Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report October 2020

October 18 marked the first snowfall in Wasilla for 2020 with just a 1/2” dusting. Termination dust has been teasing the mountain tops since September 7th so we are prepared now for the long haul of winter and diminishing daylight. Snow cover is here to stay almost a month early this year.

Some really good news to start. Michael Blackwell, FRA Motive Power & Equipment Inspector, advised that the refurbished wheel axle assembly is approved for use, provided it is subject to inspection at least every 30 days of operation. We were able to provide the original BLW drawings, NDE test records by Alaska Industrial X-Ray, Detailed process specification, Documentation of the machine work provided by Roteq Alaska, Inc. and confirmation of the use of this design by the operational s-160 locomotives 5197 and 6046 on the Churnet Valley Railway, in the UK. Machine work provided by Roteq.

We thank FRA staff for their prompt review. The quality of the work accomplished by Alaska Industrial X-Ray Inc. and Jeromy Ring and the crew at Roteq Alaska all contributed to this major milestone in bringing Engine 557 back to service.

What others say:

From Julie Hirt, “Thank you, very much, for your time yesterday to give Dale Wade and myself a tour of the Engine 557 Restoration Company. What an amazing feat! And definitely some exciting educational and tourism opportunities ahead.” 

Brian Forrest, cheer leader for Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad in Fairbanks provided this link to their new web site for the group. Brian is a great ambassador for Alaska’s Railroad History and Engine #1 operating at Pioneer Village in Fairbanks.

In keeping with our Education mission we were pleased to respond to this request from Melodie Wright. “I’m a teacher in Palmer putting together a short documentary about the AK railroad in Palmer. This is part of an Alaska History Day project I'll be working on with students. Several people have pointed me in your direction. At this point, my documentary will be tightly focused on the railroad's history.” Melodie took the tour here at the 557 Engine House and we look forward to being a resource for students developing their projects in Alaskan History.

“Here is my 557 print framed and hanging in my train room. Thanks so much for everything you are doing with 557. I’ve already gotten permission from my wife to come to Alaska and see her under steam.” I’m also sending an additional $250 donation to help out.” Ron R of Florida.

Gregory Malloy sent us $200.00

David Cowee sent $100.00

Alaska Bearing LLC has been a supporter of 557 forever. Our 1939 model A Lodge & Shipley lathe developed an oil leak on pulley driven end of the head stock. Jeff, Terry and Jerry pulled it apart to discover there was an accumulation of gunk in the carrier bearing which prevented oil from returning into the reservoir. They cleaned the entire assembly, and we needed a new gasket. The original was some ancient composition. Jeff calculated the size of an appropriate O ring with an 8.5” I.D. A call to Alaska Bearing allowed Terry to do a pick up the next day. Expecting a billing, the part was marked 0-Ring #2-371 SAMPLE. No more leak, thanks to another of our in-kind donors.

A large pile of yellow “thingies” contains specialized tooling made in many cases to do just one specific job for 557. Last month we featured bending jigs fabricated from scrap to form pipe clamps. Here is the 1 1/4 inch jig in the Dake 50 ton press doing work. Paul test fit a bracket on the train air line. Plumbing of the air line radiators and appliance plumbing will require more brackets.

The last of the bushings and new pins have been installed in the tender brake equalizers and rods. The last touch was cutting the hand brake chain to length. The extension spring maintains tension on the chain in the relaxed position, to reduce friction wear and avoid the chain dragging on other components. The air brake piston rod moves only 2.5” to make a full air application. The extension spring still does the job under a hand brake application.

The entire volunteer crew has been involved in the rehab of the tender brake rigging. Jerry Cunnington, Terry Douglas and Tom Walker did much of the machine work. Jerry Peters, Mike McKervey, Gene Augustine, Ken Elmore and our newest volunteer Keith Nore all got the experience of exploring the brake rigging under the tender.

Locomotive brake rigging is getting the same treatment with all new pins in newly bushed holes. The last of the brake bridal bushings were completed by Terry Douglas. Over forty pieces of 1045 were sent off to Med-Tek Inc. for a special case hardening treatment. Randy Duffy is our contact providing very quick turn around on our shipments. Volunteer, Lavern Buller made all the news pins from 4140 in his Anchorage home shop.

Over the years of operation a number of running repairs and modifications were made to the front pilot deck on 557. The Air compressor was in two different locations over the years. An air operated flanger was mounted on the deck and repairs were made after some minor collisions. Most holes were not drilled but located with a cutting torch.

We made repairs to the frame as reported earlier and added the pilot braces. Now the decking plates are being repaired, dry fitted and properly aligned with the stirrup steps and new fasteners. After many trial fits, old unused holes in the pilot beam and deck plates were prepared for weld up. The mag drill was used with annular cutters to make new properly sized holes for fasteners. Ken Elmore and Gene Augustine trimmed the left deck plate and squared the new holes to receive carriage bolts eliminating trip points. The flame cut holes will be cleaned up, after we determine if they are in the right place to service the bottom of the Westinghouse Compressor that will be mounted just above this deck plate.

Over the past month we borrowed line boring equipment from Central Environmental Inc, and the Bissell post bore is now plumb in the frame. Jeff DeBroeck machined the new sleeve OD and then the ID with the boring bar on the Lodge and Shipley lathe. The finished sleeve now fits the Bissell post with the specified 1/16” clearance.

Pressing the new bushing into the Bissell post hole required hours of preparation over several days. A 30 ton hollow cylinder hydraulic ram and a 1.25” threaded draw rod were prepared and new 10,000 psi hose purchased for our pump. The sleeve was set out in 0°F weather and then further chilled in an ice chest with CO2. Jerry Cunnington and Dean Sawer monitored the chilled sleeve while they warmed the bore in the frame. Jerry determined the OD of the cold sleeve and the ID of the warm bore were the SAME! All the preparation was ready, when the cold sleeve and the hole were coated with Loctite 680 sleeve retainer. With all hands on deck, I was ready to record the process as the bushing was started into the bore. It dropped in about 3 inches and stopped, Jeff DeBroeck gave it a quick rap with a hammer and it slid into place. We have to settle for this still shot as it happened all too fast to record. Jerry, Tom Walker, Dean and Jeff DeBroeck and the photographer all took a deep breath in relief with this major repair step done.

Work call for the loan of a chain saw brought Mike Gerenday to the engine house with his chain saw. With Mike Mekervey they attacked the stack of old bridge timbers and reduced them to the required four foot long blocking. The blocking will be sheeted with plywood in 4 by 4 lifts to support jacks and crib up the locomotive when it comes time to roll the drivers back under the locomotive. Thanks Mike for stepping up to help.

I welcomed Keith Nore as our latest volunteer and his wife, Barbara, caught us both in front of the Engine 557 International Headquarters Office. Keith was born and raised in Skagway where his dad, Alf Nore, worked for the WP&Y. He also worked for the White Pass in the summers while he attended UAF in Fairbanks. He raised his family in North Pole and he has been watching 557 progress until he retired and could come south and participate. Keith and Barbara both have the same affliction enjoyed by all our volunteers, Ferraequineosis.

Patrick J. Durand
President 557

 

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