Engine 557 Restoration Company
Progress Report July 2021

When North bound Alaska Railroad trains pass by our door here at 557 our volunteers still make a bee line for the door to greet riders with a warm wave of Alaskan hospitality. After the disaster of COVID-19 shut downs and NO cruise ship landings through 2021 there is an amazing rebound of self directed tourism filling the seats on Alaska Railroad Passenger Trains. Dale Wade, advises they are running over 75% capacity and the more popular trips are sold out through September 15, 2021. That just happens to be the end of regular summer service!

All those young well informed tour guides on the passenger trains are managed by Mia Vajdos. On July 1, 2021 we hosted Mia and her father Gary Parsons to a tour of the 557 Shop. Mia supplied several of the photos in this months report.

Music to our ears at 557 comes from the comments of visitors.

Phyllis, Jay, and Win Higginbotham from Virginia, had this to say. “We cannot thank you enough for our wonderful tour of the Engine 557 restoration yesterday! We were extremely impressed with the quality of your work and the attention to detail in the restoration of 557. Few people can appreciate what you and the other volunteers have had to go through to acquire or fabricate the many components (especially small parts like springs and bushings), and to recondition the larger parts. It is almost inconceivable that you started without a machine shop, and had to acquire machinery through donations (large and small, monetary and in-kind), salvage sales, etc, in order to rebuild the engine.  Your motto that “You only have one chance to do it right” has guided you throughout the restoration — and has meant that you all have sometimes had to rework things “more than once” to achieve that goal. The results are impressive! The enthusiasm  you showed us during the tour was contagious, and we really were fascinated with the story of Engine 557! You and the other volunteers are truly on a mission to bring history back to life, and you should all be very proud!  Thank you very much for your very informative and enjoyable tour!”

“I am impressed by the progress you all are making. Truly interesting outline of your bearing repair. My neighbor was a master mechanic that revealed to me this Babbitt process that had been normal in his day.”  Regards, Bruce Jaffa, Jaffa Construction, Alaska’s Boilermaker.

Railfan and Railroad magazine June 2021 issue has a brief mention of 557 on page 61 in the article by Justine Franz “Big Steam Roundup”
Along with a photo by Paul Dalleska appears the following text. “All the way up North in the Land of the Midnight Sun, Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 557 is getting closer to steaming again.”

Gary Feaster, owner of Greatland Welding and Machine has been a tireless supporter since the very first days of the 557 restoration. He is an auctioneer and a square dance caller among his many talents. His local group hosted the 2021 Alaska State Square Dance Festival over the 4th of July weekend. They employed a railroad theme “Track Two”. Participants got an Engine 557 Pin at registration thanks to Gary. A big schedule of dance workshops with three different callers kept the old Palmer gym hopping. At dinner, 557 merchandise was included in both a silent and live auction. 557 enjoyed a prime spot to merchandise our goods including “Engine 557 Returning” prints. A big thank you to Gary and the Federation for their hospitality and support of Engine 557 on Track Two.

Andy and Tami Allemao came to Palmer to participate in the dance festival all the way from San Diego. They stayed a few days to enjoy our Alaska summer and Gary Feaster brought them by for a visit with Engine 557.

JD Jeffers II and JD Jeffers III from Georgia came by on referral from volunteer Art Chase of Fairbanks. Touring 557 was the catalyst for finding our shared love of history and shortly we were relating our living history experiences with the 14th Georgia Artillery. 557 when in operation, will hopefully provide similar connections to our industrial and pioneering history for many more visitors to Alaska.

July 21, the Anchorage Corvette Association held their monthly meeting in Wasilla. Gene Augustine is a member and invited them to a tour of 557 that evening. 24 members were all first timers for an hour visit with Gypsy Rose. Comments were, “She is huge.” “Now that is pretty.” “Do you buy parts at NAPA?” “When can we take a ride?” “How much does it weigh?” The last question put things in perspective when they found that just one wheel axle set weighs more than their Corvette. I can see it now, a cruise of 50 Corvettes down the Seward Highway lead by 557 running along Turnagain Arm.

557 Trivia:
From time to time you will see us refer to 557 as Gypsy or Rose. This 1-18-1943 letter in Life magazine gives provenance to the Gypsy Rose Lee story associated with the s-160 class.

Great news from Ira Perman: “The Atwood Foundation is pleased to inform you that the Engine 557 Restoration Company has been awarded a grant in the amount of $20,000 to support the continued restoration of locomotive Engine 557 as described in your grant application.” Over the years the Anchorage based Atwood Foundation has made several grants in support of 557 restoration in anticipation of the day she will be loading passengers at the Historic Anchorage Depot.  

Now you ask, “Did you guys get anything done on 557 in July after all that fun?”

Check out the fully equalized spring rigging on axles 3 and 4. All this running gear has been dry fit and final adjustments made. Those are the new springs from Coles in England, connected with all new pins through case hardened bushings in every hole. The sub assemblies are coming together with the driving boxes and the drivers will not be far behind.

Final machine work on the driving boxes is split between the milling machine with Tom Walker, Terry Douglas and Jerry Cunnington on the shaper. Jerry developed the technique for getting the supper Babbitt finish on the shaper.

Every hole in the brake beam assembly including the rods has received a case hardened bushing with new standardized pins made of 4140. Another sub assembly just waiting for the driver installation.

The Engine Truck (pony truck) must be assembled and connected with the Bissell post at the same time the drivers are installed. As reported earlier the hart links have been rebuilt, with all new pins and bushings. The four large pins that the hart links swing on are taper fit into the truck center pin guide. Jerry Cunnington is machining one new pin because the original pin taper area is too small to allow the pin to lock into the hole without binding the Hart Link. This escaped attention until the final assembly torque was applied to the nut on the inside end of the pin. There will be a short delay until the pin is made, sent to Med-Tek for case hardening and return.

The front equalizer for the engine truck has been overhauled to original specification and a new bushing was pressed in with the Dake 50 ton press by Jeff DeBroeck. Next it will be off to paint and then mated with the Bissell Post under the cylinder block.

Gene Augustine and Mike McKervey power washed the 8 Duff-Norton air motor jacks. These were all subjected to a major overhaul over 3 years ago. They range in capacity from 50 to 100 ton with RISE from 17 inches to 13- 3/4 inches. They are ready to do the heavy lifting when the locomotive needs to go up to roll the driver assemblies in place. This will be reversing the process we followed 9 years ago to remove them.

Progress continues on installation of all the components going into the snake pit under the cab floor for the 26L brake. Paul Dalleska at 6’ 4” folds himself into the space accessed through the air draft box hole. This is really getting into your work! Plumbing is all new schedule 80 black iron or stainless tube. Reservoirs are all new. Each tube run in this complex maze will have a permanent identification tag attached. Notice the yellow paint marker on the fitting indicating that it has been subjected to the proper torque for the fitting. Above the cab floor rigid pipe and stainless tube are completing the install in the brake stand cabinet. Those components that need certification are currently in the Alaska Railroad brake shop being attended to. Yes Virginia, 557 will be able to stop as well as go.

557 Board Member, Paul Bates, 557 Chief Operating Officer has been leading discussions with Dale Wade, one of the Alaska Railroad representatives on our 557 Board, developing scenarios for operation of 557. They will be making a presentation at our up coming 557 Annual Board meeting on August 2. Expect to read more in the August Progress Report on the developing business plan.

Robert Franzen, Steam Services of America, is our Professional Engineer for 557. He will be here on site in Wasilla August 6th. Planning for the next big push, to install tubes and flues. All this progress costs money, so if you do not get a specific ask personally, please consider this as my request for your consideration of Engine 557 Restoration Company as worthy of your financial support.

Patrick J. Durand
President Engine 557 Restoration Company

 

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