Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report March 2023
Special Edition

On March 31, 2023 the installation of new fire tubes and superheater flues was completed. Years of preparation by the Engine 557 Volunteers was brought to fruition under the direction of Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America and his boiler makers Bob Gold and Dale Grice. 557 CMO, Jeff DeBroeck and Consultant/machinist, Paul Dalleska lead the volunteers in support. The official first fire tube was rolled on March 23, 2023 to start the FRA mandated calendar for service life of the tubes and flues. We have a grace period of 1 year, or from the first firing, whichever comes first, until the start of 1472 service days or 15 years.

In preparation the interior of the boiler was cleaned and Ken Morton touched up the Apexior 1 painted surface. Looking down the steam dome opening past the throttle into the belly of the beast you can see portions of the rear flue sheet and belly braces. This is the only access into the boiler. The tube sheets were conditioned and Tom Walker and Jerry Cunnington used strong backs and wedges to flatten the front sheet. Bob Gold has the skills to heat shrink the rear flue sheet bringing it flat.

A production line cleaned two inches of each tube removing paint on one end. When the superheater flues are swaged on the small end, the end is no longer square so Ron Dudley and several volunteers ground them square again. Dean Sawyer then deburred the interior edge of each flue. Tubes and flues went into a cutting station awaiting the final measurement for each hole.

March 21, brought a large crew. Lynn Willis, Ron Dudley, Ken Morton, Terry Douglas, Tom Walker, Bob Gold and Dale Grice of Steam Services of America, Patrick Durand, Ken Elmore, Gerry Christensen, and 557 Consultant Paul Dalleska. By mid day the process of cutting the tubes to final length became routine and the insertion process was refined by end of day one. A firebox conference was held by Tom Walker, Bob Gold, Paul Dalleska and Dale Grice.

Day two started with this view of the smoke box end. On the firebox end the tube nest is growing. When the tube rolling and beading is done, the next step on the firebox end will be safety welding the ends similar to the safety welds on the stay bolts.

By day three the boiler was getting crowded. No, we did not find a body at the bottom of the boiler, that is a two inch thick foam pad that serves two purposes. It saves knees and provides traction on the very slippery Apexior 1 painted surface of the boiler interior. Later in the day Jeff DeBroeck was laying on his back on a bed of tubes while Dale Grice passed the remaining 2 inch tubes into the boiler through the protective black ABS bushing pressed into the center flue hole.

The crew grew again on day three with the arrival of Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America. Paul Dalleska, Dale Grice, Ron Dudley, Jerry Cunnington, Bob Gold, CMO Jeff DeBroeck, Patrick Durand, Lynn Willis, Gerry Christensen and Tom Walker and Terry Douglas took the photo. The Steam Services of America contract crew of Bob Gold, Dale Grice and boss, Robert Franzen organized on one end of the table in coordination with 557 CMO Jeff DeBroeck.

By day four all the fire tubes had been placed but not rolled and the super heater flues were yet to come. Viewed from the steam dome opening looking to the rear tube sheet you see the single piece stainless steel throttle rod extending between rows of crown sheet flexible stays to pass through the packing gland in the back head wrapper. Overhead to the right is the baffle below the safety valves. The cut off station had been reconfigured to cut the superheater flues so by end of day four, some were installed under the in-dome throttle assembly. Bob Gold showed the progress on the fire box rear flue sheet.

Robert Franzen concentrated on collecting the remaining data to complete the 557 FORM 4 for the FRA. The extensive documentation on process, applied material specifications and drawings that we have been collecting for years, now has to be digitized and submitted in electronic form. Robert did make it into the firebox for a little exercise.

Note was made of cutting the last flue to length. The Slugger metal cutoff saw with its carbide tip blade had done the entire job.

The last flue was rolled by Bob Gold in the front flue sheet using the extension on a fixed air motor operated by Dale Grice. The 5 1/2 inch flaring roller was a brand new purchase from Elliot Tool. This completed the suite of rollers that include 2 inch and 4 1/2 inch in our inventory.

The smaller swaged 4.5 inch end of the super heater flues in the firebox were rolled with a vintage tool from our collection.  Steve Butler of Morton Locomotive works supplied us with the mandrel.

Rolled and beaded detail on front flue sheet at the end of day eight. Tubes and flues on the firebox end are a complete package. This overview does no justice to the hours of just plain hard work required. Here is just a small demonstration: Google “Rolling tubes in the smoke box”.

Follow Engine 557 Facebook for a nearly daily update on progress and please read the comments. There are several more steps before we are ready for a hydro test. The crew is up to it!

The installation of tubes and flues is a major accomplishment and milestone in returning 557 to operation. Our thanks goes to the John H. Emery Rail Heritage Trust for a $36,000 grant, the Atwood Foundation for a $20,000 grant, Alaska Airlines for air travel for three boiler makers from the Lower 48 and the Valley Hotel in Palmer, Alaska for lodging for the crew while they are in Alaska. Great credit also goes to the team of volunteers who have been laboring for the past ten years and specifically during the last year in doing hundreds of  tasks to prepare the boiler to receive its new tubes and flues and to the hundreds of individuals and business contributors who have brought us to this point.

What others say.

Former Chief Mechanical Officer for the Alaska Railroad Josh Coran got right to the point, “Please continue your wonderful work!” This was punctuated with a very nice donation.

Chris Wall inquired by email regards a visit to 557, well in advance of arriving in Alaska. On their way to the restart of the famous Iditarod sled dog race on Sunday, March 5th they had a couple of hours. I meet the family, Brother, Steve wife Dawn and Chris with his wife Kim at the 557 Engine House for a tour. His comments confirm why we make the special effort to host visitors at 557. “Pat, ….Thank You for your personal time that you spent with us and for sharing the story from Monte Holm and the scrap yard up to present today. It was evident of your passion for this Engine during our tour and your knowledge of it's inner workings is unbelievable! I also want to say Thanks for the goodies you gave us! We just got home and I have already read half of the novel 'High Iron to Fairbanks' while on the airplane! Your are right about this book, it is very entertaining! I will be sending you a donation to Engine 557 Restoration company later this week as well as a piece of North Carolina history just for you! I look forward to seeing the monthly progress reports and again THANK YOU!”

Chris followed up with a letter, “….if we don’t preserve these “old” machines for future generations to see, then I feel like we have done a disservice to our children as well as our country! I am completely amazed and extremely proud of what you and your Engine 557 team are accomplishing in Wasilla. If the Lord allows It, we will be back to ride!” Chris punctuated his comments with a nice $500.00 donation. He included a piece of the teak deck from NC BB-55 the WWII Battleship North Carolina. The most decorated US Battle Ship of WWII is open to the public in Wilmington, North Carolina. Another Veteran heard from.

John Combs 557 Board Member and web master in Ohio, “This is sooooooo exciting! My hat is off to the stalwart dedication of our volunteers as well as Steam Service of America! Dream steam!”

From the Allied Rail Group & Associates came this observation, “Dedicated personnel, solid leadership and fiscal transparency equals results and this group has clearly demonstrated that.”

Gary Bensman offered this comment, “Hand fit. Hand finished. A perfect example of the RE-builder's ART of Boiler Making! Beautiful work men!” Considering the source, we accept this as the highest of complements.

Just rehashing all that work has me exhausted. There are more things to report on but we will save them for the 557 April Status Report. Keep updated via 557 Facebook and 557 YouTube.

 

Patrick J. Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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