The first two weeks of June were to be dedicated to preparing the 557 Engine House for a working visit by our Professional Engineer Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America. As it turns out the demands of fund raising and reporting for grants took up some of our time. In addition the Municipality of Anchorage approved a long standing request to allow us access to Locomotive 556 in the Anchorage Delaney Park strip. As a result our volunteers were well committed.

Dick Morris our Secretary Treasurer represented 557 with a display for Anchorage Park Founders Day on June 13th. Seymour the Moose came by for a visit as did Mayor Dan Sullivan. It was a good showing and an 80° day on the park strip.

Early summer is construction season in Alaska and the Municipality of Anchorage already had another contractor working on the landscaping for the display of 556 at 9th and E street in Anchorage. To avoid conflict, the 557 Volunteers mounted a crew on Father's Day, Sunday June 16th, to do the heavy work of removing the buffer from between the locomotive and tender. Our welder and air compressor all came into play during our visit to 556.

The buffer was needed for use on 557 so sister locomotive 556 offered up this donation to support the future operation of 557. In return a fabricated buffer will be installed on 556 and she has already received two safety valves and a whistle built here in the engine house. The originals, which were brass, disappeared years ago. Our rail fan supporters should thank the Municipality of Anchorage for this extra ordinary effort in meeting this request in support of returning 557 to operation.

The tedious work of preparing the interior of the water tender continues. As areas are first needle scaled and then sand blasted. Ron Dudley and Jim Keene remove blast media and the area is quickly cleaned and then painted with Apexior 3 a special paint for cold water immersion. Mike McKervey literally gets into his work as he applies the heavy paint to prepared areas. Particular attention is given to painting seams where the product wicks into the voids.

The exterior of the tender is receiving Cloverdale Armour Shield Black. Mike McKervey is painting the bottom of the tender after several weeks of preparation. After another paint top coat on the tank bottom it will be rolled upright for easier access to some of the vertical surfaces.

To make room on the shop floor we put the drivers on the move. Our long time in-kind supporters at Roteq Alaska Corporation, Bob Schmidt and Phil Cole offered us secure space to put the drivers in storage until we get the boiler work out of the way. Roteq is well prepared to handle the drivers as they sell and service items for the oil patch like the 48" automated valves sharing the Roteq storage space.

As noted last month Jeff DeBroeck our CMO has been working with our volunteers fitting the new rear flue sheet in the boiler. It has been in and out numerous times and received some final trim and adjustments upon the arrival of Robert Franzen and Gary Bensman. Shortly after arrival, Gary Bensman was hard at work preparing the back head.

After a review of the plan of action the volunteer crew got an initiation into boiler making. These profiles in persistence are heaters Jerry Cunnington and Gary Bensman, Robert Franzen on the flatter, Jeff DeBroeck on the hammer and Ron Dudley and Terry Douglas handle the template. This process of fitting the flange on the door sheet became a well choreographed routine that lasted about 90 minutes. The crew was starting the heat and shortly Ron was swinging into action. The crew finished up the 12 hour day in good spirits. The door sheet adjusters and their tools of the trade, from left to right, Gary Bensman, our professional engineer Robert Franzen, 557 CMO Jeff DeBroeck, Rod Dudley, Jerry Cunnington and Terry Douglas.

The rear flue sheet hanging in position, is temporarily bolted to the mud ring and supported with the brace bolts protruding below the bottom row of tubes. Several trial fits with Jeff in the boiler and Robert confirming positions from the fire side were required to get the desired fit.

Next came the job of hanging the door sheet. Each piece required careful management of material so all the critical formed shapes come together and the 1043 stay bolt holes still match up. Robert and Jeff are doing a trial fit of the left side sheet.

The crown sheet and two side sheets were formed from 7/16 boiler plate and the holes piloted locally by STEELFAB. The holes were plasma cut and as a result were surface hardened to the degree that our reamers and drills would not cut the material. About 50 man hours were spent with die grinders and carbide burr bits grinding stay bolt holes to remove most of the hardened material. Ron Dudley, Jim Keene, Terry Douglas, Mike McKervey and Dean Sawyer all got to share in this task.

The final step before going into the boiler is a complete sand blasting to remove any mill scale. All those spots of white paint indicate where a new flexible stay bolt will be installed. The door sheet and left side sheet are in place. Gary and Art Chase are aligning stay bolt holes in the left sheet. The left side sheet is fitted to the rear flue sheet and the mud ring. Next step of instruction has Gary reaming mud ring holes with the side sheet in place.

Gary and Jeff are doing layout on the crown sheet for trimming. Our goal is to have the fire box components in place and use mud ring rivets to secure the sheets by July 14th. Then the weld out on the firebox can begin along with the installation of all those stay bolts.

Visitors this past month included Spencer and Edith Arntz of Glendale Arizona who brought their son and his family from Eagle River for a tour. True rail fans, they exhibited all the signs of Ferraequineosis and left a nice donation as well. We look forward to welcoming them aboard when 557 steams again.

Another surprise guest was Ben Herman of Palmer. As is not uncommon in the Valley, Ben and I are related, sort of. Retired from the heavy equipment construction business he was very complimentary of what the crew has accomplished.

Our future progress toward operation of course depends on the contributions by our generous in-kind donors, sponsors and YOU. Please consider a donation to the Engine 557 Restoration Company at this time. Patrick J. Durand, President

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Make all donations to: Engine 557 Restoration Company at the above address.
An Alaskan 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Corporation, EIN 46-2663256

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