WASILLA, AK
At a Glance
- TypeHeritage railroad & tourist attraction
- LocationWASILLA, AK
- Rating5.0 ★4 Google reviews
About Engine 557 Restoration Company
Engine 557 Restoration Company Dedicated to the restoration to operation of ex-Alaska Railroad steam locomotive #557 !
Upcoming Events
No ticketed events are currently listed for Engine 557 Restoration Company. Many heritage operators publish schedules seasonally or run on regular open hours instead of dated events.
Check the operator’s website for current hours and special runs, or subscribe to event alerts and we’ll email you when something is scheduled.
Find the Depot
The Trains
The organization's sole charge is No. 557 itself, a 1944 Baldwin S160-class 2-8-0 originally built for World War II military service and uniquely adapted for Alaska: big compound air compressors mounted on the pilot deck, steam heating coils for the cab, and provision for a snowplow in winter. It outlasted the railroad's other coal burners after being converted to oil. The decade-long overhaul has reworked the frame and running gear, refurbished the cab with overhauled gauges and controls, and completed the boiler — including a formal hydrostatic test overseen by a Federal Railroad Administration inspector. A fully restored U.S. Army tender, acquired from the nearby Museum of Alaska Transportation, now runs behind the engine, and installing positive train control is among the final steps before the locomotive returns to service on the Alaska Railroad.
History
See full history
The Engine 557 Restoration Company exists for one locomotive: Alaska Railroad No. 557, a Baldwin-built S160 2-8-0 Consolidation that emerged from the Philadelphia works in 1944 as U.S. Transportation Corps No. 3523. One of a dozen S160s placed on the Alaska Railroad between 1943 and 1946, it hauled work trains, switched flood-prone Nenana, and pulled occasional passenger runs out of Anchorage until its final trip on September 5, 1960 — the last steam locomotive removed from the railroad's active roster. Sold in 1964 to scrap dealer Monte Holm, who instead preserved it at his House of Poverty Museum in Moses Lake, Washington, the engine sat on static display for over four decades. In 2011 Jim and Vic Jansen bought No. 557 from the Holm estate and donated it to the Alaska Railroad, which barged it home — it touched Alaska soil again on January 3, 2012, for the first time since 1965. The railroad then formed the nonprofit Engine 557 Restoration Company, which purchased the locomotive in August 2012 for one dollar and has rebuilt it with volunteer labor in Wasilla; on November 8, 2025, No. 557 was fired up for the first time in 50 years.
Around the Depot
Getting There & Staying Nearby
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Rent a Car
Most heritage railroads sit well off the interstate. Picking up a rental at the nearest airport is usually the easiest way in.
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Tours & Activities near Wasilla
Tours
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Engine 557 Restoration Company located?
WASILLA, AK 99687
How do I get tickets to Engine 557 Restoration Company?
Tickets and current schedules are available on the operator's official website at http://557.alaskarails.org/.