Engine 557 Restoration Company
SPECIAL Progress Report January 2021

The weekly North Bound Denali Express passed by in the 10 a.m. gloom of January 2, 2021 to bring in the new year. All the freight movements are at night so this is our only dose of railroading during daylight, interspersed with an occasional plow movement.

Volunteers continued work through the winter with masks and social distance in accord with COVID-19 mandates. Several of our group have already received vaccinations. Please take notice that among our 731,545 residents the total death tole attributable to COVID-19 has been 260. Alaska’s average annual total death rate from all causes is 4800. Just some sad trivia for our diary of progress.

What other people say:

“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Volker Lange in German - Saxon Grosspoesna. A small donation of $200.00 has been made through PayPal for THE 557".

Bill Rouse via Facebook -
“Happy new year to you and all the guy's at 557 from Scotland”

Phil J. Homan, CEO Loram Maintenance of Way, Inc.
“We enjoy the update reports.  Keep them coming and we look forward to enjoying the maiden journey in the not to distant future.  We are glad to do our part to support you and the Alaska Railroad legacy.” This message was punctuated with a $5,000 donation!”

Reg Mitchell comments "The 'transparency' of the 557 project is one reason I donate. The dedication of your volunteers and support from business also count." A quick check reveals Reg is a serious supporter. Over the past 8 years he has contributed $4400 to the restoration of Gypsy, Engine 557. His comment confirms recognition of our three legs of support, financial sponsors, In-Kind Business generosity and our dedicated 557 Volunteers. The future of 557 depends on all three and we are thankful.

From Bathesda, Maryland, John Gray comments, “Thanks to all of you for restoring something that was very important to me when I was growing up. In the early to mid-sixties I used to spend all my school vacations over in the old roundhouse where 557 and the rotary lived. I spent many, many hours climbing all over and exploring that locomotive and it became a good friend. Also enjoyed a lot of time on the rotary and it’s ex UP tender”. John’s father, Tom, took this photo of 557 on her last day in steam before going into the engine house. John eventually graduated from Tulane University and went to work with Union Pacific and on retirement joined the American Association of Railroads senior staff in D.C. He is a major contributor to engine 557 and keeps in touch. He also just purchased the last of the S-160 USATC HO ROCO locomotives we had for fund raising.

You may recall we ordered four new elliptical springs to replace those connected to the drivers under the firebox. The original springs from the front two axles were in great condition and have been cleaned, load tested and then painted for reinstallation.

Eight driving boxes reconditioned by Steam Services of America arrived back in Alaska thanks to Lynden Transport. Babbitt lined bearing brass is a major upgrade for 557. Keith Nore helped the crew finish clean all the oil passages and then masked the boxes for paint. The waste box on top received the red insulating varnish and the cellars got the same treatment. While cleaning in the future, when you see red you are done.

Typical lunch crew these days is from five to eight volunteers from among a cadre of 15 who revolve in and out through the week.   From left Pat Durand, Tom Walker, Jerry Peters, Gene Augustine and Paul Dalleska.  Terry Douglas is still on the mill in the far background and Keith Nore took the photo.  Some machinists, Laverne Buller, and Doug VanWingerden are working from home.  Dick Morris, Secretary Treasurer is busy at home with all the accounting, budgeting and grant writing chores.  As they say in Alaska when assessing the available man power pool, odds are good, but some of the goods are odd.  It only works because we share the vision of 557 in steam.

Terry Douglas has spent three and four days a week for the past two months machining the new shoes from 873 bronze. There are many set ups required for each one just to rough cut. Now with the driving boxes back, the final measurements are being taken so each rough machined shoe is fitted to its location in the frame.

A new tool was in will call at our local AIH (Alaska Industrial Hardware) store in Wasilla. The store manager insisted this new tool was ordered for 557. It was even prepaid. Some of the 557 Elves had conspired to bring this much needed item to the Engine House. Mike McKervey and Ken Elmore assembled the 48 inch belt and disk sander. In short order Ken was using it to do finish work on a flame cut blank for a new arm on the tumbling rod.

Jerry Cunnington and Jeff DeBroeck consult on work to be done on the link motion assembly. There was a midpoint arm on the tumbler shaft that had been miss-located in an old conversion. Dean Sawyer cleaned up the shaft where the new arm will go.

Tom Walker and Dean Sawyer used the fork lift to position and check the fit of the new driving boxes.

Keith Nore visiting from North Pole, got right to work with the crew preparing to install the Equalizer Fulcrum, a rather awkward 200 pound chunk of steel. Peering out from under the cylinder block are Keith and Mike McKervey. They had just completed installation of the Equalizer Fulcrum which supports the equalizer beam between the Bissell post in the engine truck and the cross equalizer between the front drivers.

The final step on the Bissell post bushing was cutting the notch through which the equalizer arm extends into the post in the engine truck. Jeff DeBroeck accomplished that with the plasma cutter.

After the fresh primer cured on the frame, it was followed by Black Armour Shield up to the front waist sheet and proceeded to the second waist sheet. The frame painting is finally complete under the firebox.

All this recent effort is aimed to getting everything in place so by April and May we can be putting the drivers under 557.

To that end we have made a $10,000 grant request to our local Matanuska Electric Association Round-UP program to cover some of the cost for upgrading to a 26L brake system. This is preparation for installation of a PTC Positive Train Control solution.

The next big challenge will be putting the tubes and flues in the boiler later this fall. A $50.000 request to help cover the cost of contracting for some of this work is in process with the John H. Emery Railway Heritage Trust. Wish us luck. Dick Morris our Secretary Treasurer has carried the ball for us on grant writing.

I have saved the best news for last call. The fund raising challenge of $50.000.00 issued in December has generated about $37,600 so far. We still need about $12,000 to secure the entire challenge. Please extend our call to family, friends and railroaders everywhere so we can bring the challenge and match home with a total of $100,000. There is no luck involved with the challenge, just the desire to help complete the job of returning 557 to steam operations.

Dream steam!

Patrick J. Durand
President 557

 

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