Welcome to the Tod Engine Foundation!
We are an IRS 501 (c) (3) non profit organization formed in 2000 to preserve the industrial heritage of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley in northeast Ohio. We are doing that through the preservation and restoration of one of Youngstown's most impressive industrial creations, the mighty Tod Engine!
We welcome your visit to the Tod Engine Heritage Park. Please call ahead to 330-272-4089 to make sure someone will be there to greet you. The Park can accomodate visitors at any time if prior arrangements are made by calling or emailing us at rick@todengine.org . For the latest information about the restoration of the Tod Engine and the development of the Tod Engine Heritage Park please visit our weblog by clicking on the Tod Engine Weblog button on the left.
Become a Friend of the Tod Engine!
For $20 per year you can add your name to ranks of people who support the preservation of the Tod Engine. Your membership dues will help support our mission, and earn you discounts on Tod Engine merchandise. Please show your support and become a Friend today! Click on the above link to be taken to a secure site where you can pay your dues with a credit card or Paypal. Please put "Friend of Tod Engine" in the Designation field.
About the Tod Engine
The Tod Steam Engine was built in 1914 as part of an order placed by the Brier Hill Steel Co. with the William Tod Company of Youngstown for the construction of a complete steel rolling plant. This order consisted of a steam powered blooming mill, 24” continuous mill and 24” merchant mill. The continuous and merchant mills were powered by identical cross compound stationary steam engines. Brier Hill Steel initially rolled ingots into sheet bar which were shipped to finishing mills in Niles and Warren, OH for finish rolling into steel sheets.
The Two Tod Engines at Brier Hill Steel in 1914
In 1923 Youngstown Sheet and Tube purchased Brier Hill Steel and renamed the plant the Brier Hill Works. In the 1930s YS&T discontinued the hand rolling of sheets with the installation of the 79” hot strip mill at the Campbell Works. The Brier Hill Works was then reconfigured to the production of tube rounds for a new seamless tube mill also installed at Campbell. The reconfiguration resulted in the 24” continuous mill being replaced by a 35” electric driven intermediate blooming mill, and the 24” merchant mill rebuilt into a 24” round mill. In 1960 the blooming mill was rebuilt with electric motor drive, leaving the 24” round mill the sole remaining steam powered mill at Brier Hill. The round mill continued in operation until August, 1979 when the last round was shipped to Campbell. At that time the round mill’s Tod Engine was honorably retired after 65 years of faithful service.
The Tod Engine in 1995 before dismantling.
For the next 17 years the Tod Engine awaited its fate, largely forgotten about by the new operators of the Brier Hill Works, Hunt Steel and later North Star Steel Ohio. By sheer luck the engine was discovered in 1995 shortly before it was to be scrapped. North Star Steel was asked to spare the engine, which they did, and a volunteer group made up of members of the Stationary Engine Internet Mailing List was assembled to dismantle and remove the engine from the rolling mill building.
The engine parts were moved to the former Brier Hill Works plate mill building in Girard, OH where they have been stored while a site was found to restore and exhibit the engine. In 2000 a site was found on the northeast side of Youngstown and purchased. A new nonprofit organization was also formed to oversee the reassembly and restoration of the engine. The Tod Engine Foundation was incorporated in August, 2000 and work on construction of the Tod Engine Heritage Park was begun immediately.
The major parts of the Tod Engine reassembled for the first time in ten years at the Tod Engine Heritage Park. Photo taken September 18, 2006.
Unloading the 105,000 pound crankshaft at the Tod Engine Heritage Park.
Swinging the 70,000 pound, 68" diameter Corliss cylinder into place.
How to Get to the Tod Engine Heritage Park
From the East or West on Interstate 80- Take Hubbard Exit 234. Travel south on Routes 62 and 7 for about 6 miles through Hubbard into Youngstown. After entering Youngstown city limits the park is about ¼ mile on the left side.
From South on I-680- Take Hubbard exit from I-680. Turn left at traffic signal onto Albert Street. Follow Albert Street to end, then right onto Routes 62 and 7, Hubbard Road. We are about 1 mile on the right.
Our address is 2261 Hubbard Road. Look for the Green and Yellow Tod Engine sign on the east side of the road.