Located at 175 Evans St., Brookville Equipment Corporation (BEC) manufactures rail-mounted and rubber-tired haulage equipment for underground coal mining, hard rock and precious metal mining, tunnel construction, industrial switching, airport ground support equipment and mass transit applications worldwide.
"We're one of Brookville's best kept secrets," BEC's sales and marketing specialist Michael White said.
BEC's long history is also the history of transportation over the last century.
Originally founded in 1918, the company was established by a Ford dealer, L.A. Leathers, who started installing flanged railroad wheels on gasoline powered trucks and began Brookville Locomotive Works. The company went into full-scale production of gasoline and diesel powered locomotives following World War I. The majority of the locomotives at the time were manufactured for logging, plantation and industrial above-ground applications.
In 1942, P. Brocious Eisenman, having acquired the original business from Leathers, sold it to Joseph Horky, who moved the company to Pickering Street in what had been the Jenks Foundry Building.
In 1975, the company was purchased and became Brookville Locomotive, a Pennbro Corporation, with Dalph S. McNeil as president.
Throughout the years, the company's technology changed from old-style pressed-on wheels to bolt-on wheels, and the inefficient shoe-type brakes were replaced by liquid-cooled wet disc brakes.
January 2008 marked the 90th anniversary of BEC. During the 1970s, Brookville produced locomotives with all-welded frames and shaft drives. In 1981, the company developed and began to manufacture a series of low-height diesel equipment for coal and hard rock mining and successfully introduced locomotives with planetary final drive axles.
Brookville Locomotive saw other changes such as an expanded board of directors, the building and relocation of its new plant and another name change to Brookville Equipment Corporation.
Building locomotives takes plenty of man power, and BEC has become one of the area's largest employers with nearly 200 workers on the payroll.
"You need qualified people," White said, adding applicants go through a series of interviews and testing.
Currently, he said, BEC is looking to hire specialized personnel such as engineers and draftsman. A resurgence in coal mining has also kept BEC busy, requiring more workers.
"You can't produce enough coal in this area," White said.
With the help of many skilled and qualified professionals, BEC is able to manufacture locomotives, personnel carriers, utility vehicles and haulage tractors. Powered by diesel, battery, trolley or a combination, Brookville machines are used throughout the world in underground coal mines, hard rock and precious metal mines, tunnel construction, agricultural, rail, industrial and switching applications. BEC serves several different market sectors including mining, tunneling, mass transit and heavy industry.
To meet the demand for specialized equipment, White said BEC works with its clients in the design stage to find out exactly what they need. A preliminary design is then given to the buyer for approval.
"We try to give a ball park view," White said.
Next, White said, the idea is refined down to certain components like horse power and weight. Modifications are then done by the design team.
The purchasing department then enters the process. Because BEC orders its engines, it may take longer to manufacture a locomotive either because of the location of the manufacturer of the engine or because of the demand for the engine.
During the production phase, White said, the production designer sets the schedule for how each piece of the final product is completed.
"The cut table is the first stop," he said, adding the cut table is where all of the steel is cut by computer with the precise measurements.
White said there are three stages of framing, followed by paint, and then the final assembly.
"Testing of the locomotive is done and the final touch-up is completed before the locomotive is shipped," he said.
BEC is a global industrial leader. White said products have been shipped to more than 80 countries, including Korea, Taiwan, Libya and South Africa. He said most countries look to manufactures to make customized locomotives, and BEC is known for meeting those needs.
Shipping large locomotives takes more than boxes, tape and a delivery driver. BEC uses tractor trailer trucks, railroad lines or even ocean freighters to get its products to the buyers.
Even though BEC is a successful manufacturer, the company has had to overcome some challenges.
The first big challenge came in the form of the July 19, 1996, flood. The company was submerged under eight feet of water. It was then that the company moved to its new 72,000-square-foot state-of-the-art plant. The company was restored to 100 percent production in just one month.
Other ongoing challenges include the rising prices of copper, steel and fuel. "Component pricing is sky rocketing," White said.
He said another challenge the company faces is dealing with ever-changing emission standards.
Despite the challenges, the business keeps growing. In October 2007, BEC expanded its production area by 25 percent. The company's 17.5-acre property is now fully occupied.
"We are constantly looking for expansion," he said.
In fact, BEC still uses its former Pickering Street facility for storage.
Production office space expansion includes a conference room, lunch room, vending area, restrooms, washroom and a shower area. Also included is the installation of an additional 30-ton crane, a steel storage pit, new pass-through multi rails and a new CNC milling machine. In total, 100,000 square feet of space is being used.
During the 2007 expansion, BEC unveiled its revolutionary CoGeneration Locomotive to the public. White said the design is the culmination of all the technological advances BEC has incorporated in its 90 years of locomotive production. The locomotive features fuel efficient and low emission engines, regenerative brakes and the best value for the railroads.
BEC has also been involved with trolley and streetcar projects, starting with the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) in the Philadelphia area. The company rebuilt 18 vintage 1947 presidential conference committee trolley cars. The cars were shipped to BEC's plant where they were disassembled and completely refinished.
In 2003, BEC completed the manufacture and on-site installation of truck assemblies and propulsion for the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (NORTA). Brookville is working with New Orleans to restore and rehabilitate the original 24, plus seven additional, riverfront streetcars that were damaged in the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina.
The Brookville company is also working with the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). SFMTA recently purchased streetcars to have restored and added to its fleet. By partnering with local companies such as Miller Welding & Machine Company, BEC will be able to complete the project.
After each car is disassembled by BEC, Miller Welding will perform the grit blasting and priming; then the cars will be transported back to BEC for final assembly and car body finishing. BEC is doing the exterior restorations as well as making circuit and safety interlock changes.
The company's success is making it less and less of a secret - both locally and nationally. BEC will be featured April 14 on the History Channel during an hour-long program on locomotives. Fifteen minutes of the program is dedicated to underground mining, and BEC is the focus. The show, "Modern Marvels," is to air at 8 p.m.
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