ASHLAND - Four new grates for the firebox of the Henry Clay lokie train at Pioneer Tunnel were delivered on Thursday as replacements as part of an agreement cemented with a handshake 49 years ago.
Back in 1962, a "gentleman's agreement" was made between Goyne Pump Company and Ashland Community Enterprises, operator of the Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train tourist attraction in Ashland, that parts for the lokie that could not be purchased would be made at the foundry at no charge.
The foundry has changed hands three times since then, but with each new company, that "gentleman's agreement" continues to be honored.
"When I told people at the plant that I was making a lokie grate, they didn't believe me," said Al Tophoney, who molded the grates.
Employees from Ashland Foundry and Machine Works Inc. delivered the grates by pickup truck and were accepted by general manager and mine foreman Keith Neidig, who also operates the Henry Clay as an engineer of the narrow gauge steam locomotive that was built in the 1920s.
Making the delivery were company president Michael Bargani; operations manager Don Ney; Tophoney; machinist Michael Rainis; Fred Runge, president of United Steelworkers of American Local 14372; Bruce Dinger, foundry scheduler, and Human Resources manager Troy Brosious.
The plant, located at the east end of Ashland and partly in Butler Township, was founded in 1881 by Thomas, Francis, Charles and Arthur Goyne under the name "Goyne Brothers." It became Goyne Steam Pump Company in 1903 and Goyne Pump Company in 1955. The company was purchased in 1979 by Goulds Pumps, which was founded in Seneca Falls in 1848 by Seabury S. Gould. ITT Industries acquired Goulds Pumps in 1997. After that purchase, several product lines were transferred to the Ashland facility from other plants, expanding the local operation. The plant was purchased by Michael Bargani, president and owner of West Coast Foundry, and business partner Sharrel Hebert, purchased the company in 2009.
'Whatever we can'
When it was realized that the grates were needed, Ashland Foundry was approached with the request, and the company was willing to do the job, said Pioneer Tunnel business manager Kathy Lattis, but the patterns were taken to the New York plant of ITT when the plant was sold. A request to the ITT plant to search for the patterns was followed through and the patterns were found and shipped back to Ashland.
Lattis estimated that the cost to have the grates custom-made elsewhere would have been between $7,000 to $9,000.
Tophoney said the new grates will be better then previous grates due to their construction.
"The steel that they're (grates) made of shouldn't crack or warp with the high heat that the coals produce," said Tophoney, explaining they were formed in a sand mold process. "It's not cast iron like they used to be made of. It's called 310 Cb steel."
A resident of Girardville, Tophoney has worked at the plant for 35 years.
The plans for the grates were designed many years ago and have been stored for when they were needed.
"We do whatever we can for the community to help out," said Runge, a Mowry resident and machinist. "About 90 percent of the people at the plant are from the Ashland area."
Bargani was pleased to help, not only being part of the community, but also having familial ties to the coal industry in his native Iran.
"I found out about the request about six months ago," said Bargani. "Ashland Foundry and the borough of Ashland are inseparable entities and we want to keep it that way. There is so much heritage here."
Bargani has not been in Pioneer Tunnel, but hopes to go in in the very near future.
"My uncle back in Iran worked in the steep mines. He would get in a cart and go down by cable," said Bargani. "I'd like to go in there and see how miners worked."
Neidig has worked at the tourist complex for 10 years and was not aware if the grates had been replaced before. He said the current grates, which move to remove the ash like those in a coal furnace, have been warped by the heat.
"These new grates are awesome," said Neidig. "When I found out the foundry was making these, I said what a load off of my mind."
The new grates will be installed in March, Neidig said.