Whittier in the 1950s



Whittier yard
This photo of the Whittier Yard was taken in July of 1956 by Carol Elovirta. The five stall engine house can be seen just right of center. The ladder tracks over to the facility branch off to the right about where the box cars are parked. The small brown buildings are section house storage and were located between the two legs of the Y used for turning the passenger trains and locomotives. The tail of the Y runs up the bank of Whittier Creek to the right and you can just make out the East leg in the grass running back to connect in the yard. The white building to the left is the Union Oil Co office and residence and today would be setting in the parking lot in front of the small boat harbor.The modern Alaska RR Yard today, fills the area in the middle of this view. Alaska Railroad 557, one of the S-160 consolidations was stored in strategic reserve in one bay of the engine house, until it was sold to Monty Holm as scrap. -- Pat Durand

 

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