Tanana Valley RR #1 can be found in steam at Pioneer Village in Fairbanks, Alaska. Porter Builders No. 1972 has been restored and is operated by "The Friends of the Tanana Valley Railroad" a not for profit 501c3 organization founded specifically for that purpose. Built by Porter in March 1899 she was shipped up the Yukon River to Coal Creek near Dawson, Yukon Territory. The Porter was later shipped back down the Yukon, and up the Tanana River to the mouth of the Chena River, arriving on July 4, 1905. She can lay claim to being the first locomotive to arrive in interior Alaska and the Yukon. For sure she is the oldest operating railroad artifact in the Great Land.

The model started as a G scale LGB Porter and has received extensive modification to closely match the prototype #1 as she appeared in steam in 2006. The goal was to maintain the model in condition for operation on special occasions. Both the model and the prototype #1 share display space in the new Locomotive Shop, Station House and Museum at Pioneer Village.

This was my first G scale project. After building 1.5 inch scale and HO scale locomotives this was an enjoyable creation, completed as requested by my oldest friend in Alaska railroading, Dan Gullickson. Dan was and is the spark plug behind restoration of #1.

Model and Photos by Patrick Durand