Engine 557 has been turned over to the professional crew from Central Environmental Services for abatement.   Preparation for this major benchmark has been the focus of efforts by the 557 Mechanical Department for the past two weeks.    Weather has been very wet but temperatures have maintained into the 50's.   If this pattern holds through the week, the class 1 abatement will be done by the weekend. The entire end of the building is being encapsulated to maintain a negative air pressure space enclosing the locomotive.   The old jacket pieces will be cleaned and set aside as patterns to be replicated.  This major labor intensive project is being done as an in-kind donation by Central Environmental Services, the solutions people!   

To clear the shop floor, all the labeled parts and piping have been organized and moved to storage in the 48 foot container provided by our friends at Alaska West Express.    After a few repairs the container is now weather tight storage accessible with a fork lift.   Shelving supported by pallets was installed in the forward end.  Clips attached to the liner support vertical 2X4 posts to which the sub assemblies of pipes, hand rails, steam and air lines are suspended with nylon rope.    Red, right side component labels are on the right side and black, left side components are suspended on the left side of the container.    It is a relief to have these items out of sight out of mind until actually needed.  All the items are inventoried by number in a computer file that has been printed out.   When a component is needed it will be easy to find in the trailer with its tagged description and inventory number.

557 Mechanical Department Crews are in stand down until the abatement is complete.  Next step will be removing the superheater flues and the fire tubes.   We will shortly have 150 pieces of 2 inch pipe 13 feet long and 30 pieces 5 3/8 inches by 13 ft long.   Be happy to make you a deal!

Mr. Vic Jansen, sent this view of a bell and asked, "Would you be interested in this old bell?"   My immediate response was, Yes, yes, yes!

Vic is forwarding the bell via Lynden and Alaska West Express.    A great story is developing here, if you have a little imagination.  When the 557 was last in service she sported an air ringer bell of this appearance on top of the boiler.  In her bon-voyage photos in Whittier before loading on the Trainship Alaska, the bell and other appliances were missing but probably in the smoke box or fire box for safe keeping.  When Monte Holm purchased the locomotive he installed a Northern Pacific headlight up front and a much larger bell on the top of the boiler.    So did he sell the original bell or maybe pass it off to one of his friends in the junk business?

Vic tells me he purchased the bell years ago from a dealer in Soap Lake which is just a few miles north of Moses Lake.   Could it, would it, might it be the original top mounted bell from 557?    In any event the bell will find its proper home on top of 557 and it will make a great heritage story, particularly if we never know for sure.

Remember to stop by at  alaskarails.org for regular updates on 557.    Your generous donation to the Alaska Community Foundation 557 Fund will ensure that progress continues.

Patrick Durand, 
President 557 Restoration Company