James Sava recalls, "Engine #901 was used on the Seward-Anchorage passenger run (#2 and #1) and brought passengers from the Alaska Steamship boats, docked at Seward, until Alaska Steam ceased operating into Seward.  I know of one instance when it was used in snow service because I was called as fireman.  It was New Year's Eve, December 1951 and we plowed the mainline from Fairbanks to Nenana and return.  It was like a destruction derby.  It was severely cold and we were pushing a Jordan spreader (can't recall which one).  Southbound, the left wing of the spreader hit a section gas car parked off to the side and flung it through the air even farther off the side.  In Nenana stood up some wooden timbers that were used at the road crossings so you could drive over the tracks.  Northbound at Cache water tank (gone now), the left wing was deployed and ripped through the small living quarters built into the under structure of the tank.  In the winter, a man was stationed there to keep the fire going that heated the water tank.  Luckily, he was in Fairbanks that day for New Year's Eve!"

 

 

Photo courtesy of the James Sava collection

Retired Alaska Railroad Trainmaster