Bethlehem Gas Blowing Engines

[todengine]

Click here for large photo or view attachment below.

Many of you have heard about or seen the tremendous gas blowing engines at the former Bethlehem Steel plant in Bethlehem, PA. There are 12 engines, each one over 80 feet long, lined up in a row inside a 100' x 540' brick and steel building.

This installation of engines was once commonplace in the steel industry. Huge powerhouses full of steam blowing engines, gas blowing engines, electric generating engines and pumps provided the power to make steel.

Today but two powerhouses remain, one at Sloss Furnaces in Birmingham, AL and the powerhouse at Bethlehem. The Bethlehem blowing engine house contains eight tandem double acting engines (imagine a 600 HP Snow but about 5 times larger) and four twin tandem double acting engines (you just can't imagine, you have to see these to believe it).

The Bethlehem engine house has been spared demolition by Sands BethWorks, the casino developer that is redeveloping the mill site. However they are focusing all of their attention toward the casino and retail development, leaving the engines to fend for themselves.

Recently the Tod Engine Foundation was given permission to come on the site and undertake some stabilization work on the engines. Our goal was to arrest the deterioration of the engines and perhaps clean them up a bit. On March 15 we held the first work session, and a group of about 8 people accomplished much. It was a good start!

We are planning a second work session for April 19 and 20, and again our goal is to continue applying a rust preventative to the engines, do some clean up and perhaps some painting. We are looking for volunteers to assist on that weekend, so if you are local to Bethlehem (or even if you aren't, I'm driving in from 330 miles away), you are welcome to come and help.

If interested please email me at rick@todengine.org. You must become a member of the Tod Engine Foundation ($20.00/yr.) and have an ability to sweep, shovel or use a paint brush.

Our goal is to make the site available to the public for visitation by the time the casino opens in 2009.

We also have a need for supplies, so if you can't make it but want to support the project it would be most appreciated. Email me and I'll tell you how you can help.

[Don C. Wiley]

Todengine;

I would love to help, but I live in Southern Illinois and I'd have to move there to make it posible.

It looks to me like you could handle 40 or 50 helpers to get that job done in time for the opening. Maybe you can get it "presentable" by then.

Thanks for asking here on Harry's, I would think you'll get some offers here!

"DELCO DON" Southern Illinois

[Eric M.]

I can't make it out, but then again Pennsylvania is a bit of a jaunt from Southern California.

Even though I can't make it out, let me say that what you are doing is incredible! What you've managed to do with the Tod engine alone is amazing, nevermind all the other pieces of machinery you've saved or helped find new homes. I wish I lived closer to where you are so I could lend a hand or two whenever possible.

[darrin]

If you look on you tube and search Bethlehem steel mill there is a video of that engine house. Goodluck with the restoration cleanup. Darrin

[Jordan]

here is an wonderful slideshow of the steel mill i found on the tube



heres the link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wACV87RMNQQ

[darrin]

It's too bad we cant make steel like that anymore, steel was the backbone of our country! I wish I could have seen that mill at its prime, someone told me that was in the sixties and seventies. I have one of those train track switch locks with Bethlehem cast onto it that was given to me by my grandfather when I was young. I am very proud to have something from that mill. In the town I currently live in there is a plaque on one of the road bridges that was built in the thirties that honors the Bethlehem steel workers who built it. They will soon restore the bridge due to wear and the fact that it is a historic bridge. A friend of mine lived in Hellertown right down the road from that mill we drove by it a couple times and it is very impressive. Let us not forget the steelmills that built our proud country. If anybody has any old photos of that mill in action please post them. I and I'm sure others would love to see them. Darrin

[Preston Foster]

I have had the pleasure of seeing the engings run. They were on their last legs as for production use and the generating engines were out of service. The machine shop was still in operation and also an impressive sight. The parts room was also still intact when I saw the engines run and did it ever have the goodies.
The effort to stabalize the engines is noble and well worth the effort.
Best of luck on this huge task.

Preston Foster

[Wayne Grenning]

Originally Posted by Preston Foster

I have had the pleasure of seeing the engings run. They were on their last legs as for production use and the generating engines were out of service. The machine shop was still in operation and also an impressive sight. The parts room was also still intact when I saw the engines run and did it ever have the goodies.
Preston Foster

Preston, I was looking through this thread with interest. You were very fortunate to have seen these run. Do you recall if the moment was captured on video? - Wayne

[Preston Foster]

Wayne: I do remember having a camera. I had to keep it out of sight as they were not allowing pictures. The video recorder was in my truck off site. There were 2 engines running the day that I was there with a group from CPM. We spent about 4 hours in the plant and were also in the machine shop area's. We saw the machines the engines were built on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Big machine's!

[Wayne Grenning]

Preston, Amazing, The engines are monstrous. I can't imagine the equipment they used to build them on! When did they last run?

[GarysToys]

Is there any plans to complete this project? If there is when and how do we make contact?