1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine due back to Owego in 2022

1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine due back to Owego in 2022Andy Swift, with Firefly Restorations, assesses the Steam Fire Engine Pump. Provided photo.

Members of the Owego Hose Team traveled to Hope, Maine last month to assess progress on the restoration of the Owego Fire Department’s 1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine, known as the “Steamer,” and often referred to as the “Pride of OFD.” The Steamer is on track to be operational again and back in Owego in the coming months.  

Now under the care, custody and control of the Hose Team, the Steamer is undergoing a complete restoration at Firefly Restorations. The Steamer’s boiler has been rebuilt and will soon be mounted back on the frame.  

1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine due back to Owego in 2022

Brian Fanslau, with Maine Locomotive and Machine Works, shows off the new boiler. Provided photo.

Consisting of 211 “fire tubes,” the boiler functions much like the hot water heater in your house, producing steam to power the engine. The boiler meets American Society of Mechanical Engineers (AMSE) code that will be independently verified by Harford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company.  

The Steamer is classified as “Size 2,” capable of pumping 700 gallons of water per minute (GPM). Modern day fire engines typically can pump between 1,000 to 1,500 GPM. Brian Fanslau, of Maine Locomotive and Machine Works, built the new boiler. 

1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine due back to Owego in 2022

Steamer Wheels are repainted at Firefly Restorations. Provided photo.

Once the boiler is on the Steamer frame, Andy Swift with Firefly will finish the engine work. Consisting of a double action single piston pump, the engine serves two purposes; drafting water into the engine and pumping the water to hoses to extinguish fires. 

Owego’s Steam Fire Engine is extremely rare because it is shaped like a harp instrument. With only a handful of harp frames known in existence today, it is believed Owego’s will be the oldest operating Steam Fire Engine in the United States at 156 years of age.   

Fundraising continues for the project to include a St. Patrick’s Day themed O’Monte Carlo Night in partnership with VFW Post #1371 and its Auxiliary on March 19, a Trout Derby with Chicken BBQ on April 2, a Hose Team Golf Tournament on June 4, and Firehouse Subs returns from June 6-11 in downtown Owego. 

1866 Amoskeag Steam Fire Engine due back to Owego in 2022

Pictured it the Steamer Frame in the Firefly Restoration shop. Provided photo.

An account at Neighborhood Redemption Center on 5th Avenue, Owego has also been set up to aid the project. Individuals can return their bottles and cans at the redemption center and apply their return funds to the Owego Hose Team account there. Individuals can also contribute to the project by participating in the Hose Team’s “Steam Booster” donor program.  For a $100 tax-deductible contribution, name(s) will be placed on a cast iron bronze plaque that will proudly hang on the Steamer House building under construction on North Avenue. Donors will receive a letter and certificate thanking them for their donation.

Donors can also purchase benches that will surround the Steamer House. Information on all fundraisers can be found at the Hose Team’s website, www.OwegoHoseTeams.com 

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