Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report August 2021

Engine 557 board member and web master, John Combs and his wife Terry made the trek to Alaska from Columbus Ohio to ride their favorite railroad at the end of July. I was about to write a follow up report on the 557 Annual board meeting, but John summed it up better than I could.

“On August 2nd, I attended the Annual Board Meeting for the Engine 557 Restoration Company at the 557 Engine House in Wasilla. This was the first in person meeting attended by all 8 of the current board members since the beginning of Covid 19 concerns. Left to right in the photo are: Patrick Durand, Paul Bates, John Combs, Sean Mesloh, Jane Walker, Dale Wade, Dick Morris and Scott Hicks.”

“It was good to meet the new board members Paul, Jane and Sean, along with key volunteers and Consultant, Paul Dalleska. Terry and I had a chance to socialize over an excellent lunch of subs and salad from the Crazy Moose. Business consisted of a review of the past years milestones in the restoration, the typical financial reports, election of board members and officers. Paul Bates, Chief Operations Officer, lead a discussion of the developing business plan for operation with the Alaska Railroad, which will be the foundation for major fund raising to complete the restoration and transition to operations. The planning matrix identified an immediate need for an additional $40,000 to get the tubes and flues installed in the boiler this fall. Paul Bates, through the Kahiltna Charitable Trust kicked the effort off with a $10,000 contribution as a challenge. Board Secretary/Treasurer Dick Morris stepped forward with an additional $5,000 check. The meeting closed with this call to action: raise the remaining $25,000 to keep the project on track.”

Fundraising update: 15 individuals have already donated over half of the $40,000 goal. Please help us out with this special fund raiser to bring our contractors on this fall. Click here to donate!

August 6, 7 and 8 our Professional Engineer, Robert Franzen, of Steam Services of America arrived for three days of consultation with our Jeff and Pat while documenting details for the boiler form 4. On August 7th he worked with our volunteer crew reviewing steps needed to prepare the locomotive boiler for tube installation. Bringing contractors on from the lower 48 is an expensive proposition. We are most thankful for the local support of Janet Kincaid who provided lodging at the Matanuska Valley Hotel and the Colony Inn in Palmer. Dick Morris donated a vehicle for Robert’s local transportation.

Walter Rosenberger, volunteer with the 611 and formerly with the Norfolk and Southern traveled the Alaska Railroad and came to visit August 8, 2021. Walter’s follow up comments; “Thanks again for the wonderful tour of the 557 and the restoration shop. I’m glad I got my 557 tour while Robert Franzen and Pat were still at the shop. I’ve seen a few restoration efforts, and I think the 557’s ranks near the top.  It’s easy to see that the quality of work on the engine itself is top notch. But I think the distinction for the 557 is the network of supporting infrastructure: contractors like Robert Franzen, donated tools, equipment, and services, and even regular and detailed communications like the emailed newsletters. Without a good, detail-focused servant-styled leadership, many well-intentioned projects literally have gone off the rails.”

Spencer and Edith Arntz of Glendale, Arizona both love trains and Scouting. Retired from Honeywell they enjoy traveling and supporting the Scouting program in their community where they are members of the Maricopa live steamers. A very, very nice donation to 557 demonstrated their strong support of our program.

Don and Julie Northrop live in Anchorage. Julie wrote, “All of us greatly appreciated the tour, especially my father-in-law, Butch from Surprise, Arizona. He also is enjoying your email updates. :)” In discussion I found that Butch, a retired machinist, has rebuilt a Silver Ghost Rolls Royce and understands the joys and frustrations that come with big dreams. Donations help fill the sight glass!

After the drivers go under 557 the next big activity will be installing the tubes and flues. Robert Franzen has provided a punch list of items to get done before we schedule that work. At the top of the list was confirmation from the FRA that the initial inspection from September 26, 2014 was still on file. This came back from Michael W. Blackwell at the Federal Railroad Administration, “Mr. Durand you can install the tubes and flues whenever you are ready. I will be up there in September or August. Hope all is well in the last frontier.” Check that off the list and move on.

Mark Chadwell of Battleground Washington worked for Monty Holms at Moses Lake Steel back in the 1970s. While in Wasilla visiting family he made the pilgrimage to visit Monty’s locomotive, and set in the engineers seat on 557. It is always great to share stories with folks who knew Monty as the man who saved 557 from the scrap line.

Jake Sneddon and Nate Kruk from Central Recyling Services dropped in to conduct some sampling of steel materials for us with their XRF system. CRS has a variety of NDT (Non Destructive Testing) systems that come in handy on the 557 project.

Wally and Beverly Smith are long time railroading friends who came out from Anchorage for a tour on August 18th. Wally was the industrial arts leader at East Anchorage High School eons ago and through the Community Schools program offered a metal working class. Before long there was a Wednesday evening core of guys using the foundry, milling machines, lathes and a shaper, building 1.5” scale railroad equipment and the Alaska Live Steamers group was born. His dad, William “Wild Bill” “Billy” Smith, was a steam engineer in the very early years of the Alaska Railroad. They left behind a very, very nice donation to further the revival of 557.

Several upgrades are going into the preparation of the driving boxes before installation of the drivers. One feature is an aluminum guard on the edge of the cellar which serves two functions. 1. If and when the locomotive is lifted the machined axle surface will come down on soft aluminum rather that steel or cast iron. 2. It closes most of the space between the cellar and the axle and completes the weather seal. This driving box in position on the axle shows the aluminum and silicon rubber weather guard installed. The rail joint bar suspended below the box is just counterweight to keep the box right side up until it is installed.

As a final step, Terry Douglas is breadboarding the components to install thermocouples on each driving box bearing which will provide constant monitoring of all 10 bearings supporting the weight of 557 in operation.

Jerry Cunnington and Terry installed the equalizer connecting the engine truck Bissell post to the front driver suspension links. Lifting it to the fulcrum under the cylinder block required two chain falls to tilt it into place for engagement with the Bissell post. Inserted into the Bissell post the assembly is now ready to receive the engine truck.

As reported earlier the Engine Truck had been bent out of shape in a 1948 accident and never properly repaired causing a lot of irregular wear. Final repair required tramming the journal box/axle position with the radius bar pivot point. Terry and Jeff DeBroeck measured the Left side and then compared it with the Right side to find a 3/16 offset in the new attachment pin will bring everything into line.

Further checking revealed wear on the Journal box guides which need some shim work to bring them in line.

Jerry Cunnington has produced two new bolts for the lower pivot on the Hart Links. These have a tapper in the bolster to secure them and the link swings on the portion of the bolt next to the head. That short section will be case hardened by Med Tek Inc. in Minneapolis. When these return three pallets of parts plus the wheel axle set will be ready for assembly.

When we needed tubing wrenches for the plumbing in the snake pit we called on Tom Simpson our local Snap On guy. Tom is a regular in-kind supporter and we are ever thankful for these faithful business partners who contribute to the revival of 557. They are on our WALL OF HONOR.

Paul Dalleska coordinates closely with Sean Mesloh, 557 Board Member and CMO for the Alaska Railroad on the 26L brake installation. Paul is orienting our latest volunteer, Jessie Lehman on the brake system plumbing. Jessie just turned 18 but comes to us after 2 years of experience with welding classes offered by Great Land Welding and Machine. Owner, Gary Feaster invests in training young people in our community and Jessie is a great example.

When it comes time for 557 to escape the engine house there will be a rail connection from the section gang stub track to connect with the 80 ft of track we have built South outside the Engine House. This is going to require a lot of fill to get up to grade.

On September 15th we expect some 40 members of Motor Car Operator West to pay us a visit here at the 557 Engine House. Keep an eye out for them along the Alaska Railroad as they plan to travel the entire length of the line.

Patrick J. Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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