The Climax A-313 Rescue and Restoration by Corry RAILS (Railroad and Industrial Legacy Society) is in the news. You can read the article here: https://www.goerie.com/news/20200912/climax-steam-locomotive-is-on-its-way-home-to-corry?fbclid=IwAR2u_1gRXji5Y-sgMBvf469QEe-iNWe7ZhcIYquTzlj0YBp-3-PSv55Nswk
Back in Seattle…41 years later
A-313 is now off-loaded in Seattle… She was last in Seattle… ummmmm… Nov. 1979, almost 41 years ago. Here’s how she looked back then…
The A313 has spent a lot of its life waiting…and there will be a bit more waiting in Seattle. A truck from Barnhart Transportation (North East PA) will be picking up the locomotive’s shipping container to make the overland trip. We aren’t exactly sure when that will happen, but we will be sure to let everyone know.
Made it to Seattle…the ocean leg is complete- Sept. 10
Just a quick note to the Team, the Board & misc Friends of Corry RAILS. As of 7pm eastern Thursday, Sept. 10th. the Barge Whittier Provider is off Port Townsend, Washington and Admiralty Bay heading for the entrance to Puget Sound… About 60 miles from docking, with Corry RAILS Climax A-313 aboard. She should dock late tonight.
Once the Container is offloaded, she will wait patiently for our trucker to arrive for the final leg of her journey home, to Corry, PA. It has been over 118 years since she left Corry, destined for the Wild Goose RR in Nome & Council and Home’s Gold Rush… as part of North America’s northernmost Railroad…
If you haven’t heard the story of the A-313, you can find it here.
Then the real work begins. Carl Wassink, Corry RAILS
Rescue 313-Accounting for the Days
Update on Climax Rescue 3-1-3
We’re HOOooooome!!!!
A few days of rest and I am finally beginning to get back on a normal sleep cycle. For a couple of days I was waking up at 6:00am…. only problem was that it was Anchorage time…. half the day gone!!!! seesh!!
What a trip, and what a great bunch of guys and gals we were working with. After spending the first few days finding equipment and tools, buying supplies, spending some time searching for parts in storage units and then getting everyone collected from the Ted Stevens Airport, it was time to get the real work underway. The 5 days of repacking the container was a series of dance steps that we couldn’t rehearse, and the choreography kept changing depending upon what equipment was available at any given moment and what operators were onsite. The following photos give you a brief overview of how those days went.
The first objective was to get the 3 or 4 large and heavy items out of the back of the Container, on the ground and out of the way so that we could access everything else. Here the Water Tank and4 heavy boxes of parts are lifted out.
… followed by the boiler
Me (Carl) and the Boiler next to the storage trailer
Our configuration for removing all of the smaller parts; Motorhome for breaks, our Container, the Curtain Van Work deck, and the Storage trailer… with one of our Extendalifts (donated by Airport Equipment Rentals, Anchorage) and a set of 4 ft wide stairs to get up on the deck.
As parts came out we inventoried and grouped them in 8 parts groups in the storage trailer.
Once the majority of the weight was out of the container, we needed to transfer the Container onto a road-worthy trailer for delivering it to the Port… that took a considerable amount of time.
While this was going on Donnie was interviewing several of the volunteers… here he is with Kevin Christenson, one of Keith Christenson’s sons… (Keith passed away in 2014).
Once the Container was on the good trailer, it was time to reload the trucks and then the Boiler.
Followed by four 8 ft axle crates, donated by the Alaska Railroad, Packed with old wooden cross-members and misc. parts, and then the water tank was stacked on top of the crates.
At this point we repositioned the trailer to our working deck so that we could begin loading all of the smaller parts.
The configuration shown from the working deck behind our container and showing the storage trailer beyond the Extendalift.
Showing the inside of the Container with the walkway down the left side which we are now going to fill with more parts.
Some of our Sister Restoration Crew in Wasilla, the 557 Project greeting and waving at a passing Alaska Railroad passenger car.
A pause near the end for the crew to take a group picture. Left to Right: Gene Augustine, Anchorage & ex-Pittsburgh, PA area; Grady Smith, Marietta, Ohio; Norm Thomas, Corry, PA; Steve Niederriter, Morgantown, WV; Tom VanTassel, Corry, PA; Chris and Tara Lyons, Columbus, PA; (above) Rusty Potchatko, Palmer, AK ex-Corry, PA; Donnie Rosie, Spring Creek, PA; Carl Wassink, Corry, PA.
The following morning the crew was back at it tying down the load with ratchet straps and blocking after which the Container was delivered to Lynden Transport & Alaska Marine Lines facility in Anchorage for a train ride to the docks in Whittier. This is a photo of Lynden’s barge “Whittier Provider” which our container shipped out on Saturday morning and will be delivered to the docks in Seattle this coming weekend and ready for the next part of its journey home to Corry, PA.
And that is how our days went during the trip.
Back from Alaska…and waiting for the A-313….But not resting on our accomplishments.
It’s good to be home…. but what an adventure we have had over the past eleven days… The Climax A-313 is now on the move heading home to Corry, PA where it will undergo restoration back to life over the next several years.
Two of us, Tom VanTassel and myself, Carl Wassink, of Corry RAILS, headed up to Anchorage, Alaska on Sunday, Aug. 23rd as an Advanced Party to get things ready… We were then joined by two Videography and Camera people, Donnie and Tonya Rosie…. and followed soon by the rest of our crew Grady Smith, Steve Niederriter and Norm Thomas. We were one man down from what we had been planning on but thank goodness that was quickly overcome by some thirteen people showing up on various days to lend a hand and help… some current and ex-Corryites (or from the Corry area) as well as several very knowledgeable Railroading and Rail Preservation people, along with some energetic young neophytes to the subject and process. All-in-all we had about 20 people helping in one capacity or another over the 10 days.
A lot was accomplished in those 10 days, but I wouldn’t have wanted to try to do it in any less time than that. Some tasks took less time while others took much longer than projected, but the average brought us in on-time and on budget for Phase I with only a couple of hours to spare. I think back to the times when people asked me “…Do you really think it is going to take that long?” In truth I did… but in hindsight I wish I had added two more days as additional buffer… it would have made the gathering of parts easier and we may have found a couple of parts that Erik is still looking for… small parts but very important ones in the scheme of things. The good thing is that we know that they were there at one time and as meticulous as Keith was being we are betting that they are still there. The complexity was that we were assembling parts and pieces stored in 6 locations over a 70 mile range, and stored along with literally hundreds, if not thousands of other boxes and containers of “stuff”… some similar to some of our parts, mostly railroad related but with a mix of other items and memorabilia as well. Corry RAILS is not letting a few missing parts stop us at this point… there is a lot of work to be done before we need them, and now it helps that we and Erik all know exactly what we are looking for… a couple of hands full of parts, out of over 3000.
Over the ten days we managed to get some video footage of the transporting of the container, interviews with some of the key people and some shots of local scenery, have everyone enjoy a tour of the Alaska Railroad 557 Project shop, and take a tour of the Alaska Railroad maintenance shops in Anchorage. It was a wonderful trip, absolutely crammed with things to do nearly every minute of the day.
We are not sure exactly when the container will arrive home to Corry yet but it should happen before the end of October, at the latest… best guess… when we know for sure we will pass it along.
Because of the COVID situations with quarantines and testing for travel, we were forced to abandon the three days we had planned for research in Fairbanks as well as the 10-14 days planned for Nome. The focus on that part of our research efforts is now postponed until at least June of 2021, providing all of the restrictions are lifted, allowing us access.
A huge “Thank You” to the community and all of our contributors and donors who had faith in our ability to complete Phase I. Three years ago, about now, an idea was born and research and planning started, and it has only been 18 months since we began raising the funds and working through the process of bringing Climax A-313 home to Corry. The Three trips to Alaska have paid off and soon she will be home and the real work will begin. In the meantime we will be kicking off our Fund Raising Campaign for Phase II very soon. Please join in and help us make Phase II happen, if you are able to.
Carl W.
Please note, that the team and others will be working to raise the funds needed to restore the A-313. The “Buy-a-Mile” Campaign, as well as other upcoming events will be a chance to get involved in this project.
Operation Successfully Completed….A-313 is on the way home!
It has been quiet FROM the Alaska A-313 mining field for a couple days- but it hasn’t been quiet ON that field- The Team has been prospecting and gathering all of the pieces of gold that will become the A-313 Climax Engine refurbished in her home town.
So, here are a few final thoughts from Carl as the team and the A-313 begin to work their way home.
Day 9, I think….. OPERATION SUCCESSFUL!!! the container was delivered to Lynden Transport early this afternoon… and is on the move, heading home…. and following a great dinner we are now at the boarding gate awaiting our flight in an hour… It’s been an interesting, fun, tiring and eventful adventure for all of our crew… be arriving home Wednesday, early afternoon.
Carl W
The Team (From left: Steve Niederriter, Morgantown, WV; Grady Smith, Marietta, OH; Norm Thomas, Corry, PA; Tom VanTassel, Corry, PA; and taking the pic, Carl Wassink, Corry, PA.)
Getting Ready to Come Home
Yesterday …Monday- Day 8
Putting everything back in for the trip home.
Carl and team members carefully load the boiler for the land and sea voyage back to its birthplace. Other carefully sorted and packed parts and pieces will follow.
The weather may not be on their side as they accomplish the re-packing, but this team will let nothing stand in their way to get the A-313 back to Corry. Good luck Team!
Quick update-more later
It’s drizzled & wet out here at the Pit this morning… arrived early (6:30) to set up with an equipment operator to swap the container to the delivery trailer… but he is held up in traffic at a multi vehicle accident.
Once the transfer is complete we will reload the boiler and back the trailer into place to reload the rest of the parts… depending on timing we should be near completion this afternoon. Will update later.
Carl W
Carl’s Saturday Report- Day 6
Day No. 6 of Rescue 313 – Saturday at the worksite near Palmer Alaska saw us moving parts around and filling in inventory sheets…. Grady and Steve were deep into the bowels of the container pulling out parts and pieces while Norm was helping sort parts into groups…
We had several visitors show up to lend a hand… Tara & Chris Lyons from out in Columbus came by and spent most of the day helping us to label and pack parts… they are up here visiting their son who is in the Air Force at Joint Base Richardson… Tab & Deb Gray, ex-from Lottsville, PA & now living outside of Palmer came by in the morning for a couple of hours…. of course, Erik was in and out several times…. Pat Durand was with us for a few hours… and Ray, Josie and Travis Foster, fellow Seabee and provider of our motor-home and extendalift came by for an hour or so….
All-in-all a very successful day and the weather held up for us… the evening… after having dinner we headed over to Wasilla and had a personal tour by Pat Durand of the 557 Project for the Crew… what an amazing job pat and the guys are doing with that engine…. when we got back to the Hotel, I think all of us were ready to hit the sheets…. I think I was asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow.
This morning several people will be joining us for breakfast…. and then off to continue on with the work… so here we go…. looks like a good day weather wise today but could be hitting rain tomorrow… so we need to get as much done today as we can, including moving the container onto the delivery chassis.
Off to Breakfast….
Carl W
I knew these guys wanted to be a part of the team…
Update from Palmer~Day 5 (Friday)
Day No. 5 of Rescue 313 – This morning we started with a short briefing with the whole crew in our hotel room before heading downstairs for breakfast. Since Tom and I were unable to get through all of the off-site storage units yesterday where some of the parts have been stored, we again split up with Tom, Grady & Steve staying on at the worksite removing parts from the container and cataloging them… they were joined by 557 Team leader Pat Durand and 557 volunteer Gene Augustine.
I shoved off Chugiak with Norm to hopefully complete locating all of the offsite parts.
By the time we returned a large percentage of the parts had been removed and many of them have now been inventoried and catalogued. Tomorrow will be a challenging day, working towards completing the Inventorying of all parts, and then preparing to re-pack it all.
Saturday will be interesting with the possibility of several people we haven’t met yet, but with connections to PA and Corry, or to the Seabees, showing up to help.
It will definitely be a long day since the weather forecasts a change coming late in the day with temps dropping some and rain.
Stay tuned at corryrails.com and on Facebook at Corry RAILS
Thank you everyone for following our progress.
Carl W – Corry RAILS