Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report April 2024

April has been a welcome relief from the near record snow fall here in South Central Alaska. With early break up even the snow dumps are gone in our parking lot. Spring cleanup was motivated when the street sweeper left berms of pea gravel in the next door parking lot.

Jerry Cunnington used our loader and Tom Walker and Pat Durand filled pot holes in our lot. When you get lemons free……..

Federal Railroad Administration inspectors are expected here the week of May 20th to witness the formal 557 Boiler hydro test. Our professional engineer, Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America, will be here with Bob Gold to conduct the process and document the event. Our goal is to have the Form 4 completed at that time. 557 CMO Jeff DeBroeck and the entire 557 mechanical department have been working toward this event for 11 years.

While waiting for the hydro test, no hands are idle. Terry Douglas has become our dedicated gauge tester. Two older Deadweight testers have been in our inventory for years but when it came time to perform, neither had the capacity we needed. Serendipity delivered a certified rebuilt deadweight tester complete with weights and all documentation.

Work on the Valve Guide components continued in the machine shop. Terry Douglas and Jerry Cunnington have resurfaced the valve crosshead guide with new brass machined to fit, installed new brass bushings, line bored the assembly and made new pins. With the parts connected the taper pin retainer was installed and range of motion was checked. Smooth……

Another milestone is in the making. As soon as the weight restrictions are lifted on local roads (waiting for frost under roads to thaw) the ARR crews will be hauling fill to bring up the grade for engine house lead construction. The main line is at the left, and the MOW equipment is setting on an old spur that will be upgraded as well. The turnout will then service the engine house lead off the spur. The ARR is taking this opportunity to also upgrade the mainline connection back under the overpass by installing a leap frog serving the stub. The leap frog provides an unbroken smooth high speed ride on the main line. The diverging track leap frog actually lifts the wheel flange over the ball of the main line running rails. More on that when the track installation is complete.

Months ago we totally rebuilt the front engine truck, including line boring, bushing and installing the Bissell Post which provides centering and equalization of the engine truck. There was no provision evident for keeping trash from collecting on top of and contaminating the fit of the Bissell post in the pilot deck receiver. Stumbling across a large plastic pipe end cap, a trial fit provided a perfect fit in the recess around the exposed end of the Bissell post. Ideally this cap should be removable to allow top oiling around the post where it rides up and down in the pilot deck. As a non-priority job several people worked on this a few minutes at a time, installing a handle on top, James Keene then attached a JEEP hood latch on the front edge. Brice Douglas and Gerry Christiansen drilled and installed the latch in the pilot deck plate.

How big a shop does the restoration of a small 2-8-0 require? Looking back nearly 12 years I would suggest 50’ by 100’ with 24 foot ceiling is the minimum. We utilize every one of the 5,000 square feet available. Every thing is on a pallet or rollers so the space is convertible. Uni Strut shelving provides another 780 square feet of elevated storage space in the 557 Engine House.

The North West 1/3 of the building is currently configured as storage in three levels on the West wall. Uni-strut shelving creates a work shelf on the lower level, with liberal access to power and air down the walls. A parts washer is in the North West corner beyond the air test bench and roll around storage. Super heater assemblies fit on the top shelf.

Across the back North wall is a paint storage cabinet and 4 drawer file cabinets to catalog small parts. The three level uni-strut shelving units in the middle of the floor are dead storage on top and provide covered work space below and racks for holding chain, chain falls, load straps and odd shapes. Fastener storage and our plumbing inventory is in bins below. If we need scaffold on either side of the locomotive, these units can be unloaded and slid across the floor to meet the need.

In the North East corner the “clean work” machine shop stores all the tooling to support our Shaper, Lodge and Shipley 14 inch lathe, Bridgestone (copy) milling machine, a small Atlas Lathe, Cincinnati drill press, Dake 50 ton press, and a Power band saw. The requisite number of grinders are at hand there.

The South East corner gets the really dirty work when the sand blast cabinet, belt sanders and welders are in use. There are two OXY/ Acetylene set ups and on some heating jobs we use propane fuel. Beyond the welding screen is the Dirty Iron corner where there is a plasma cutter, wire feed welder, TIG Welder, and an old but very capable Tombstone welder and a 10 inch grinder. The Acorn table gets a lot of use, at times providing foundation for a propane fueled foundry built up from used fire brick. Under the bench are four 75 ton and four 100 ton Duff Norton air motor screw jacks.

Keeping noise and exhaust outside dictated the MEGARC 4030 Welder/Generator be rail mounted. This unit has a long history and had been setting 11 years when we paid $800.00 for it. Loving care by the volunteers, brought the 3 cylinder Perkins Diesel to life and it provides excellent service.

In the South West corner is more secure storage against the wall with the main rods on the bottom, connecting rods and laird crossheads on the first shelf. The cab floor with 26 brake stand was set aside until the Hydro is completed. Beyond is the sand dome and the reconditioned, graphited smoke box front.

The mid west side of the shop is served by another overhead door. You will normally find our CAT V-80E fork lift and the smaller CAT GC25k parked in this area for security after hours. They often roll out during the day to provide work space. On the left is our Hydro Pump, and on the right is a Hotsy cleaner.

West side roll up door opens into the ARRC Wasilla Section yard where we have two 20’ and one 54’ conex containers. Our Case 721 loader resides there as well. Inside the 557 cab rests on cribbing until it can be installed again after the hydro.

Back on the East side is the International Office of The Engine 557 Restoration Co. in the repurposed smoking shack from a now non smoking hospital campus. The tender serves as a magnetic bulletin board. Our break room is not a room. Every piece of equipment in the building has a story, and most of the items were loaned or donated. Nearly 12 years ago we started with an empty building and no tooling. We honor those many business partners with recognition on the shop wall.

Honora Drew of Homer Donated $50.00 by PayPal in honor of train enthusiast Jordan Carley-Windeler’s 26th birthday. PayPal has become a convenient way for supporters to make monthly contributions to your favorite cause.

Fred Meyer Community Rewards provided $73.87 generated by 26 families. If you shop Fred Meyer stores you can painlessly contribute to Engine 557 Restoration company. Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to Engine 557 Restoration Company at: www.fredmeyer.com/communityrewards.

As reported earlier our future operation on the Alaska Railroad main line requires PTC connectivity. LeapTC was selected as the initial step and required a WABCO monitor in addition to the Leap TC hardware. Lead time on monitors was a year out so we put out feelers for used equipment and we got extremely lucky.

Volunteer, Brice Douglas, mentioned our need in a social setting and a solid lead developed. Consultant, Paul Dalleska followed up and we made an offer. Net result, we ended up with core components of PTC equipment that Paul was able to remove from a former UP Locomotive that was in service on an industrial site.

With some upgrade expenses, we now have the equipment to go full PTC in the future after other folks bleed on the cutting edge of technology. We will be happy to follow the lead of any other successful steam PTC installations. We are watching developments at UP 4014, CP2816, ATSF 2926 and Santa Fe 3751 with great interest. Generous grants from the Matanuska Electric Charitable Foundation, and 557 COO Paul Bates at the Kahiltna Charitable Fund allowed this purchase. Shane Durand provided Paul Dalleska’s Alaska Air tickets to New Mexico for the retrieval. Atwood Foundation’s recent grant coveredsome of Paul Dalleska’s paid time on this task. Did I say, “We were extremely lucky!”

If you just cannot wait for the next Status Report, check in at Engine 557 Facebook for a nearly daily update by Secretary, Dick Morris. You will miss out on special timely deals if you don’t. An example, last month we announced our first ever 557 Fund Raising Charter for Summer Solstice June 21st 2024. ALL 24 SEATS SOLD OUT IN 18 DAYS AT $700.00 PER SEAT. Our guests will enjoy breakfast and dinner on board, shuttle service tours in Seward for the afternoon and great company for a long day. Boarding is at 6:00 am in Anchorage and return is after 10:00 pm, all under the midnight sun. Thanks to all the volunteers for putting this together and the Alaska Railroad for providing the AuRoRa party car for the event. Did I say, “We are blessed with great friends and support.”

Watch for the follow up in the June Status Report. Let us know if you want advance notice so you can be on board for the next charter.

 

Patrick Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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