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.

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

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.

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.

Congratulations documenting on this important day for the locomotive and your dedicated team!

Wesley

And she saw her shadow!

Phil Mulligan (not from Punxsy)

A new status report has been posted at https://www.alaskarails.org/pix/former- ... index.html

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.

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

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.

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.)

That's going to look really nice with a blue card in that holder !!!

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?

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.