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TOP: Alaska Railroad No. 557 sits disassembled in the shop of the 557 Restoration Company in Wasilla. The building is owned by the Alaska Rail- road, which also pays for the utilities. ABOVE LEFT: Art Chase of the 557 Restoration Company checks inside the firebox of No. 557. Art did the ultrasound on the firebox, as indicated by the numbers and grid; it was determined a new firebox would be the way to go. ABOVE RIGHT: No. 557’s cab serves as a gift shop during an open house for the NRHS convention.


move from Alaska).


Holm passed away in 2006, and his grandsons sold No. 557 to the Jansen family, long-time friends, who were in- terested in seeing the engine saved. The locomotive was donated to the Alaska Railroad under the condition that it be restored, and the railroad es-


tablished the 557 Restoration Compa- ny to


oversee the work. Currently


housed in a shop in Wasilla (owned by the ARR), No. 557 has received a ten- der from a work train preserved at the nearby Museum of Alaska Transporta- tion & Industry and could return to the rails as soon as 2015.


Sister engine No. 556 is on display in Delaney Park in downtown Anchorage. It was outfitted with ramps, railings at platforms, making it a large


play-


ground jungle gym. It has recently un- dergone a complete cosmetic restora- tion


that has, thankfully, made it presentable once again. 63


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