Steam & Excursion > Alaska Railroad 557 to be restored

http://www.columbiabasinherald.com/news/article_af5bfd36-2298-11e1-b0b7-0019bb2963f4.html

A long trek North. Alaska Railroad is footing the bill for its restoration.

It's a sure bet that WP&Y will be included. Does the WP&Y have any steam?

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> It's a sure bet that WP&Y will be included. Does
> the WP&Y have any steam?


Yes, I believe 2-3 steam locomotives, all coal powered.

Macster Wrote:
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> wabash2800 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > It's a sure bet that WP&Y will be included.
> Does
> > the WP&Y have any steam?
>
>
> Yes, I believe 2-3 steam locomotives, all coal
> powered.

Hope you mean coal BURNING.

They also have a steam powered rotary snow plow.

WP&Y locomotives are oil fired I believe.

Lurch

ARR 557 is an oil burner and was kept a little longer for flood duty near Matanuska than the other steam locomotives. (Alaska RR is 4'8 1/2", standard gauge)

The WP&Y is a 3'0" gauge railroad.

The two railroads are "apples and oranges".

wag216

HotWater Wrote:
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> Macster Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > wabash2800 Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > It's a sure bet that WP&Y will be included.
> > Does
> > > the WP&Y have any steam?
> >
> >
> > Yes, I believe 2-3 steam locomotives, all coal
> > powered.
>
> Hope you mean coal BURNING.
>
> They also have a steam powered rotary snow plow.


LOL, I just noticed what I wrote, yes, coal burning ;)

This is great news, there was a rumour, but no confirmation. Maybe I can volunteer for something.

Reading TO has been a good warmup for the wild ride of apostrophes in that article... apostrophe's in that article...

I'm also pretty sure all the White Pass steam equipment is oil-burning.

scottp Wrote:
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> Reading TO has been a good warmup for the wild
> ride of apostrophes in that article...
> apostrophe's in that article...

Who's engine is it's, anyway?!? LOL!

It will be nice to see another U S Army WWII S160 running again. Her Army number was 3523. The Alaska Railroad made few changes to the 557. It still looks as built. The 556 is in a park in Alaska.

MRS11818

Fantastic news!! It's great to see one being put ON the rails rather than being moth-balled. All the best to the folks up there, I look forward to seeing this one fired up.

Cheers,
Karl

Awesome news!

I'll assume no connection what so ever to the WP&Y. Great to see the Alaska
Railroad take an interest in steam. Wonder where she'll run?

Seems the engine is in excellent condition - operational, even, if it were
not for regulatory issues.

Here's a link to Steamlocomotive.info:
http://www.steamlocomotive.info/vlocomotive.cfm?Display=1270

/Mitch

Folks, when I assumed the WP&Y would be included I was referring to the inclusion in the convention and not a connection with the 2-8-0 on the WP&Y. Personally, I think the "GI consolidations" are ugly, but it's steam.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/11 09:22 by wabash2800.

Had to look up on the map to find Moses Lake, WA and see it is located between Ellensburg and Spokane. Coincidently, I was reading an old issue of "Trains" this past weekend on the restoration of the Stampede Pass line in the late 1990's. There was talk of restoring the railroad between Ellensburg and Spokane. Is there still consideration to reinstalling track on that short cut?

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> Folks, when I assumed the WP&Y would be included I
> was referring to the inclusion in the convention
> and not a connection with the 2-8-0 on the WP&Y.
> Personally, I think the "GI consolidations" are
> ugly, but it's steam.

The S160 is not the best looking loco but they did what they were designed for. They were not built but to last out the war and did get the job done. Having run S160's while in the Army I am happy to see one more saved.

When I received orders for Germany I thought ugly European engines. After working with and running German 052 class 2-10-0's build by the Germans for WWII, I came to appreciate them. They also were not the best looking locos but ran like a fine tuned watch.

So both armies were supplied by their countries with utilitarian machines easy to maintain, cheep to build with interchangeable standard parts. What would be better in a war zone.

Give the 557 her due in history.

MRS1 1818

Agreed.

Cumbresfan Wrote:
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> Had to look up on the map to find Moses Lake, WA
> and see it is located between Ellensburg and
> Spokane. Coincidently, I was reading an old issue
> of "Trains" this past weekend on the restoration
> of the Stampede Pass line in the late 1990's.
> There was talk of restoring the railroad between
> Ellensburg and Spokane. Is there still
> consideration to reinstalling track on that short
> cut?

Huh, , , the only rail that isn't between Ellensburg and Spokane is the former MILW and I doubt that it will ever be back! Plus it's not that short of a "cut."

Larry Dodgion
Wilsonville, OR