Have you ever restored a steam locomotive ??

The plan isn't completed yet, it's being . . . planned.

See the attached "Commonly Asked Questions" which was posted to our web page in the February status report, particularly 10 and 11.

Indeed I have. Not by myself of course, but yes I was employed by a tourist railroad for many years and during that time multiple locomotives were rebuilt.

Great to hear that the previous poster was incorrect and longer excursions are being planned!

We already know you won't sign your real name. Would it be too much to ask WHICH tourist railroad you worked for, for HOW MANY years, and WHAT YOUR CRAFT was ??

Great to hear that you finally figured out that longer excursions are being planned after being told that in considerable detail repeatedly by the project's manager... don't know how on earth they ever made it this far without you "CZ".

VIVA ARR #557 !!!!

Calm the heck down lol.

I praised the Alaska Railroad and wondered how often she’d get to stretch her legs cause of how busy they are.

Another poster said they were only going to be running at the airport spur.

You are demonstrating the problem with rail preservation- ANY questions are met with hostility and a need to prove yourself to make any comments. You are the problem here not me and you are the one that had drug this off topic from the 557 and Alaska Railroad.

You're the one that started with the insult about 'credentials', so you shouldn't be surprised to be asked about your own. In particular, what are your credentials with the 557 effort or with the Alaska Railroad? (And 'having ridden it' doesn't qualify.)

It's always "possible" that the management of the Alaska Railroad may decide not to allow operations, even with close and careful discussion of the 'requirements for operation' and the providion of working PTC, AEI operation, and careful assurances from the railroad about operational and emergency maintenance.

But that is not a reason to immediately complain that operation other than on a short landlocked spur is not going to happen.

Most of the comments you make are done to stir the pot and you know it. Don't act surprised by the (justified) reaction.

Do you have any comments on the Alaska Railroad or the #557?

I have 0 credentials with the 557 or Alaska Railroad, nor did I claim any. Do you have any?
I'm not sure what you are trying to prove here.

I DID have a discussion once several years ago with a Conductor on the ARR who mentioned they didn't think the 557 would actually get to run much.. but that was 2 years ago and I'm not sure how informed he was or wasn't but that is part of the reason that I asked the question.

My italics.

That isn't quite what I said, what I said was this:

Note the lack of the word "only". I was approaching the question from the standpoint of the group restoring the engine and whether they would be able to operate if ARR for whatever reason didn't have track time for them at one time or another, not from the standpoint of a demanding, problem customer.

I see, sorry that I misunderstood you. Your point is more along the lines of… even if ARR says no go, they at least have somewhere to run! Which is very important.

Exactly. I don't think that will happen with the current ARR management, but as we have seen with Class Is (and Amtrak) in the contiguous states, all it takes is a management shakeup to scuttle your plans, and so it is best to have a fallback option.

So true! While ARR is obviously very friendly to passenger service… steam is going to be new to them and I can see things going north or south in a hurry. Since the locomotive has an Alaska heritage and, in general, Alaskans really love heritage, I think she will be welcomed as a star but time will tell.

Hardly...... they ran steam for decades before dieselizing later than most American mainline railroads. These guys know what they're doing and have been and will continue to be successful in their endeavors.

Plus, if memory serves me correctly, they made a huge deal out of the movement of #557 along their line, with numerous stunning promotional photographs made along the way as it made its way via flatcar up to Wasilla…