FAIRBANKS — Transportation experts will take a closer look at realigning the railroad through North Pole, thanks to nearly $1 million in federal funding announced Monday.

[See story]

A man lying on the railroad tracks was struck early Tuesday morning by a coal train near Ship Creek, the Alaska Railroad says.

The 48-year-old man was seriously injured but at least initially survived the encounter, said railroad spokeswoman Stephenie Wheeler. Wheeler said she didn't know the extent of the man's injuries or his condition as of Wednesday afternoon.
The train was headed from Healy to Seward, she said. As it passed through Anchorage just before 3 a.m., the crew spotted someone on the tracks about 140 feet west of Cordova Street, Wheeler said.

[See story]

Christopher Aadnesen will become the new chief executive of the state-owned Alaska Railroad Corp. this month, the railroad said Friday. Aadnesen lives in Georgetown, Texas, and his most recent chief executive experience was three years at the helm of Estonian Railways, the railroad said. That company is the government-owned railroad system in Estonia. Aadnesen is not listed on the Estonian Railways website, nor is he mentioned in the annual reports posted on the site.

[See story]

The Anchorage Railroad is wrapping up its summer season of service with the Blues Train, the railroad operator’s annual partnership with Blues Central in Anchorage. Blues band Champagne and Temporary Saint will perform aboard the train en route from Anchorage to Seward and back again.

[See story]

A rollicking winter tradition, the Anchorage Ski Train, will roll down the tracks to Curry in March after a one-year hiatus.
The Nordic Ski Association announced that the popular train, which quickly sells out most years, will leave for Curry on March 19. Tickets go on sale Oct. 1.

[See story]

FAIRBANKS — Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins told the Borough Assembly on Thursday that negotiations with the Alaska Railroad Corp. over the lease for the Ice Park are at an impasse.

The main issue is who will accept the liability in the event of an accident. Neither the railroad nor the borough are willing to accept the risk.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Railroad has hired a contractor to begin work on the first phase of an 80-mile extension from its current terminus at North Pole, Alaska. First-phase work includes land acquisition, material procurement, and construction of a bridge over the Tanana River near Salcha, Alaska.

Alaska is pushing the extension primarily to serve military bases at Fort Greely and the Joint Tanana Training Complex. Work on the first phase is to begin late this year.

Alaska will use $104 million from the Department of Defense and $40 million in money from the state legislature to fund the extension.

Kiewit Pacific Co. has been chosen to complete the first phase.

For more information on the Northern Rail Extension project, visit http://www.northernrailextension.com/.
.

The investigation is just beginning into what caused a Boeing C-17 to crash and burn on Elmendorf Air Force Base on Wednesday evening, killing all four crew members and damaging nearby Alaska Railroad tracks that carry passenger and freight trains.

Despite the deaths, the hugely popular Arctic Thunder air show and open house will go on this weekend, officials announced Thursday afternoon.

[See story]

Alaska's highest court gave a green light Friday to the Alaska Railroad to spray weed killers along a section of track belonging to what is believed to be the last herbicide-free railroad in the nation.

[See story]

Inspectors from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) -- the regulatory agency with safety-related authority over all U.S. railroads -- were back in Alaska earlier this summer. Among other things, FRA inspectors require the Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) to improve weed control. Fortunately, the Alaska Railroad has a fighting chance to control rampant weed growth on its tracks this summer thanks to a recently issued permit to prudently apply an EPA-approved and well-studied herbicide, glyphosate (same active ingredient as found in Roundup). However, several environmental groups have asked both the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the courts to revoke the permit.

[See story]

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A judge has extended an order preventing the Alaska Railroad from spraying weed killers on a section of track until Alaska's highest court can review the state-issued permit.

[See story]

The Alaska Railroad Corp. is taking steps to reduce coal dust that for years has dirtied the scenic tourist town of Seward.

[See story]

After nine years as head of the Alaska Railroad, Gamble believes he's on track to find money for research and improve the university's bottom line. In Gamble's resume, he says he tripled the railroad's assets to $860 million and doubled net earnings.

[See story]