Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report March 2024

Alaska winters are far from predictable as today our parking lot is bare and it has been above freezing overnight for about a week. The North bound passenger train passed at speed on clear track here in the valley compared to February conditions. Snow, freeze, or thaw, work continues on 557. Now that the weather report is over, on to the good news.

Alaska Railroad Corp Management visit reported by Patrick Durand:

March 7, 2024 a management team from the Alaska Railroad spent several hours with the 557 crew in Wasilla to evaluate what actions might be required to bring locomotive 557 into compliance for operations on the ARR. Introductions established peer to peer communication channels going forward. Left to right, Terry Douglas and Paul Dalleska represent Engine 557 and Jamie Fetterman - Director of Heavy Equipment Maintenance (has Steam Locomotive experience), then Bryan Cothren - Director of Locomotive Maintenance and finally Mark Baehm - Manager of Passenger Car Maintenance.

After two hours, it was concluded that the locomotive posed no real problems and it was near ready to call for the FRA hydro test. Mark Baehm will provide AEI tags and mock up for proper placement on the locomotive and tender. All comments were positive and it is reassuring to have this level of communication open between the respective crews.

ARRC Director of Heavy Equipment Maintenance, Jamie Fetterman, was also complementary in a follow-up note. “Thank you so much for taking the time yesterday to go over the project in such detail with us. It was a pleasure to finally meet yourself and the crew that has put so much effort towards this rebuild. Every facet of this engines rebuild has been well thought through and executed with great care and detail. Your group has done top notch work on this engine and that should be applauded. If you need anything please don’t hesitate to ask.”

The Saturday Crew (left to right, Dean Sawyer, Tom Walker, Terry Douglas, Jeff DeBroeck and Jeff Loffert) lead by CMO Jeff DeBroeck has been preparing for the hydro test. The boiler has been stripped to expose all the seams, rivets, studs, tubes, flues and staybolts, nearly 4000 penetrations of the pressure vessel.

As a major milestone for 557, the formal request for the FRA required boiler hydro test has been submitted. Tentatively the FRA crew has scheduled to be here the week of May 20, 2024 to observe the hydro and do the internal inspection of the boiler. Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America (SSofA) our professional engineer has the 557 Form 4 ready for the event. Alaska Airlines has provided travel vouchers for the SSofA crew travel to Alaska.

 

What other people say:

Sheri Hamming, Palmer Historical Society, after the tour with her husband. “Such a great tour Pat! An amazing project.” Followed by a nice donation.

George Raucher, Alaska State Representative after a tour with his wife and grandson, “Awesome Project.” He also purchased limited edition print number 283 of Engine 557 Returning. (Editors note: Yes we still have fine art prints numbered and signed by J. Craig Thorpe. $100 covers cost and mailing.)

Paul Hansen with Lynden Air Cargo took the personal tour of 557 on March 23 and……donated $100.00 That is a nice comment.

“Please accept this small donation, and please continue your amazing work.” This comment from Joshua Coran, former Chief Mechanical Engineer for the Alaska Railroad from 1983 until 2004 was accompanied by a $200.00 Check. This "small donation" has been arriving like clock work for seven years and encouraging words from Joshua are invaluable!

This good bit of news just arrived from 557 Secretary Dick Morris. “I received a welcome note from Ira Perman of the Atwood Foundation. The Foundation has approved our request to support contract services of a Steam Locomotive Consultant/Specialist (i.e., Paul Dalleska) in the amount of $10,000.”

This grant comes just in time to send Paul Dalleska to New Mexico on a recovery mission to salvage PTC equipment required for our PTC compatibility upgrade on 557. Shane Durand, Chief Operating Officer of Central Environmental Inc. provided Alaska Airlines Tickets for the round trip to New Mexico as a donation to benefit 557.

Upon completion of the Hydro test, the first order of business will be reinstalling the fire pan along with all new fire brick. The first pallet has been delivered and another 435 bricks will follow. These materials were purchased from Distribution International in Anchorage. This purchase was made possible by a grant from 557 Board member, Paul Bates.

Every locomotive needs a Master Electrician. On Jerry Peters retirement, he turned over that job and all the documentation to Ken Elmore. Ken treats all the sub assemblies with full documentation, so all the terminal connections can be made securely using EMD high temp wire.

Volunteer Terry Douglas typically puts in four days per week at 557. He inherited the task of reconditioning lubricators when Jerry Peters retired. Most recently he completed the spare 5 tube lubricator we will use on the Westinghouse cross compound pump. Along the way, making all the many new gaskets became a challenge until Terry put his personal computer driven laser cutter to work.

Jerry Cunnington is a Thursday and Saturday fixture in the machine shop working around his real job as lead mechanic at Soloy Helicopters. This set up for the final cut in the valve crosshead required a long boring bar. The brass bearing stock for the bushing is setting on the table to the right. He was all ready on Saturday when Jeff DeBroeck was available to observe the press fit for the bushings on our 50 ton hydraulic press.

Paul Dalleska, has the two steam lines that connect the starter valves to the injectors strapped down on the acorn table to take measurements. Plans are to replace both of these old pipes because of interior erosion and exterior abrasions. Our Greenlee pipe bender will have to work to bend this schedule 80 pipe.

John Marley is the counter man at Greatland Welding and Machine a major in-kind supporter for 557. Gary Fester, the owner, consults with us on a regular basis. The two gravity feed, seven cell lubricators are an example. Originally all the lubrication points on the engine truck just had a drilled hole with a dimple that you shot a stream of oil at, taking all the dirt and garbage right into the bearing surface on the Heart links and pins in the truck swing motion. Those have all been tapped and fittings now have hose connections that will be fed from these two units. Just give each cell a few squirts and if they never fill up you know the oil is going where it is needed.

Saving the best for closing:

Come and celebrate summer solstice June 21, 2024 under the midnight sun on board the private car Aurora with other railfans and Engine 557 supporters. There are only 25 seats and 14 are already committed for this all day adventure from Anchorage to Seward and back. We thank Will Gawin for producing the flyer.

Brice Douglas is an Alaska Railroad Conductor and 557 Volunteer. Brice has organize this all day adventure as a fund raiser for Engine 557. Click here for all the details. We look forward to seeing you along the tracks.

Patrick Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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