It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 3:58 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 470 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 7:56 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm
Posts: 2279
Dick_Morris wrote:
On August 18, 2012, Engine 557 entered a former lumber yard millwork shop which was soon to be renamed "The Engine House." Ten long years later the transformation comes ever closer to completion.

Is your group's engine house connected to live rail? I seem to recall a report several years back that said you wanted to connect to an out-of-service siding nearby.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2022 9:51 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Quote:
Is your group's engine house connected to live rail?


Not yet. There is an in-service siding that ends near the Engine House. We are in the south end of the building with a slight bend in it. (The ARR Wasilla section crew uses the north half for storage.) The Alaska Railroad will be adding a turnout from the siding to link to the 60 feet of rail from the Engine House, possibly this fall. They have already staged a turnout on site. Our stub of track comes out the south of the building and the main line is just east of the building.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Wasil ... 49.4410598


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Sun Sep 04, 2022 6:46 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
The most recent status report is posted at https://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former- ... index.html

We had special visitors on August 23rd with a follow up visit on August 26. Some may recognize them. For those who don't their identity is revealed in the report.


Attachments:
FRA_Visit reduced.jpg
FRA_Visit reduced.jpg [ 114.13 KiB | Viewed 35237 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Tue Sep 27, 2022 11:36 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
For some reason I'm reminded of Punxsutawney Phil. Last Saturday Alaska Railroad #557 stuck her nose out of the Engine House into a beautiful Indian summer day after a long hibernation. This is the first time she has been outside on her wheels since arriving in August, 2012.


Attachments:
9-24-22 first time out with wheels 2 reduced.jpg
9-24-22 first time out with wheels 2 reduced.jpg [ 71.73 KiB | Viewed 34892 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 2:20 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:25 pm
Posts: 2329
Location: The Atlantic Coast Line
Congratulations documenting on this important day for the locomotive and your dedicated team!

Wesley


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Wed Sep 28, 2022 11:17 pm 

Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 6:47 pm
Posts: 1398
Location: Philadelphia, PA
And she saw her shadow!

Phil Mulligan (not from Punxsy)


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Tue Oct 04, 2022 8:17 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
A new status report has been posted at https://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former- ... index.html


Attachments:
smiling-smoke-box-face reduced.jpg
smiling-smoke-box-face reduced.jpg [ 110.65 KiB | Viewed 34079 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 6:42 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
On Saturday the Engine 557 Restoration Company hosted an invitation only event at our Engine House in Wasilla, Alaska to celebrate progress on 557 and specifically the joining of 557 with her tender. Several members of the press were there along with over 100 supporters and 30 volunteers.

The Alaska Railroad Aurora northbound passenger train made a pre-arranged stop at 9:45 so the locomotives could exchange whistle blasts (557's five-chime Nathan was piped to an air tank), the passengers could admire 557, and the passengers and gathered guests could exchange waves and shouted greetings.

A full day of rain almost forced us to go to Plan B, holding the event inside. Then at 8:00 am the rain stopped and 50 degrees with a light breeze made it a perfect Alaskan fall day.

The event has already produced a two and a half minute news report, unfortunately it was on the 10:00 Saturday evening news broadcast. Another TV station plans coverage early this week and a magazine specializing in Alaskan content plans on a full-length article. It has also lit up our Facebook account.

There is still much to do to finish the overhaul over the next one to two years, but it was great to be able to stop work for a short while to celebrate our progress along with out biggest supporters.


Attachments:
20221008_113528-1 reduced.jpg
20221008_113528-1 reduced.jpg [ 118.36 KiB | Viewed 33594 times ]
Oct 8 event 2 Dalleska reduced.jpg
Oct 8 event 2 Dalleska reduced.jpg [ 133.08 KiB | Viewed 33594 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 7:44 pm 

Joined: Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:19 pm
Posts: 2557
Location: Sackets Harbor, NY
Congratulations Dick to you and your crew for your steadfast devotion to this task. I'm confident that once she's back in service you'll be properly rewarded.

Keep up the good work. Ross Rowland


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Mon Oct 10, 2022 8:57 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Ross, thanks.

For the last ten years I have said that my vision is to hear the whistle echoing off the bluffs on a crisp fall evening. That will be my reward.


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:12 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
The October status report is now posted. https://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former- ... index.html

Tim Parks photo.

(The PTC display is a non-functional mock-up being used to get the location right.)


Attachments:
Cab-interior reduced.jpg
Cab-interior reduced.jpg [ 116.59 KiB | Viewed 33153 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Sat Nov 05, 2022 9:30 pm 

Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2004 9:48 am
Posts: 1531
Location: Byers, Colorado
That's going to look really nice with a blue card in that holder !!!

_________________
Ask not what your locomotive can do for you,
Ask what you can do for your locomotive,

Sammy King


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 10:16 pm 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Quote:
Is your group's engine house connected to live rail?

An updated response to PMC's question from three months ago -

On a 12° clear blue sky day the Alaska Railroad track gang was working on building the switch which will be installed to connect to the 557 Engine House lead.


Attachments:
Installing the turnout 1 reduced.jpg
Installing the turnout 1 reduced.jpg [ 46.85 KiB | Viewed 32717 times ]
Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:15 am 

Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm
Posts: 2279
Dick_Morris wrote:
Quote:
Is your group's engine house connected to live rail?

An updated response to PMC's question from three months ago -

On a 12° clear blue sky day the Alaska Railroad track gang was working on building the switch which will be installed to connect to the 557 Engine House lead.

Nice. Probably picked now because there is less mainline track work for them in the winter. Would you be able to work on the passenger cars you have in the shop once it is connected, or is there too little space?


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Alaska Railroad 2-8-0 #557 to be returned to service!
PostPosted: Fri Nov 18, 2022 2:25 am 

Joined: Wed Sep 25, 2013 12:36 am
Posts: 594
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Quote:
Would you be able to work on the passenger cars you have in the shop once it is connected, or is there too little space?

The passenger cars are stored off site. For at least the next year all our efforts are going towards the locomotive. The Engine House is a nice size for the locomotive and shop, but there isn't room for anything else.


Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 470 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1 ... 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32  Next

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 130 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: