News Release
Alaska Railroad Corporation
U.S. Forest Service
DATE: June 26, 2009 CONTACT: Tim Thompson, ARRC, 907-265-2695
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sara Boario, USFS, 907-743-9500

New Rail Car Propels Visitors to Alaska’s Wild Backcountry

Alaska Railroad and U.S. Forest Service dedicate new DMU Service to the Chugach National Forest

ANCHORAGE, Alaska –The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) will hold a dedication ceremony at the Ship Creek Intermodal Facility on June 30 for a new self propelled rail car the, "Chugach Explorer." The Chugach Explorer is a Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) offering the traveling public a distinctive travel experience into the Chugach National Forest Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, a recreational area like no other in the United States.

U.S. Senator Mark Begich, Anchorage Mayor-Elect Sullivan and a number of dignitaries, agency officials, and community partners will be in attendance for the dedication ceremony and will then take a tour on the DMU to Spencer Glacier and Grandview.

The new self propelled passenger coach was acquired with a federal agency grant in partnership with the United States Forest Service and the Federal Transit Administration. The coach will transport passengers from Anchorage to the Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop during the summer.

Passengers can board the new DMU train in Anchorage, Girdwood or Portage and travel deep into the Chugach National Forest to remote areas of Alaska that can only be accessed by train. This all-in-one unit is suited for the whistle-stop service because it can stop and start in a short distance, is fuel efficient and remarkably quiet. It has the power to pull two additional railcars.

The bi-level car includes 90 seats upstairs and 20 seats downstairs and also features a galley to support onboard food service. Two additional seats are Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant, and the exits on either side of the car are both equipped with a wheelchair lift. The bi-level DMU is one of about a dozen such railcars in the United States that meet the more stringent federal crash worthiness design standards required of passenger cars that also operate in concert with freight cars.

The USFS has applied for an additional grant to secure a second required DMU to service the Chugach National Forest. A second DMU is essential to the Chugach National Forest and Alaska Railroad’s shared public / private partnership and will serve as a vital safety back-up, ensuring a responsive redundancy while operating in the remote wilderness backcountry operation that makes up the whistle-stop corridor.

The DMU is being used on the Chugach National Forest Spencer Glacier Whistle Stop, the first of 5 Whistle Stop Stations. Currently, passengers may opt for a ticket to Spencer Glacier where they will step off the DMU with a U.S. Forest Service interpreter. The interpreter will lead a narrated walk to a viewing platform, about 1.5 miles from the whistle-stop. Unguided and overnight use is also welcome, or visitors can prebook with an outfitter for Spencer lake canoe or rafting opportunities. The site includes a group campsite accommodating up to twenty-five people. The trail and facilities are fully accessible.

The completed project will include a series of Whistle Stop Stations with restrooms and other amenities where visitors can disembark the train to take a day or overnight trip into the heart of the Chugach National Forest.

Multi-year plans call for a connected system of trails linking the different recreation sites and allowing visitors
access to lakes, glaciers and high mountain passes. Once complete, visitors will also find campsites and publicuse
cabins along the trail system. Other recreation opportunities include guided interpretive hikes along the
more developed trail segments as well as opportunities to engage in a variety of outfitted/guided recreation
opportunities.
Currently the Alaska Railroad, along with a private vendor, operates several daytrips at Spencer Glacier and the

Placer River as well as sightseeing further south at Grandview.
"Our partnership with the United States Forest Service on this project has been very successful," said Pat Gamble, Alaska Railroad Corporation president and CEO. "We want to expand on that success and offer more opportunities to see and explore the natural beauty of the Chugach National Forest."

"The Alaska Railroad has been a valued partner in connecting residents and visitors to the beautiful and unroaded Chugach backcountry," said Joe Meade, Forest Supervisor on the Chugach National Forest. "We look forward to extending this incredible recreation opportunity to our next four whistle stops."

The car cost $5.7 million to build. The DMU purchase was principally funded through securing a competitive grant administered through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) under the Paul Sarbaine Alternative Transportation to Parks and Public Lands Act which distributes up to $25 million per year, for alternative transit. The initial funding was secured by the U.S. Forest Service, with funding beginning in 2007.
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The ARRC is soliciting bids for the purchase of four retired cabooses (1074, 1085, 1087, 1091). A pre-bid caboose viewing will take place on July 9 at 2:00 PM at the ARRC General Office Building Lobby, 327 W Ship Creek Ave. Bids will be accepted until 3:00 PM on August 6. The minimum bid for each caboose is $8,000. The ARRC lists the history of each caboose as follows:

1074 1949 Built by Pacific Car and Foundry Co. in March 1948 and placed in service April 1949. Plenty of storage. 3 chairs..

1085 1977 Is one of three wide vision cabooses built new in1976 by International Car Co. of Kenton, Ohio. ARRC received in April 1977. Wood floors and lots of storage, chairs, sink.

1087 1977 Built by International Car Co. 1976 received by ARR April 1977. Water Tank, sink, Chairs, wood flooring.

1091 2000 Bought by the ARR in Fall 2000 from Canadian National Railways. Double sinks, counter space, storage and shelving. Largest of the four used for meal preparations.

Visit the ARRC's Solicitations page, "Retired ARRC Caboose Sale" section for more information.
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FAIRBANKS — Usibelli Coal Mine recently expanded its estimate of coal reserves from 50 million tons on its permitted mine property to 700 million tons including the company’s entire lease holdings.

That’s enough coal to fuel three-quarters of the nation’s needs for about a year.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The state's congressional delegation says the Alaska Railroad is getting a $25.8 million grant of federal stimulus money.

The money to the state-owned railroad is coming from the Federal Transit Administration.

[See story]

Last Friday, 06/12, an extra Palmer turn was called and the multiple cars were all taken in one special train to the old QAP pit off the Palmer Branch. A scrap company called US Metals Recycling purchased the 37 cars and removed them from the rails over the weekend with them all being complete by Sunday afternoon. They were cut up on site and the metal is being trucked to Point McKenzie for export to China. It is the end of an era. Some venerable series of cars are now completely wiped from the roster including all 127xx series flat cars and all Alaska marked gravity feed hoppers dating from the 1960s.

ballast hoppers 7139, 7197

bulkhead flat car 12403, 12404, 12405, 12410

flat car 12704, 12707, 12708, 12710, 12714, 12717, 12718, 12721, 12722, 12723, 12725, 12728, 12732, 12734, 12736, 12739, 12740, 12741, 12742, 12743, 12744, 12747

flat car 19214

gravel hopper 16174

cement hopper 14504, 14508, 14600, 14602, 14605, 14607, 14608

The Alaska congressional delegation recently announced the following federal grants or contracts for Alaska or Alaska companies:

[See story]

The Alaska Railroad is back in town.

The summer rail service between Anchorage and Seward, which started up May 9, includes Goldstar coaches with bi-level dome cars and seating for 72, with dining and additional seating below.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- It's on the wrong side of the tracks, but the railroad plans to put Ship Creek back on the rails.

Dale Weekley comes here bi-weekly.  He's new to Alaska but says he likes Ship Creek because it's off the beaten track.

[See story]

WASILLA -- Commuters, brace yourselves. The vision of riding to work on a rail car, sipping a latte and catching up on work may still be a few years off.

Alaska Railroad officials said last week they may offer rail service deals this winter between Wasilla and Girdwood using a new self-propelled rail car built by the U.S. Forest Service and the Alaska Railroad for summer use in Chugach State Park.

[See story]

HEBER, Utah - The Heber Valley Railroad recently announced the rebuilding of its MRS-1 diesel, one of only 13 built by EMD in 1952 for the U.S. military (Alco also built MRS-1s). The tourist railroad is located halfway between Salt Lake City and Provo, Utah.

Over a five-month period, shop forces removed the main generator, blowers, and the front end of the 15-567 prime mover and replaced all gaskets and seals. The long hood was completely rebuilt and new steel applied to many areas of the locomotive. Larger sandboxes were also installed, as was a Kim Hotstart system that maintains a coolant temperature of 120 degrees and a lube temperature of 100 degrees, plus a Lat-Lon monitoring system.

The unit was painted in Denver & Rio Grande Western colors in recognition of the history of the Heber Valley, which originally was a branch line of that railroad. The Rio Grande never owned an MRS-1.
For more information, visit the railroad's Web site at www.hebervalleyrr.org

[Webmaster's note: I thought some of you ARR historians might find this article interesting.]

The top executive of the Alaska Railroad Corp. said the company doesn't want to operate an economically troubled oil refinery in the Interior, but might do so if asked by the state.

[See story]

I applaud Gov. Palin’s plan to revive the vision to build a road to Nome. During the 1970s, the Interior region completed a comprehensive study and environmental analysis on this project. It never saw the light of day. Unfortunately, the initial dubious economics of building a road that only serves Nome and communities along the way was, and will always be, fraught with political controversy.

[See story]

FAIRBANKS — Local officials hoping to build a coal-to-diesel plant near Eielson Air Force Base are up against the wall trying to coordinate with the military and could be out $10 million in federal funds anticipated to move the planning into a second phase.

[See story]

The Alaska Department of Transportation has spent roughly $1.8 million - as of May 11 - to clear the road to Whittier of a massive rockslide that closed the road for nearly a month.

And the job wasn't done yet.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Railroad has rolled out a new train, a double-deck self-propelled railcar.

" This is the first one of its kind for the Alaska Railroad," said railroad spokesperson Tim Thompson.

[See story]

WHITTIER, Alaska - The Alaska Railroad says it plans to end its special passenger shuttles between Portage and Whittier.
The shuttles will run through Thursday.

[See story]

PALMER -- The railroad tracks that split Palmer were laid nearly a century ago to reach coal fields near Sutton where miners dug out fuel used to power U.S. warships. At the time Palmer was little more than a cluster of scattered homesteads.

[See story]

The road to Whittier will reopen Friday, more than a month after a massive rock slide buried the pavement, the state Department of Transportation said Tuesday.

[See story]

BIRCHWOOD -- A 162-acre site in Birchwood will be mined for its gravel over the next three years as the site is prepared for future use as an industrial park, according to Eklutna Inc., the Anchorage Native corporation that is the largest private landowner in the city. The development involves an agreement among Eklutna, Cook Inlet Region Inc. of Anchorage, the Alaska Railroad Corp. and Wilder Construction.

[See story]

Cloward and Crawford stressed that Holland America has been a good partner throughout the years and that they value the relationship. According to Samuels, Holland recently signed a long-term contract with the Alaska Railroad for Seward port access. The company has no plans of "jumping ship" and moving to Whittier.

[See story]

The Alaska Railroad Corp. has resumed its freight and passenger service between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Railroad crews have completed repairs to the track and railbed damaged by water and ice flows from the Susitna River between Talkeetna and Hurricane. Freight service was halted while the repairs were done.

[See story]

Local residents were spared from significant damage from floodwaters Tuesday as levels on the Chena River and area streams began to dip after being swollen by warm weather and snow melt.

Chena River levels dipped throughout the day, and officials with the Army Corps of Engineers said they did not anticipate needing to reroute water into the flood control project. The National Weather Service canceled flood advisories for the Chena, along with Freeman Road and the Steamboat Landing areas in North Pole.

[See story]

WHITTIER, Alaska -- State transportation officials say the Portage Glacier Highway will reopen on a limited schedule, starting Friday.

The reopening is possible after crews successfully unstable rock along the highway in an ongoing effort to clear the only road to Whittier.

[See story]

Water levels in the Chena, Chatanika and other local rivers peaked on Monday after a week of record temperatures that produced massive snow melt. Rivers should begin dropping in the next day or two as things cool down.

"There’s not much snow left in the upper (Chena) basin," said hydrologist Ed Plumb at the National Weather Service in Fairbanks on Monday afternoon. "We're seeing the peak of the snow melt crest coming into Fairbanks."

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Railroad traffic should be moving between Anchorage and Fairbanks sometime Wednesday night.

Flooding from the upper Susitna River caused damage to a 15-mile stretch of track north of Talkeetna.

[See story]

It's been shutdown for almost a month, keeping some people stuck on both sides. A rock slide closed down the Whittier tunnel making it a challenge to get in out of town. But the challenges don't end there as the state has been busy trying to figure out how to safely open up things up. With their eyes set on Whittier, department of transportation officials have been working around the clock trying to move rocks that are blocking the tunnel. Rocks that after today, officials are hoping are no longer a problem.

[See story]

FAIRBANKS — Rivers rose and spilled their banks in some spots Sunday, as a rapid breakup likely will lead the Army Corps of Engineers to close the flood gates on the Chena River earlier than in any other year since 1981.

The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for parts of Fairbanks as packed snow continues to melt, and the state railroad corporation halted trips between Anchorage and Fairbanks because of flooding.

[See story]

WHITTIER, Alaska -- State transportation crews have blasted unstable rock along the Portage Glacier Highway in an effort to clear the only road to Whittier.

The highway has been closed since a massive rock slide on April 11. Large boulders hanging over the highway were the holdup.

[See story]

DATE: May 4, 2009 UPDATE 2:00 p.m.
CONTACT: Tim Thompson, 265-2695
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) crews are working to open the mainline north of Talkeetna and south of Hurricane. Water and ice flows from the Susitna River continue to impact the track and railbed with reported damage between ARRC milepost 239 and 254.

ARRC work crews and materials are in place and have begun repairs in accessible areas. Freight service between Anchorage and Fairbanks is halted until the washouts have been repaired and ice removed from the track.

Break-up conditions along the Susitna River have impacted train operations in previous years.

Here are some washout photos taken near MP 239.3 on May 3.

Note: the photographer is a railroad employee and was wearing all required personal protective equipment. The ARRC does not permit the general public on to their private property without permission.
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FAIRBANKS -- Fairbanks officials are keeping an eye on the Chena River.

Record high temperatures in recent days are causing the river to rise.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- People are watching the rivers in communities across the state.

Rising waters carrying huge chunks of ice threaten a number of communities on the Yukon and Kuskokwim rivers because of record-breaking heat.

[See story]

TALKEETNA — As crews work to fix damage from the Susitna River, the Alaska Railroad shut down its operations between Hurricane and Talkeetna on Sunday.

According to a press release, the railroad said passengers on its Sunday train unloaded in Hurricane and continued by bus to Talkeetna and Anchorage. Freight service is closed until the tracks are fixed.

[See story]

FAIRBANKS -- Washouts and heavy ice between Talkeetna and Hurricane forced the Alaska Railroad to suspend operations Sunday, according to a news release.

Track north of Talkeetna has been affected by one confirmed washout and heavy ice on the track. Crews are surveying the damage between railroad mileposts 241 and 254.

[See story]

Here are some additional avalanche photos

Note: the photographer is a railroad employee and was wearing all required personal protective equipment. The ARRC does not permit the general public on to their private property without permission.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Port MacKenzie project is moving forward in the Mat-Su.

Bids for the railroad loop are going out Monday. The project will connect the port district with the Alaska Railroad line.

[See story]

Alaska Railroad officials are gearing up for a busy gravel-hauling season. The railroad is also adding this summer a new whistle stop service.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A new plan by the Department of Transportation to blast through a rock slab could get the road to Whittier back open, but it won't be for a while.

It's been 13 days and counting since a massive rockslide has blocked the road to Whittier.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) will limit scheduled passenger service to between Whittier and Portage, eliminating the Anchorage-to-Portage leg, due to dangerous avalanche conditions. Passengers can either use bus service from Anchorage to Portage, or drive to Portage to board the train. Two daily round-trips are scheduled with one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Passengers using the complementary bus service will board at the Historic Ship Creek Depot at 411 W. Ship Creek Avenue.

[See story]

WHITTIER -- The Alaska Railroad has ended its Anchorage-Whittier train service while the road to Whittier is closed due to a rock slide. The railroad said it instead is running twice-daily trains between Portage and Whittier. The Anchorage run was canceled due to avalanche conditions, the Alaska Railroad Corp. said.

[See story]

DATE: April 20, 2009 CONTACT: Tim Thompson, 265-2695
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) is forced to suspend the 2009 Public Open Houses in Anchorage and Fairbanks. Continued construction activity in Anchorage on the Ship Creek Intermodal Transportation Center (ITC) project precludes holding an open house at the Historic Ship Creek Depot.

Due to logistical and resource planning common to both open house events the railroad decided to suspend the Fairbanks Open House. Depending on continued construction activity a decision will be made regarding Open House activity for 2010.

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Alaska Railroad is Surplusing 18 Deckless Flat cars, 54'-2" L x 10'-6"w. Approx 60,500 -78,400 tons in weight. These cars have no wood decking , all steel. They can be altered by adding wood and used as bridges.

[See listing]

The reopening of the road to Whittier is on hold again.

A rock slide April 11 left a 300-foot pile of rubble as high as 30 feet on the road.

[See story]

Whittier Access Road: at Begich Peak Tunnel Entrance - road closed, all lanes blocked because of a landslide

Comment: Portage Glacier road will remain closed until further notice due to an unstable rock slope. DOT&PF personnel and the contractor are working as safely and as quickly as possible to clear the roadway and adjoining rock edifice of all hazards. The Alaska Railroad Corporation in cooperation with DOT&PF will continue to offer free shuttle service between Whittier and Anchorage twice daily until the roadway has been cleared and deemed safe for passage. You may contact the Alaska Railroad Corporation at 907-265-2494 for more information. Thank you for your continued patience.

You'll find rock clearing photos here and the Whittier transportation schedule here.
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WHITTIER, Alaska -- A massive rock slide has blocked road access in and out of Whittier for more than a week now.

Train trips have been the only public way in and out, with the exception of a ferry last week and again Sunday.

[See story]

DOT spokesman Roger Wetherell says the delay in reopening the road after a rock slide last week was caused by the discovery of much larger rocks in the rubble than first thought.

[See story]

The Alaska Railroad Corp. reported a 2008 net income of $12.6 million, a 23 percent decrease compared to the year before.

The railroad attributed the decline to high fuel costs, a reduction in freight and fuel transported, and a downturn in the economy.

[See story]

(JUNEAU, Alaska) - The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) has revised schedules for two of its ferries that make regular port calls in Whittier while the Portage Glacier Highway remains closed to vehicle traffic, hindering access to the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel.

Tunnel access allows drivers to reach the ferry terminal in Whittier.

[See story]

I heard the DMU was tacked onto the northbound passenger out of Whittier this afternoon and should be in Anchorage by now.
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ANCHORAGE, Alaska - State transportation officials say the road to Whittier will remain closed through the weekend or even longer as the cleanup continues following a massive rock slide.

With the extended closure, the Alaska Railroad Corp. says emergency trains it's been running between Anchorage and Whittier will be free starting Wednesday.

[See story]

Whittier slide and the first ARR northbound passenger train out of Whittier.

Six railroad cars were sent to Alaska Metals on Sunday night (4/12) for scrapping. This includes the last of the blue plug door cars 10803, an old water car (converted from an old insulated boxcar), and four of those little short light grey cement hoppers 14603, 14604, 14606 and 14609.
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The state-owned Alaska Railroad Corp. posted a $12.6 million profit last year, down 23 percent from the year before, according to the agency's annual report. Revenue reached $180 million, up 7 percent. Freight revenue totaled $96.3 million, up 5 percent. The key freight is petroleum products from the Flint Hills oil refinery in North Pole that is shipped to Anchorage.

[See story]

[2008 Financial Report]

It looks like the "CHUGACH EXPLORER" left Seattle last Wednesday. The Fairbanks Provider was in to unload yesterday and the Whittier Provider was in to unload this morning.

[Webmaster's note: The DMU will be arriving on this week's barge. I think the railroad will be walking it through the tunnel and out of Whittier on Thursday.]

The Alaska Railroad said it will run passenger trains all week between Whittier and Anchorage to pick up people stranded by Saturday night's colossal rock slide on the road to Whittier.

The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel will likely remain blocked to road traffic, but not train traffic, until late Wednesday, according to the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities. The slide buried the road but not the tracks.

[See story]

The road to Whittier will remain closed until late this weekend and possibly longer as crews continue clearing the rubble from Saturday's massive rock slide, the Department of Transportation said today.

Department crews were on scene today with geologists and a contractor, Alaska Trailblazing, beginning to remove the tons of rock -- some boulders are as large as construction vehicles -- that fell on the road Saturday night, DOT spokesman Rick Feller said.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - The Alaska Railroad is operating its passenger trains to pick up stranded motorists after a rock slide has closed off vehicle traffic to Whittier.

Railroad officials say they will run passenger trains twice daily this week between Whittier and Anchorage.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A massive rock slide on the Portage Glacier Highway has closed the Whittier tunnel.

The slide occurred around 8:30 p.m. Saturday between the small and large tunnels that connect the town of Whittier to the highway.

[See story]

A few pebble-sized rocks cartwheeled across the road ahead of Karla Brown as she emerged from a small tunnel on the way to the big Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel to Whittier on Saturday night.

[See story]

The top 10 corporate contributors to the United Way were Fairbanks Memorial Hospital/Denali Center, Design Alaska, Mt. McKinley Bank, Golden Valley Electric Association, Usibelli Coal Mine, ConocoPhillips, First National Bank of Alaska, Flint Hills Resources, the Alaska Railroad and Utility Services of Alaska.

[See story]

Here are are some pics I took on the derailment.

RAILROAD FUNDS: The Alaska Railroad ended 2008 with a profit of $12.6 million on revenues of $180.4 million, the state-owned line said.

"I'm happy to report not only did we ride out a strong and turbulent business climate, we managed to keep the Alaska Railroad positioned and on course for dealing with what's ahead — more uncertainty," railroad chairman John Binkley said in a prepared statement.

[See story]

Here's some cars at Portage, looks like they came from the buried train.

I received the following info from a wide variety of sources while I was gone on vacation last week:

Today [4/4/09] I saw ARR #751 "CHUGACH EXPLORER" in the BNSF yard. It is a bi level car and has the ARR and Forest Service emblems on it.

Saw the ARRs DMU come through Spokane on its way to Pasco on a manifest around 0230 on April 1. Just a heads up for you.

ARR 751 departed Missoula the afternoon of Mar31 on the rear of a M LAUPAS train. Should be into Pasco sometime Apr01.

On Tuesday night [3/31/09] I headed back to Spokane and passed the DMU on the rear of a manifest, but couldn't get a train symbol or engine number because I was going 80mph, things can be a little blurry that fast. Anyway, I waited around the depot for a bit to see if it would go by, it didn't so drove home along the tracks and never saw it but I do know for a fact it has made it to Pasco and as I write this tacked onto the rear of the M PASINB2 02A and will be leaving Pasco this morning headed for Seattle. Not much info but thought I'd throw it your way.

The Alaska RR DMU headed North yesterday [3/29/09] on the DENLUA. From my understanding it left Denver around 1:30pm. I was unfortunately unable to catch even though it went right by my apartment. Bummer! Called my dad and he saw it come into Cheyenne, WY around 6:30 pm. Should be well on its way to Montana by now and maybe making its way across. I wanted to give the West coast guys a heads-up especially Seattle.
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