Thanks to the Mechanical Department crew members who were able to participate in the Saturday, December 1, 2012 work party. Dick Morris, 557 Board Secretary/Treasurer was joined by Jerry Cunnington, Stewart Sterling and Larry Erickson for a crew of five. It actually warmed up to about 20 degrees in the engine house while the winter sun got it even warmer outside, as long as you did not have to stand in the wind. Round House Chili (highly modified Cattleman's brand) was chased by canned pears for lunch.

Dick and Stewart concentrated on finishing the crating of the old boiler jacket pieces assisted by Jerry. That job is finished with a secure load inside a crate that should be suitable for the return shipment of the new jacket. We anticipate needing the new jacket about May of 2014 if all goes well.

On Monday, the crate was on its way back to Steve Rimple at Moses Lake Steel Supply, with our carrier of choice, Alaska West Express in the person of Scott Hicks. This is another in-kind donation.

Just last week Scott and Alaska West Express delivered an air ringer bell, donated by Vic Jansen. Vic has submitted an in-kind donation invoice reflecting the value of the bell. We are doing more research to see if this is the appropriate bell for 557 in one of her incarnations.

Thanks to the efforts of Larry Erickson, who arranged a trade out of the short, three foot forks, for a set of 4 footers. The fork lift is now much more capable for our purposes in the Engine House. Thanks again to Warren Dick and all the crew at Independent Lift Truck of Alaska.

Last Thursday, I delivered the two Pyle National headlight cases to Philip Cole, repair coordinator at Alaska Roteq. Add Roteq to our list of Corporate In-kind sponsors. They have already sand blasted the cases inside and out, primed and painted them to provide corrosion control. Roteq is located about 1/2 mile from us here in Wasilla, where they maintain a very high end machine shop operation dealing with pumps and anything that rotates on a bearing.

As to the headlights, we needed new glazing for the number board side lights and glass inserts for the Harriman Number boards. Jay Berna of Glacier Glass and Door had offered to do any glazing needed for 557. I stopped by to deliver templates and ended up with a shop visit, a discussion of our needs, and I walked out with four new side light panels for the number boards made from Pyrex glass. He included 12 replacement number board inserts made from tempered glass, all finished with seamed edges. He will be submitting an in-kind donation invoice listing the regular cost of the job with a balance of $0.00 due.

When received here, the original parabolic lens glass covers for the headlights were not in place. After searching for several days for a supplier, it became obvious these were only going to come from some private stash of parts. After gleaning info from discussion groups using Pyle National as a search, up popped a discussion of these little gems. Matt Janssen of VAPOR LOCOMOTIVE COMPANY of Sandpoint Idaho, had a pair of Pyle Lenses he had been storing for several years. After numerous emails during which I gave assurance that the lenses were going into service on 557 and not into some private collection of stuff, Matt and I struck a deal. He had them all crated up and delivered to Alaska Airlines in Spokane. They have arrived in great shape and will be installed in 557 headlight cases.

TriJet Manufacturing in Palmer, is currently water jet cutting the number masks to go into the side lights of the headlights and the Harriman number boards. These will be in 18 ga aluminum powder coated black. Another in-kind project from Hans Vogel and the crew at TriJet.

On December 15th, Jeff DeBroeck, 557 Chief Mechanical Officer and Jerry Cunnington removed the steam dome cover, the turret and cab braces from the top of the boiler. The boom truck on loan from Polar Wire Products was used as a safety platform alongside the locomotive and the boom easily lifted these parts to the shop floor.

Dick Morris, 557 Secretary/Treasurer, assisted me in building the wood deck work platform over the pilot in front of the smoke box. This will provide much safer footing while the old tubes and flues are removed. The remaining pieces of the back-head jacket were then boxed up and stored. They will be used as a guide to make new pieces from stainless for the vertical surface of the back-head.

Crock pot spaghetti was served at the lunch break, with the inside temperature indicating 27 degrees on the thermometer donated by Jerry. Good working weather.

The last work call requested material to build two steel sawhorses to support the old Super Heater assemblies in storage. Gary Feaster, of Greatland Welding and Machine called to say "it will be done." I picked them up on Friday, another in-kind project completed to order with pride.

Corey Brause of Small is Beautiful, built a replica of the steps used by the U.S. Army Transportation Corp for accessing the firing deck of S-160 locomotives during displays. Painted hunter green, the steps have already been proven in service.

Corey is now building two storage boxes for the 17 washout plugs of various sizes found on 557. The boxes were suggested by Matt Janssen to organize the numbered bronze plugs and protect the threads in storage.

The Alaska Community Foundation is relocating their offices, and Anne Remick arranged donation of 4, like new, legal sized 4 drawer file cabinets. They have been added to our small parts storage system. Thanks to the ACF.

Good news, is that the Alaska Railroad has a Soot Removal Tube cleaning vacuum system they will train us on and loan us. Bad news is that Richie Greenfield, their boiler man is on leave and cannot deliver it and train us until December 17th. That just saved us $4,000.00 as we do not have to buy equipment to do the job.

Anchorage based members of the 557 Mechanical Department can expect a short notice job call to help remove and load out commercial Pallet Shelving from buildings scheduled for demolition by Central Environmental Incorporated. We need several sets of this industrial shelving at the 557 Engine House to clear floor space.

The best way to say thanks to all these volunteers and companies making in-kind donations is to make a financial gift to the Engine 557 Restoration Company. Help build the bank account to meet future major expenses. Good deeds and volunteers can only carry the project so far. Certified and licensed contractors will need to be in charge of the FRA mandated boiler work. Keep track of our progress at alaskarails.org and go to the 557 pages.

Your donations at this time will be matched dollar for dollar from the generous Rasmuson Foundation grant of $350, 000.00. We will need every bit of that to see 557 in Steam. Now is the time to make that contribution.

Have a Merry Christmas and a very happy New Year!

Patrick J. Durand Engine 557 Restoration Company