Project Status

1965 Locomotive #557 purchased by and becomes a prized possession of Monte Holm of Moses Lake, Washington.
2011 Purchased from the family of Monte Holm by Jim and Vic Jansen with the agreement that it be restored for occasional operation on the Alaska Railroad.
01/03/12 Moved from the port in Whittier, Alaska, and returns home to secure storage in the Alaska Railroad yards
05/05/12 Placed on display during Alaska Railroad open house
06/12/12 Rasmuson Foundation approves $350,000 matching grant for restoration
07/29/12 Tender 0039M donated by the Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry, moved from museum to secure staging area in ARR yards
08/01/12 Northern Lights Model Railroad Club provides $3500 grant for the restoration
08/15/12 Locomotive 557 and tender 0039M moved by road from ARRC yards to restoration facility in Wasilla, Alaska, through a generous donation by Lynden Transport
08/16/12 First Board of Directors' meeting of the non-profit Locomotive 557 Restoration Company. Locomotive formally donated to the Company.
08/20/12 Robert Franzen of Steam Services of America begins a three day assessment to determine restoration cost and time line
08/22/12 Locomotive 557 Restoration Company holds a meet and greet for the public
09/01/12 This weekend the volunteers continued the work of removing piping and appliances from the locomotive in preparation for removal of the boiler jacket for additional boiler inspection. To date we have removed much of the piping as well as the injectors and injector start valves. On the tender we have removed the front coupler, mounting plate, and piping that was installed when the tender was in maintenance-of-way service were removed. The engine house floor is quickly getting covered with all manner of removed and tagged locomotive parts.
09/10/12 We continue to make progress in removing appliances and other items. The loan of a knuckle boom truck allowed heavy items such as the sand dome, cross-compound pump, and power reverse to be lifted from the locomotive and moved to a storage area.
   
   

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