Steam & Excursion > ACL 1504 restoration status

In a post maybe a little MIKETHEMIKADO style, I figured I'd post what I see here in Chattanooga. It was pretty big news a few years ago when ACL 1504 made its way here from Jacksonville, FL for restoration for US Sugar. If anyone is wondering what the current status is, the locomotive was being restored at the old Lucey Boiler building along Holtzclaw Avenue in Chattanooga. I was pretty excited (despite steam not being my biggest interest in railroading, which is shortlines...given the screen name) to have a significant restoration going on I could keep an eye on, and was excited by the prospect we had something being restored that could go right onto a friendly connection for testing, as the old Lucey Boiler building has a siding that connects to the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum's East Chattanooga Belt Line.

Fast forward to present, and things seem a little muddled. The old Lucey Boiler complex has fallen victim to what so many places do in cities that constantly show up on "Best places" lists. I guess you could call that a victim of your own success. Bottom line, the Lucey Boiler complex resides within one of Chattanooga's most desirable real estate areas, and it, too, has found itself among the next great "Coming Soon-- Condos, Coffee Shops, and the Obligatory Craft Brew Joint" area in Chattanooga.

So where does 1504 fall into all of this? I don't know. And I hope someone with more knowledge than me will say. But I do know the old Lucey Boiler building is part of what I mention, and 1504's restoration is not part of its future.

Here's what I see-- 1504's boiler, cab, and drivers have been moved to FMW Solutions' shop in Soddy Daisy, TN. I do not know the status of that restoration. The tender, frame, front, and trailing wheels are still sitting at the old Lucey Boiler site.

You'll have to pardon me if I used a bad term describing any of this, as steam is not an area of my best railroading knowlege. Corrections are welcomed. I just felt like there is so much going on in steam restoration at present it was worth making mention of what I see here with the 1504. 

Mike Derrick
Chattanooga, TN
 

Continental Fab in St Louis has done a lot of loco boiler work and could also be a source of boiler restoration.  They do great work, in fact worked on 148's boiler.

Lucey did the original restoration of SR 4501 after Paul Merrimen bought it from K&T.
 

Sounds like a bit of a setback, but with the principles being U.S. Sugar and FMW solutions I'm sure the restoration will roll right along after all the pieces fall into place...literally. I'm jazzed to see this one come back to life.

Cheers, Dave