation resource, with expertise in the restoration and operation of historic equipment. For more on FMW Solutions, to request a quote, or to explore opportunities for your railroad operation email us, or call (423) 425-9753.