Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report May 2023

Spring fever brings out crowds in May for events such as the Alaska Railroad Open House on May 6th where we had our 557 exhibit staffed by Gene Augustine, Keith Nore and the faithful load out crew of Ken Elmore and Lynn Willis. Best guess was three thousand people in 4 hours passed through.

The night before, Friday May 5th, The Alaska Railroad Centennial exhibit opened at the Anchorage Fine Arts Museum where the same crew represented Engine 557, with Keith Nore taking the lead. The Museum presentation will continue into 2024. Next best thing to being there is Mike Gerenday’s photo summary posted at alaskarails.org.

The Anchorage House of Hobbies has been a supporter of 557 Restoration and invited us to participate in their 59th year celebration on Saturday, May 20th. For 6 hours, families and modelers enjoyed the hospitality of Ryan Raffles and the AHofH staff inside the Anchorage Sports Dome, an air supported all weather arena covering 180,000 square feet. Air rocketry, electric aircraft, trains, EV drifters, EV rock climbers, Boy Scouts Pine Wood Derby competitions for kids and walk away gifts delighted about 2500 guests and 200 exhibitors sharing their hobby pursuits. Engine 557 was there and we plan to be there for the 60th Anniversary bash in 2024.

The cut off portions of the tubes and flues are a valuable resource so Dave Lucas built a crate to accommodate them in two layers on a pallet. In 15 years from first fire, we will have to remove some of the tubes and flues to allow a thorough inspection inside the boiler. Those tubes and flues removed will be at least 2 inches too short to be reused. You can already see where this is going. By providing dry storage for the 6” random cut offs we will have a stock of matching material to be but welded on the removed tubes. Re-ending is authorized and will be a small fraction of the cost of replacing complete tubes and flues. We also have spare tubes and flue sections all originally purchased back in 2014.

Dave also created a piston/rod rack to protect and store the two piston and rod assemblies for future work.

What others say: Subject: Re: Engine 557 Restoration Company Grant Closure Report “Thank you very much for this graphic update...good progress being made. We hope to visit you once the locomotive is up and running.” Tom Sharratt, advisory committee member John H. Emory Rail Heritage Trust. They funded a major portion of the 557 tube/flue install.

Visitors on May 13 were chasing trains North of Anchorage and were invited in for a visit. Richard Rafalski from Florida and Jacob Rubin from the Chicago area have been following 557 on Facebook for a few years so they knew where to find us.

Matthew Johnson, wife Jennifer along with Heber and Jaylen from Cherry Creek, Idaho toured 557 on May 16. They follow 557 on Facebook so were well versed in our history leaving time to explore technical details of the overhaul. Matt’s follow up, “Thanks again for the wonderful tour, my whole family loved every minute of it!”

Visitors from the Great Northern Railway & Navigation Company, President, Mark Allen and Chief Inspector for On30 properties, Richard Allen were here on May 24, 2023 providing encouragement to all the 557 volunteer effort.

The questions section in April, 2023 issue of Model Railroader Magazine, has a very timely description of Flange-bearing frogs, also known as lift frogs, jump frogs or locally as Leap Frogs. The flange bearing frog is designed to reduce wear for trains on the main route and let those trains cross the frog at full speed. It will make sense when installed and we can take photos. The ARRC is installing these on the main where little used stubs and sidings must be maintained. The stub track into the section lead here at the 557 is being treated as such. The track gang is working in the local area and will eventually get around to installing the access that will get 557 out onto the main.

All this work is being done at the height of the tourist season, so finding work time between trains is a real challenge. Some new equipment will speed the work. Connected to four flats and the 320C tie handler bringing up the rear, this train will clean up old ties along the ROW.

Prior to the track gang moving into the spur, this LC or locomotive crane moved several items out of the way.

On May 24, the Alaska Railroad’s Road Foreman of Engines, Matthew W. Shaw dropped in for a brief visit with 557. He left us with an out of date collection of ARRC time tables. If you are a collector we offer these for $10.00 as a 557 fund raiser. Thanks to Matt and the Alaska Railroad.

Those involved with steam loco restorations know that the routine is take it apart, put pieces together, take them apart again, install another piece, take that off so you can install the first piece and repeat until you run out of pieces. Now that the tubes and flues are in we can inspect the thousands of penetrations in the boiler for leaks. We apply 50 psi air on the boiler and then spray the surface with wet water (a little liquid soap to bubble). Weeps and leaks are identified and various techniques are used to seal them depending where they are. Air will pass where water will not so this is a preliminary step enroute to actual hydro testing.

The frustration is that the cab and many other parts must be removed to get access to some of the weeps. Fortunately it will all go back together much faster because it was all dry fit in assembly before.

On May 27, 2023 the Saturday Crew of CMO Jeff DeBroeck, Jerry Cunnington, Ken Morton and Tom Walker, choreographed the cab removal. Jeff DeBroeck arranged loan of the boom truck from 51 Fifty Global Solutions and final preparations were made to lift the cab. The weekday crews had already disconnected fittings that joined the cab to the loco. Our Case 721 loader was tied to the pilot beam with a heavy load strap. Tender brakes were set up to retard any free rolling of the locomotive as it was pulled up and out of the engine house.

Anticipating that removing the cab would be required for future maintenance we had reinforced the cab roof and installed two lift rings just for that purpose years ago. Easy peasy the cab went airborne a few inches at a time until clear of the back head. Rotated around it was set on the truck deck until It could be relocated back inside the Engine house.

Now the few weeping rivets and staybolts at the bottom of the back head can be reached and dealt with. With the tender brakes set the loader then gently pushed the locomotive over the door threshold and 557 was back in the engine house.

There are always jobs to do: Cleaning, wire brushing and sand blasting the branch pipes preceded painting them with two coats of Thermolox heat resistant paint. Still need to condition the mating junctions for a solid fit. Terry Douglas rebuilt the second spare five pipe lubricator as a spare for our Westinghouse cross compound pump. Both of these we salvaged from Chinese steam locomotives that required total overhaul. The paint is Covaprime two part that we have used on everything where High heat or water immersion is not an issue.

Volunteers are subject to spring fever and coming summer activities, so it is important that the 557 Mechanical Department be supplemented with some new blood. We welcome Tim Brown and Jeff Loffert to the ranks and encourage occasional 557 volunteers to make an appearance on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

People ask “What kind of relationship do you have with the Alaska Railroad?” The Alaska Railroad Corp, provides the building we have worked in for the past 10 years. They are installing the turnout that will connect us to the main. 557 Restoration Company Inc., an Alaskan not for Profit Corporation, was established by the ARRC specifically to conduct the restoration and maintain and train a crew for operation. Two positions on our board are reserved for ARRC higher management, currently filled by Dale Wade, Director of Sales, and Sean Mesloh, Chief Mechanical Officer. This being the ARRC Centennial celebrating the completion of construction, 557 volunteers are actively engaged in the festivities. PANORAMAS 34th Edition is the On Board Magazine published each year. By the end of season we estimate over 500,000 passengers will have a copy of this beautiful 61 page parade of Alaskan destinations and experiences to remember. On pages 50 and 51, From the Past to the Future FULL STEAM AHEAD is the 557 story of service, retirement and redemption!

Volunteers come and go over the years while making major contributions to support 557. Another supporting cast has never let us down, and those are the many Alaska Business Partners who provide in-kind donated services and products. Over $800,000 dollars in value over the past 10 years and still going. Remember and thank them for supporting Engine 557 Restoration Company!

Come and ride in 25. We look forward to meeting you along the track!

 

Patrick J. Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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