Pa. museum gets massive, century-old steam engine running again

A century-old steam engine has been put on display at Pennsylvania’s National Museum of Industrial History after workers got it running again for the first time in nearly four decades.

The 115-ton Corliss engine once pumped 8 million gallons of water a day for the York Water Co. in York. It’s now a showpiece attraction at the industrial history museum in Bethlehem, which has spent the last 10 years restoring it.

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This weekend we fire up our historic 115-ton Corliss engine for the first time for the public! This amazing feat took over a decade to make happen with the tireless work of our staff, volunteers, and contributors. We have an entire weekend chock full of awesome events and tours as well as running times throughout the weekend. Get more info at NMIH.org #smithsonianaffiliate #steamengine #corliss #steam #restoration #history #industrialhistory #museum #steelstacks #york #buffalo

A post shared by NMIH (@nmihorg) on May 29, 2019 at 11:02am PDT

Museum officials began running the engine for the public for the first time Friday and have scheduled a variety of special programs throughout the weekend.

Members of the @PaLegis House Tourism & Recreational Development watching our Corliss engine running for the first time this morning! pic.twitter.com/p0LYQOBfdj

— National Museum of Industrial History (@NMIHorg) May 31, 2019

Museum historian Mike Piersa says the steam engine is the most powerful of its kind in the country and one of only four that work.

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It moves! NMIH is working to restore our 115-ton Corliss steam engine to operating status. This time lapse was taken during a recent work session in which museum staff and volunteers began the work of loosening up the flywheel on this massive piece of machinery. #nmih #industrialhistory #corliss #steamengine #lehighvalley #lehighvalleypa #liftyourspiritsdlv #steam

A post shared by NMIH (@nmihorg) on Mar 21, 2018 at 10:48am PDT