Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report November 2019

November abounded with good news! Are you up to a $60,000.00 Challenge?

We are excited to announce that our 2019 fund raising campaign is being kicked off with a massive $60,000 donor matching challenge! Dennis and Diane started the ball rolling with a $5,000 challenge. Dick Morris added a $5,000 challenge of his own. Then 557 benefactors Jim Jansen and Vic Jansen knocked our socks off by each upping the ante by $25,000.

All contributions from individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and foundations up to a total of $60,000 will be matched. When the $60,000 challenge is met we will be $120,000 closer to seeing Engine 557 back in steam. Several high dollar expenditures are in the pipeline and we are ready to contract for the work as soon as funds are available. The Challenge is on the table. Please consider a generous contribution so we can remove it from the table and put it to work!
Information on contributing by credit card or check can be found here.

Following a meeting with Bill O’Leary, Alaska Railroad President and CEO, COO, Clark Hopp and VP, Marketing and Customer Service, Dale Wade, a summary of our discussion points came from Mr. Wade, entitled TIME FOR STEAM ON THE ALASKA RAILROAD. Engine 557 Special Steam Excursions are in consideration as part of an updated 557 business plan. Examples of the ARR current schedule of Special Event Trains along with published rates show what will be possible when 557 is ready for service. These specials are regularly sold out. We are hopeful that the issues of Positive Train Control as applied to steam engines by the Federal Rail Administration will be resolved as the implementation of Positive Train Control is a continuing process. The 557 Board of Directors and Volunteers take heart in this fresh look at the future of 557 operating on the Alaska Railroad.

More good news. A generous Matanuska Electric Association Charitable Foundation grant of $5,000 is being earmarked to help pay the cost for machine work needed on the wheel axle set for the front engine truck. This work will be completed by MEA member customer, Alaska ROTEQ located here in Wasilla. We are ever thankful for the generous support of our business partners here in the Valley. In turn we thank the 40,000 MEA rate payers who ROUND-UP their utility bills each month to fund the Charitable Foundation.

Dennis Murphy, Engineer for hire! We are assembling a list of qualified steam engineers that we can call on when it comes time to do shakedown and training moves here in Wasilla and over on the Palmer airport spur. Dennis is from Alaska and is standing on the running board of 4960 with the Grand Canyon cast of characters in this photo.

The Hurricane Turn train approaching Wasilla Station on November 8, 2029. This was the only passenger movement on the ARR that day and we were able to get our visitors from the Churnet Valley Railway on board. On arrival we met John Peake, Rob Alcock and Gregory Wilson for the short ride to the 557 Engine House. Sporting new 557 hats, Rob, John and Greg marveled at a “shed” with heat as we commenced the days tour with 11 members of the 557 mechanical department in attendance. After a walk around tour we posed formal questions from the dry erase board and from the photos it looks like a very serious discussion was taking place. Actually we all had a great time sharing our various approaches to common problems. Our conversion of tender trucks from friction bearings to Timken’s was of particular interest to our visitors.

Check out Batt Holden on Facebook for a better grasp of just how dedicated these fellows are to the legacy of American s-160 locomotives in Europe.

After a big round house lunch spread for 14, Paul Dalleska put the torch to home made Creme Brûléi for desert. Following lunch our visitors provided excellent presentations on their shops, processes and history. John Peake got right into the water tank, Greg Wilson discussed options on lagging and outfitting our driving boxes. Rob Alcock described their process in exploring smoke box drafting. Dick Morris drove them back to Anchorage in the evening.

Friday morning we were at the Alaska Railroad shops in our 557 safety gear for a two hour tour with Ed Hills. Wheel Shop, inline wheel lathe, passenger and running repair shops, electrical shop for traction motors, locomotive rebuild floor, machine shop, metal shop, they saw it all thanks to Ed. They were impressed to see all those capabilities under one roof in Anchorage.

Saturday morning we were off to Whittier which was dead calm without a cloud, while in Anchorage and all down Turnagain arm it was just fog soup. Mountain Goats put on a show on Maynard Mountain, and the guys commented on the crystal clear waters of Passage Canal, the benefit of an early winter visit. The importance of Whittier as an ice free port with a tidewater route to Anchorage was noted. When I pointed out the snow chutes around Bird Point they understood why winter passenger movements only go as far as Indian. Dinner at the Arctic Roadrunner closed out their adventure with 557.

This follow up came from Gregory Wilson after their return to Churnet Valley Railway.
“Belated thanks for your welcome and hospitality during our brief visit to see you, the Crew and 557. We had a thoroughly enjoyable time and very much look forward to a repeat visit when 557 is closer to running. It was certainly interesting to see your overhaul thus far. Despite the miles that separate us the problems are similar and on the whole the fixes are also. Once again many thanks for everything from the trains to the trips out - it was great fun and much appreciated."

Meanwhile, back in Wasilla, our first snow arrived November 18th and was all gone by the 23rd when Casey Durand went by the 557 Engine House on the Northbound ARORA and was greeted by the wave. As of November 30th there is no frost in the ground nor any snow left.

From Fred Meyer/Kroger stores, came this good news. In the last quarter 22 families have directed $82.96 in donations to Engine 557. We encourage our supporters to link your rewards card to 557 (FM166). Then as you shop you are directing Fred Meyer donations to help us rebuild 557.

In 1954 the Alaska Railroad retired steam, closed out the coaling stations and that required 557 be converted to burn oil. In the fireman’s seat box, was found a hand copied drawing of a typical SP oil burning set up. The air box has LLW 80 cast in while the air door has ALCO 79, so parts from here and there were cobbled together to complete the install on Baldwin 557. Paul Dalleska and Ron Dudley spent considerable time designing and building new mounts for the air box. It now fits and operates as it should. Looks nice on the firing deck.

A major milestone, was fitting the cab which went way too smoothly. We added two removable lift rings on the center line at the top of the cab. Cradling the cab under the forks of the V80 fork lift gave excellent control nestling the front wall down between the new flexible stay crowns. We needed only to trim the cab in three places in order to achieve a perfect fit and all the original fasteners lining up with a little encouragement. With the cab in place we then moved on to dry fitting plumbing and hardware in the cab.

All those union and flanged joints need to be lapped to proper fit. We have made a number of mandrels and use Locktite Clover abrasive compounds in various grades to achieve tight joints.

Mike McKervey and Ken Elmore spent several hours carefully wire brushing the Cloverdale Primer from the surface of the pedestals where the shoes and wedges will be installed.

Safety welds on the fire box side of the stay bolts continues with Gary Feaster, Moses DeHart, Kyle Schlitning, and “welding” Rod Hansen all getting some of the glory. Only about 100 left to go.

Jeff DeBroeck has taken on the job of machining the new side rod bushing. These are required since the side rod pins in the drivers were all machined and burnish hardened when the drivers went to TVRM for clean up. Some of the bushings were found to have been hammering and turning in the rods so all those issues will be taken care of with the bore in the rod machined and then the new bushing made to order.

Please take up the challenge and send 557 a donation to be matched.

Your support will help put the driving boxes and wheels back under 557.

Merry Christmas and Holiday Blessings from the 557 crew!

Patrick J. Durand, President

 

Back