Anchorage's Atwood Foundation has awarded a generous $50,000 grant to support the Engine 557 restoration. This will be matched 100% by Alaska's Rasmuson Foundation. The Engine 557 team is grateful to the Atwood Foundation and our other contributors for their generous and continuing support.

Recent contributions bring total funds received for the restoration nearly equal the initial $700,000 cost estimate. However, the unexpected need to replace the firebox slowed the restoration by several months and added significantly to the final cost. The revised budget of $1.2 million is expected to be matched by a similar amount of in-kind contributions from our generous supporters in the Alaskan business community.

With the tax year rushing to a close please consider another cash investment in engine 557. Your
generous contributions are encouraged and gratefully accepted at:

Engine 557 Restoration Company
Box 875360
Wasilla, AK 99687

The entire month of October passed with only a dusting of snow. On October 4th, 557 was slid back into the engine house using the Case 721 loader. Tie plates are placed upside down on top of the rail with the load bearing timbers resting on them. The timbers in turn are chain bound to the frame of the locomotive.

Stewart Sterling documented the locomotive when the binders were removed. Here the front flue sheet and superheater header are shown bare bones. The frame to the mid waste sheet are typical of the finish achieved with the Cloverdale Clovaprime two part primer provided by Rodda Paint Co. in Wasilla. 557 resides now in the shop preparing for firebox installation. The door sheet and rear flue sheet are on hand. The crown sheet and side sheets are in preparation at SteelFab in Anchorage.

New Super heater flues and the 2" fire tubes have been prepared for shipment to Alaska. The swaged end of the 5" superheater tubes has been reduced to 4.5" to fit the rear flue sheet. Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America has supervised this acquisition for E557C.

As if to remind us how far the project has come, I received the following photos and note from Brandi Engel. "I am a photographer in Moses Lake, WA and good friend of Monte Holm's grandson Steve Rimple.  Before the Engine 557 left Moses Lake, I was fortunate enough to capture some winter photos of her. Monte was a wonderful man and a very important part of the success of our community.  I was honored to know him and hope that the images I captured of his beloved 557 would have brought a smile to his face.  I hope you will enjoy them as well."

Here are the photos from November 2011, sent by Brandi Engle. We thank Brandi for sharing.
Ice Queen in Waiting
Under Control
Turn on the heat
Home bound

Dick Morris our E557C Secretary Treasure constantly amazes us with his archival finds. To quote Dick, "I have wondered how many miles were on 557. In the documents from the archives I found one prepared to justify retiring the steam fleet which gave annual mileage of all of the ARR locomotives from 1947 through 1951. For 557 it was 19,206, 24,289, 18,762, 22,584, and 30,684. Total, 115,925. Extending that for the life of the locomotive, total miles should be in the range of 250,000, maybe a bit more." I caution that from 1943 to 1947 the steam fleet saw most of its demand and by 1947, RSD1 Alco's had joined the original RS1 Diesels and mainline steam was on its way out. So the speculation of total miles is anyone's guess.

Special visitors arrived on October 2, when 14 residents from the Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home took a tour of the Engine house. Celia Conrad, Recreation Director & Volunteer Coordinator is quoted here.

"Thank you Patrick for the opportunity you gave our residents. They were very excited to see the project and my staff was determined to squeeze all of them into the bus.  One of them said to me when asked about the trip, "it's history, right here in Alaska, I was on one similar back in the day but I hope to ride on this one someday". All in all, we had a huge response from everyone and hope to give the same opportunity someday to those that couldn't make it. Thanks again for all you do and all your efforts in keeping our history alive!"
Celia A. Conrad
Recreation Director & Volunteer Coordinator
Alaska Veterans and Pioneers Home
250 E Fireweed Ave.
Palmer AK 99645

On October 8th, Alaska Dispatch News photographer Bill Roth dropped by the Engine House and we gave him a tour. The results appeared in Alaska's largest news paper on the front page! Read all about it right here.

In-kind donations come in many forms. On October 9th, Accel Fire Systems borrowed our air compressor to conduct a sprinkler system test at an adjoining business. In return they serviced and tagged all of our fire extinguishers. Value of the donation $190.00 and we thank them.

Jerry Peters, retired as the Chief Mechanical Officer of the Alaska Railroad some 20 years ago. He is now the Master Electrician for Engine 557, systematically rebuilding and reconditioning the electrical components in his home shop. In the engine house, he has completely rewired our Gardner Denver, Perkins powered air compressor so it will be dependable for years to come.

This past month we have been joined by two more volunteers who have already become regulars. Michael McKervey and Joel Koonce. Please recognize and thank our Engine 557 Mechanical Department volunteers where ever you encounter them. They will be wearing the black 557 cap with their name displayed. These dedicated volunteers make everything that happens in the engine house possible!

Looking for a holiday gift for the rail fan on your list? "Extra 557 Returning" numbered and signed prints are still still available for $100.00 ea. plus $15.00 for shipping.

We hope to see you along the tracks,

Patrick Durand, President