Gary Hinshaw was in Anchorage this week for work, and I had the pleasure of making his acquaintance. He had some free time so we took the bus down to Seward Thursday afternoon to ride the train back to Anchorage. Seward is Mile 0 on the Alaska Railroad, and the Anchorage Depot is at Mile 112.4.
Power for the trip was SD70MAC 4325 and head-end power equipped GP40-2 3014. Consist was a baggage car, a 1st class bilevel dome/diner, diner, bilevel coach, three coaches and a dome car. We opted for the 1st class bilevel dome/diner which has a cool upper level covered observation platform. This offers geat views and photography options.
Gary and I strike a pose shorty before departure. Our car is right behind the baggage car.
View of the HEP modifications to the GP-40-2.
Vintage boxcars being used for storage at a fish processing plant. These are (obviously) converted troop sleepers.
Passing by six SD70MACs that had brought an export coal train to the Port of Seward.
Sharp curves on the climb out of Seward.
Passing over the Snow River.
Gary enjoying the view of Kenai Lake from the vestibule.
Cruising at 59 mph on the long tangent east of Moose Pass and Trail Lake.
Gary really likes the vestibule!
Passing by Trail Glacier, the first of three glaciers seen along the climb over Summit Pass.
Not quite summer yet at Grandview where we pass a work train.
Passing over Summit, we begin the 3% downhill grade.
The line north of Summit utilizes a series of S-curves to help keep the grade manageable. Here is an overview of the curves as seen looking south in a Google Earth perspective. The horseshoe curve is within 250 feet of each other at their closest point. The original right-of-way can be seen at the bottom of this image, and utilized an extensive wooden trestle and a complete loop. This helped keep the grade down to 1% but was difficult to maintain and was rebuilt in 1951.
The view back to the end of the train coming around the horseshoe curve. Bartlett Glacier is in the background and is named after the civil engineer who laid out this route.
Another cool view!
Iit's not quite Tehachapi, but Gary appears to like it.
The drama of the S-curves is over, and we now head through the first of five tunnels as we drop down to the Placer River.
Seems like a good time for a beer and some dinner in the diner.
The home stretch along Turnagain Arm just south of Anchorage. Gotta love that 10 pm sunlight!
A few more photos of this great day.
http://s291.photobucket.com/albums/ll290/djs_ank_ak/ARR/Best wishes, Dave
