Since 2016, the United States Sugar Corporation (U.S. Sugar) has worked diligently to complete the restoration to operation of historic steam locomotive No. 148, a 1920s-era steam locomotive the company employed decades ago to haul sugarcane from the fields to its mill. In Spring 2019, U.S. Sugar retained FMW Solutions LLC (FMW) to complete the restoration to operation of the historic locomotive, and the locomotive passed a substantial milestone this week: successful completion of its official hydrostatic test of the boiler and witnessed and inspected by Federal Railroad Administration officials.

“This steam locomotive is part of our history, and we wanted to bring it home,’’ said Judy Sanchez, Senior Director of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for U.S. Sugar, during a welcoming home celebration in Clewiston. “Engine No. 148’s restoration is making great progress, and it is only a matter of time before it is restored to its former glory.”

Locomotive No. 148 was built in 1920 by the American Locomotive Company for use on the Florida East Coast Railway. In 1952, the locomotive was sold to U.S. Sugar for use in hauling sugar cane trains from field-to-plant for processing into refined sugar. After being sold by U.S. Sugar into private ownership in the 1960s, it spent a few years operating, then was moved across the country, finally landing in Monte Vista, Colorado. Thanks to the vision of U.S. Sugar CEO Robert Buker, the locomotive was re-purchased in 2016, kick starting this most recent restoration.

FMW VP-Mechanical Shane Meador inspects the front tube sheet of No. 148 earlier in 2019.

“The amount of pride U.S. Sugar has in its heritage, and this artifact in particular, is something truly exceptional in this day-and-age,” said Shane Meador, FMW VP-Mechanical. “We are honored that U.S. Sugar approached our firm to complete the restoration to operation of No. 148, and we are pleased with the amount of progress our team has made to-date in finalizing key portions of the project.”

Since assuming its role in managing the project, FMW has overseen substantial boiler, mechanical, and engineering work, including removing the boiler from the frame of the locomotive, driving new rivets into the boiler, reuniting the boiler with the frame, rolling boiler tubes and flues, and additional mechanical and engineering work.

“The Code of Federal Regulations dictates that the boiler be tested hydrostatically, with water of a prescribed temperature range, to 25% above maximum allowable working pressure, or ‘MAWP,’” explained FMW VP-Engineering Wolf Fengler, MSME. “For this test, we pressurized the boiler of No. 148 to 225 PSI in the presence of an FRA Regional Motive Power & Equipment inspector, demonstrating that repairs made to the pressure vessel were completed appropriately.”

Today, U.S. Sugar is the only sugarcane farming company in the continental United States that transports all its cane to a sugar factory by railroad, which saves on fuel and reduces truck traffic and fossil fuel emissions. Its dozen modern locomotives and 850 specially modified railcars serve more than 300 miles of track, including the South Central Florida Express, which transports sugar, citrus products, fertilizer, farm equipment and other agricultural freight year-round, and the Sugarcane Train, which hauls sugarcane from the fields to the mills during the October-May harvest season.

With the “hydro” test of No. 148 successfully completed, work will focus on the hundreds of detailed mechanical tasks required to finalize the restoration. With the help of dozens of expert mechanics (including many U.S. Sugar employees), U.S. Sugar is nearing the return the 99-year-old steam engine back to fully operational condition. A date for completion of the project has not yet been set, but as additional milestones are met, updates will be made available. Keep track of the project online via the U.S. SUGAR 148 Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SugarExpressFL/