The Home Machinist!

With adequate funds we could do steam tests late next year and operational tests the following year. Without adequate funds we will work on it at a slower pace.

October was another productive month. Parts are being put back together and much progress was made. The latest progress report is at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/restore/ ... index.html.

Not to limit himself to the preservation of a single locomotive, Project Manager Patrick Durand has also been involved in assisting with the logistics and Alaskan introductions for representatives of Corey RAILS, the group which has purchased and intends to restore the last complete Class A Climax locomotive. See the report for information on the return of that locomotive to its birthplace in Corey, Pennsylvania.

We are excited to announce that our 2019 fund raising campaign is being kicked off with a massive $60,000 donor matching challenge (including $5,000 from me).

Several high dollar expenditures are in the pipeline and we are ready to contract for the work as soon as funds are available.

Information on contributing by credit card or check can be found at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/support/donate.html

The attached image shows the locomotive as she looked this afternoon. The cab is again mated to the locomotive for the first time in seven years and after many hundreds of hours of work to overhaul it and adjust the cab, piping, and accessories to fit over and around the flexible stay caps which were added as part of the firebox replacement.

The most recent status report is posted at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/restore/ ... index.html.

Another milestone was reached a few days after the November status report cut-off. All 1143 staybolts in the replacement firebox have now been safety welded. On loan from Greatland Welding and Machine, Moses DeHart finished the last weld at noon on December 4th. This tedious and time consuming job was entirely done by volunteers and by employees whose employers have permitted them to spend time welding on 557 while "on the clock." A big THANK YOU to all the expert welders who worked on the firebox.

To get frequent updates on the reincarnation of ex-Alaska Railroad #557 see Facebook at "557 Restoration Company."

Congratulations!
I've spent literally several months working inside locomotive boilers/fireboxes and truly understand the magnitude of your accomplishments!
I look forward to continued good news.
RussN

The December status report is posted at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/restore/ ... index.html

This month saw a visit from an engineering firm who donated their services to do an accurate survey of the locomotive's frame and other components in lieu of the time honored methods of manually tramming the locomotive. All of the points of interest to us will be mapped to within a few thousandths of an inch. More than 40 scans from numerous locations were used to provide an accurate location of numerous points on the locomotive. The image was one produced as part of the survey.

The latest status report is at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/restore/ ... index.html.

We are making progress in getting some of the big parts reattached to the locomotive. The driver journal boxes are at a contractor in Indiana and the lead truck axle and wheels are at a local contractor. We are hoping to put her back on her wheels in the next few months.

Here, the rebuilt brake cylinders, which were rebuilt in our shop, are being reinstalled.

Really happy to see the continued progress.
Monty (original "owner" after the loco was retired) would be pleased.
RussN

Dick_Morris wrote: ↑Fri Jan 03, 2020 5:22 pm The December status report is posted at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/restore/ ... index.html

This month saw a visit from an engineering firm who donated their services to do an accurate survey of the locomotive's frame and other components in lieu of the time honored methods of manually tramming the locomotive. All of the points of interest to us will be mapped to within a few thousandths of an inch. More than 40 scans from numerous locations were used to provide an accurate location of numerous points on the locomotive. The image was one produced as part of the survey.

Nice. Looks like lidar. We did that once with a cockpit pressure cabin for a space flight vehicle to verify geometry before designing the stuff that went around it. It was a hand made composite structure.

Looks like lidar.

Correct.

Congrats to you and your group. Maintaining a full size steam locomotive is tough work. Bringing one back from the dead is just short of a miracle!

The April status report is posted at http://www.557.alaskarails.org/restore/ ... index.html.

Activities have slowed appreciably due to the virus, but they haven't stopped. We have been able to continue some single person jobs where we can ensure ample separation. Several of our volunteers are being occupied by independently working on various parts of fabricating and fitting a full new set of rod bearings and preparing the rods for installation.