Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report October 2019

October 1, 2019 the Engine 557 crew played host to a visit by former Governor Bill Sheffield and Jim Blasingame. From left to right in the front row, Jerry Peters, retired ARR Master Mechanic, Governor Bill also former President of the Alaska Railroad, Pat Durand, President of 557 Restoration Co, and Jim Blasingame, retired ARR Vice President of Corporate Affairs. In the back row, 557 consultant, Paul Dalleska, Dick Morris, 557 Secretary/Treasurer, and volunteers, Terry Douglas and Ron Dudley.

Governor Bill inspected the new firebox and expressed interest in all aspects of the restoration. The conversation got around to when will it be done and where will she operate? The when question depends on how fast the money comes in for major work such as installing the tubes and flues and refinishing the driving boxes. The where depends on what accommodations the Alaska Railroad can make to deal with the issues posed by Positive Train Control and equipment availability.

In follow up, Jim Blasingame commented, “You all did a great job today providing both a tour and narrative of the “557” to Gov. Sheffield. It was a positive visit that really peaked his interest. He was most interested in the efforts and the progress which your crew have made in the restoration of the “557”....Thank you again Patrick for the accomplishments which you and your crew have made.” “Please extend a personal thank you to each of your crew members for what they’ve created and for the very nice welcome each provided today to Gov. Sheffield. He was overwhelmed.”

Keith Hall offered this “Team Picture” From left to right Patrick Durand, Keith McGranahan, Arnie Stoltenberg, and Mike Hall. He followed up with this note. “Pat, thanks for the excellent 557 tour a few weeks ago.  We were all amazed at what you guys have accomplished with that old beauty and are looking forward to an excursion when the project is finally completed. Really appreciate all of your efforts to bring back a bit of Alaska's history!”

Preserving Alaska’s history and railroading heritage takes a legion of like minded people. Carl Wassink and Tom VanTassel from Corey, Pennsylvania have organized Corey RAILS, raised the funds and purchased the world’s only complete Class A Climax A313 from the Keith Christenson Estate. They just completed their second trip to Alaska, including Anchorage and Nome gathering information and gaining contacts. Shane Durand at CEI is providing staging and storage near Palmer, Airport Rentals has agreed to provide equipment support and Lynden transport will move the loaded container as far as Seattle. Carl is an old time SeaBee and has gained the help from that special fraternity of veterans. Corey RAILS will be a star in preserving A313 right in the town where she was built. Her adventures in the Alaskan Gold Rush will continue to be told thanks to these dedicated people.

Carl and Tom spent a day plus with us here at 557 and commented as follows:

“….. then it was off to Wasilla.  Arriving early in the afternoon, we were able to spend a couple of hours  checking out the progress on the 557 Restoration Project with Pat Durand... wow, is it coming along nicely.  All of the apparatus and appliances and external piping is being fitted and hung for the mock-up prior to insulation and jacket on the boiler.... the last of the safety welds on the inside of the firebox will be completed shortly... the cab and tender are ready to go.  What a great project Pat has put together... all hail to the volunteers who come in every week for the work sessions… nice job guys.” Carl Wassink Corey PA

Tuesday, October 8, 2019 there were 51 serious 557 Restoration Company supporters in attendance at our first 557 FUNdraiser, held at the Palmer Moose Lodge.

Dan Lucus and Denny Hamman expressed interest in a presentation of the John VanCleve family photo collection starting with 1898 Skagway.  Other folks seemed interested so we decided to turn it into a FUNdraising event for Engine 557 Restoration Company.   Dan and Denny were the first volunteers engaged and it just snowballed from there.

As the presenter and organizer, I can only say THANK YOU in the largest letters possible to all the many volunteers who made the evening a success.   Dan and Denny for the set up and tear down at the Moose Lodge in Palmer where the meeting room was donated.  To Peter Ann Stenberg, who purchased the first tickets, teamed with Joan Taylor to book the desert auction and then conducted the door prize drawings with Sheri Hamming.  Dottie and Ken Elmore ran the gift shop table.  Gary Feaster auctioned the desert items at intermission.

Paul and Betty Zargoza, were greeters and registrar checking in the 51 guests holding tickets.   There were 66 total tickets sold at $100.00 each.  Say a special thank you to Gary Feaster of Greatland Welding and Scott Hicks of Alaska Marine Trucking (lynden.com) as each purchased a block of 10 tickets and sponsored attendance for friends and employees.

Naurine Lennox, with the John H. Emery Railway Heritage Trust, called while chasing trains in Colorado and sponsored two tickets for guests.  Just an example of the long embracing arms of the steam preservation fraternity.

Fourteen door prizes made for good odds in the drawing.  THANKS TO: The Alaska Railroad (tickets for 2 Anchorage/Fairbanks, tickets for 2 Anchorage/Seward).  Bernie Karl, Chena Hot Springs Resort (Overnight, dinner and transportation from Fairbanks for two).  Rev Joe Alutius (Hamilton Railroad gold case pocket watch,  Southern RY lamp).  Terry Douglas (6 bear photos printed on aluminum panels).  Blain Cornelison (4 classic Railroad Books).   Barbara Hecker (Large framed print #150/557 of “557 Returning")  Gary Feaster (Greatland Welding 20 year Jacket and Hat).

Apples from Peter Ann Stenberg’s orchard went into the beautiful pies she brought in for the Desert Auction.  Not sure if Linda Hastain personally picked the pecans for her pies but they were lovely.  Six items were auctioned off and most were consumed during the intermission.  Gary Feaster’s talents as the auctioneer netted $200.00. 

Gift shop sales netted another $200.00 so the total for the evening was $7,000.00.   Our goal was $10,000 in ticket sales for this first FUNdraiser.   We now know that an aggressive ticket sales organization is needed if we follow this business plan in the future.  Was it a success?   It was a FUNdraiser in every way enjoyable.  After intermission the diehard history buffs stuck around for another hour and there are still photos to explore the next time we have a mug up.

Ken Roland of Mcarthy and Lazy Mountain was a collector of odds and ends from Alaska’s history. Ken, himself passed into history in 2018 and left his collection on Lazy Mountain, across the Matanuska River from Palmer. Pat Sadler was going through the “scrap” pile and discovered one man's junk. Recognizing the piece he brought it by the 557 Engine House and donated a treasure to 557. Complete, but for the front glass, the Pyle National Headlight still carried the remnants of the locomotive number 320 in the number board. The all important, parabolic mirror lens is undamaged. All the 1/4-24 Pyle screws, bolts and clips are there and the gaskets are usable. The crew will be cleaning and painting this headlight as a spare for 557. Thanks to Pat Sadler for bringing the headlight home to another Alaska Railroad locomotive.

Volunteer, Tom Walker has spent the past few weeks in Taiwan. He sent this note: Returning from Taipei last night the rolling script sign in our carriage, said we were traveling at 297 kph that's 185 miles per hour! Take off speed of a 737 is 150 MPH. You can check out the bullet train. (Taiwan high speed rail)

Patrick Garley of Arctic Fires Bronze Sculpture Works has come through for 557 again. On the right is a broken shoe which fits between the frame and driving box on the left side second driver. On the left are two raw castings of 937 Bronze that Patrick prepared from stock we provided. These will be machined as replacements.

"Welding" Rod Hansen is back safety welding some of the 1043 stay bolts in the firebox, seemingly a never ending job. After a very busy season with ENSTAR our local natural gas company, Rod bid on and arranged two days "sponsored" work for 557. ENSTAR has a program that pays their employees who volunteer for special days working for non-profit groups. In addition Rod gives us many hours of welding support during the winter season.

Welding chores keep Volunteers, Ron Dudley and Kyle Schlitning busy helping out where ever they can. Kyle has finished the back head safety welds and will next start on the side sheets.

Another view of 557 at the Palmer Depot September 5, 1959 was donated through Peter Ann Stenberg of Palmer. This is a small format photo, not real sharp but with a little clean up in the computer it adds to the Palmer history associated with 557.

October 26, The Palmer Community Foundation hosted a public meeting to update the 557 story and describe plans for the future. About 20 people showed up and we all had a good exchange for about two hours. In short we would like to duplicate the scene in the Palmer Depot photo from 1959, eventually developing a venue for 557 to operate from Palmer to Matanuska and back, a trip of about 13 miles.

The throttle body needed some clean up so we outfitted our Mag Drill with Sunnen Hone components. Slow and steady up and down with lots of hone oil cleans the surface of the bore.

The front engine truck was damaged and the radius bar bent many years ago in service. We reported earlier that the connection pivot point support was bent. That has been corrected but the holes in the upper and lower bars were no longer plum. This was corrected by line boring. This requires a new radius bar pin from 4140 being machined by Jerry Cunnington.

Appliances are being dry fit to the back head to check clearances, sight lines and just make sure we have all the hardware. Firing controls needed some new brackets and stand offs. Terry Douglas has been cleaning and lapping all the joining surfaces on the Nathan Injectors. It was Alaska Railroad practice to paint all these steam appliances Chinese Red. Starter valves, injectors, boiler checks, and compressor governors all got the treatment as shown here in June 1959 at Whittier on one of her last charters.

Before you can work on the injectors, it takes a team working on the Acorn table to get them apart. Eventually we achieve success on the wrench after judicial application of penetrating fluid and heat and shock. The yellow tool is just one many purpose built devices.

Engineers side install of manifold valve, starter valve, injector and the delivery lines is all dry fit with brackets in place. Ken Elmore is holding the entire loco up by one hand. Ron Dudley installed all new grade 5 bolts with SAE washers and heavy nuts at each flanged union leading to the boiler check valve.

The goblins are out in balmy 48 degree weather as this is written the last day of October. It has not been below freezing for the last 10 days running about 10 degrees warmer than usual, thanks to the Pineapple Express blowing up from Hawaii. We have NO snow on the ground.

Closing with a preview of things to come in November. Visitors from the Churnet Valley Railway based at Froghall will visit 557 on November 7th. Greg Wilson and Robert Alcock each have an S-160 survivor in service. John Peake is the lead mechanic who sees to their daily feeding and well being. We are rolling out the red carpet for their arrival, and plan to learn a great deal from their experience.

See you along the tracks! We already have some major donor challenges for our year end fund raiser. Please budget a nice donation at year end to help us meet the challenge on a dollar for dollar basis. If you are in a membership group, ask if they will match your individual donations, then your dollar will become four in the final accounting.

Patrick J. Durand, President

 

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