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The Alaska Railroad's last operating steam engine was Locomotive Number
557. The s-160 class Consolidation 2-8-0 locomotives built for the United
States Army Transportation Corp. between 1942 and 1945, became the largest
single class of locomotives ever built in America. Of the 2120 units
built, twelve found their way to Alaska. Known as GI Consolidations,
or Gypsy Rose Lee locomotives (they were striped down for action) S-160's
eventually found their way to every continent, but for Australia and
Antarctica. There are only five examples left in North America and none
are currently operational. The following links speak of Number 557's
long and proud history.
- Press releases
- History of Locomotive 557
- Engine 557 started as a workhorse
for WWII
- Globe
trotting locomotives
- Engineering
drawing
- Photos
- Ken
Rueben is in Whittier where #557 is being used in MoW work
- Making
its last passenger run
- In
the Anchorage yard in 1959
- Rare
color photo of locomotive under full steam
- At
the Anchorage depot in 1952
- Tucked
into the Whittier engine house circa 1957
- A
rear view of #557
- In
Anchorage, January 1965
- Going
to first Alaska State Fair circa 1959
- In
Anchorage in 1965
- 1957
NRHS Trip to Alaska
- In
Everett, Washington in 1965
- Promo
for the 2012 ARRC open house
- Last
steamer on Alaska Railroad Palmer bound to first Alaska State
Fair
- 557
in Whittier on the Charter in June of 1959
- Dan Bolyard's Big Bend Railroad photos: 01,
02,
03,
04,
05,
06,
07,
08,
09,
10,
11,
12,
13
- News article: Monte Holm was synonymous
with Moses Lake
- News article: Monte Holm's train
heads home
- Heritage Stories
- Alaska's Last Steamer Awaits Last
Journey (excerpts from Jan.-Feb. 1965 Railbelt Reporter)
- From the National Archives
- Movement of #557 from the Alaska Railroad to Michelson Steel and Supply Co. (1, 2, 3, 4)
For more information contact us
at sewtrain557@gmail.com
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