Steve Roudebush works on the underside of a 1907 steam locomotive at SPEC Machine north of Middleton on Thursday. Since 2013, the 1907 engine from the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom has been undergoing what is expected to be a $2 million restoration.
Steve Roudebush has been working on the 1385 steam locomotive since 2013 and is hoping to complete the $2 million project in the next year or so. He even built an addition onto his machine shop to accommodate the 180,000-pound locomotive that had stints pulling the Great Circus Train.
Tyler Roudebush, left, works on the underside of a 1907 steam locomotive at SPEC Machine. Roudebush has spent eight of his 31 years helping his father restore the massive locomotive.
A caliper and blueprints from a 1907 steam locomotive share a workbench at SPEC Machine north of Middleton. About 25% of the locomotive has received new parts machined to the original specifications.
Bobbie Wagner, who along with her now-late husband, Dick Wagner, established the Wagner Foundation in the late 1970s, uses her smartphone to capture the moment in 2017 when the 1385 locomotive was picked up by a crane and placed on a different track that led to a new building for the engine.
This 2011 photo shows the locomotive in its condition prior to being dismantled and shipped in late 2013 from North Freedom to SPEC Machine in the town of Springfield.
Tyler Roudebush emerges from the firebox at the back of the 1385 steam locomotive that is undergoing a multi-year restoration at SPEC Machine north of Middleton. Roudebush had crawled into the locomotive to help install rocker grates in the bottom of the firebox.
Steve Roudebush works on the underside of a 1907 steam locomotive at SPEC Machine north of Middleton on Thursday. Since 2013, the 1907 engine from the Mid-Continent Railway Museum in North Freedom has been undergoing what is expected to be a $2 million restoration.
Tyler Roudebush emerges from the firebox at the back of the 1385 steam locomotive that is undergoing a multi-year restoration at SPEC Machine north of Middleton. Roudebush had crawled into the locomotive to help install rocker grates in the bottom of the firebox.
Steve Roudebush has been working on the 1385 steam locomotive since 2013 and is hoping to complete the $2 million project in the next year or so. He even built an addition onto his machine shop to accommodate the 180,000-pound locomotive that had stints pulling the Great Circus Train.
A caliper and blueprints from a 1907 steam locomotive share a workbench at SPEC Machine north of Middleton. About 25% of the locomotive has received new parts machined to the original specifications.
Tyler Roudebush, left, works on the underside of a 1907 steam locomotive at SPEC Machine. Roudebush has spent eight of his 31 years helping his father restore the massive locomotive.
Bobbie Wagner, who along with her now-late husband, Dick Wagner, established the Wagner Foundation in the late 1970s, uses her smartphone to capture the moment in 2017 when the 1385 locomotive was picked up by a crane and placed on a different track that led to a new building for the engine.
This 2011 photo shows the locomotive in its condition prior to being dismantled and shipped in late 2013 from North Freedom to SPEC Machine in the town of Springfield.
