Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report February 2024

February 1, 2024 was the first Thursday of the month and that means the “Hurricane Turn” was scheduled past the 557 Engine House about 9:45 a.m. We were not disappointed by her appearance in this Crystal Clear Sunrise. This train is truly a flag stop run serving off grid residents from Talkeetna North to the Hurricane Bridge where it reverses direction. The coaches were fully occupied. Surprising was the added stop right in front of the Engine House in Wasilla, just to deliver a big box of fresh donuts for the 557 Volunteers. This was all instigated by the instructors and students on board for an orientation in the Alaska Railroad Tour Guide Program at King Tech High School in Anchorage.

Bringing up the rear of the train heading Railroad North at minus 16° was SD70MAC No. 4319. All trains running between locations without a balloon or wye operate push/pull style while the 4300 series locomotives also provide HEP from both ends. This is all PTC territory and the train has already entered its next block setting the red signal.

The ARR winter passenger trains north to Fairbanks are running at or near capacity and the cobalt blue sky explains why. Night viewing of the Northern Lights brings many tourists to experience this spectacle.

You can start planning for summer rail travel now. Here is the ARR summer schedule.

The overnight south bound freight with a lot of empties passes by around 9:00 a.m. on most days. Terry Douglas manages our Engine 557 YouTube channel of over 50 clips. and has just posted this video of a recent freight going by.

February 14th, 2024 key staff from 557 responded to an invitation from Alaska Railroad President and Chief Executive Officer William O'Leary for a 557 Operations planning session. ARRC was further represented by Chief Operating Officer Clark Hopp and Chief Mechanical Officer Sean Mesloh and Vice President of Marketing and Customer Services, Dale Wade. Sean and Dale are also 557 Board Members. A long list of questions to be addressed was presented and commitment was made to work toward a Memorandum of Understanding under which an operating agreement can be formulated.

Here are the most commonly asked questions regarding 557 and the official answers.

What other people say:

Board Member and Webmaster, John Combs, made a request for birthday contributions via Facebook. We have been notified for Facebook Grant in the amount of $123.53. Happy Birthday and thanks John.

Thank you notes from the ARR Tour Gide Program arrived. Read them here.

Long time railroad fan friend, Don Marenzi from Newark, California concluded his note with a $557.00 donation via Paypal. “Great job everyone!!!”

$125 arrived from Ralph Ingram in the United Kingdom. “Best wishes from sister loco 5820 KWVR Yorkshire. That’s Big Jim”

“Keep up the awesome work! So excited to see your progress on this beauty and hope to be able to ride in a car it pulls one day.” Punctuated with a gift of $125 from Duane Plzak in Anchorage

Donald “Jim” Adams, volunteers in the Restoration Facilities at The National Museum of Transportation in St Louis, Missouri. “Please add me to your monthly 557 Status Report. I have great interest watching your team overcome the challenges associated with such an endeavor.”

Winter festivals bloom as longer days grow by as much as 6 minutes in February and March. The Anchorage Fur Rendezvous Rondy is the largest. Each year the lobby of the Historic Anchorage Depot turns into a display where Model Railroaders gather and present their work from N scale to Hernia Gauge. Engine 557 Volunteers staff our information booth for the 10 day event. Left to right, Terry Douglas organized the schedule, Lynn Willis, Gene Augustine, Ken Morton and Ken Elmore staffed the booth at various times. Pat Durand, Tom Walker, assisted and Dick Morris, 557 Secretary, closed out each day.

As of October 8, 2022 Engine 557 rolled out to be joined to the tender for the first time. Most appliances were installed on the locomotive with the cab and plumbing installed after being engineered with upgraded fittings. Since that time the locomotive boiler has been fully exposed in preparation for the FRA required Hydro Test. This is one of those “ten steps back” in order to make a Giant Step forward. This is all mandated by scheduling to maximize available operating time on the new tube installation of 15 years or 1472 days of operation. Since all of the new engineering has been completed and dry fit, the final reassembly should go much more quickly.

Mike Weddell worked for the Alaska Railroad back in 2011 and was involved with the original assessment team considering the repatriation of Engine 557 to Alaska. Coming full circle, Mike spent several hours with Paul Dalleska and Pat Durand at the engine house inspecting the work done over the past 11 years. Seeing 557 stripped for hydro, he was very complimentary of the like new condition of 557 and the accomplishments of the volunteer crew. His final comment, “looks to be ready for the Hydro Test. Keep up the great work.”

Patrick J. Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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