Steam Locomotives of the Alaska Railroad
The story of the four number 1 locomotives
by
Mike Gerenday
The Alaska Railroad had an interesting roster of steam locomotives from the construction era to the end of steam. Some of those locomotives in the early days were from other railroad companies that were bought by the AEC. Alaska Northern Railway and the Tanana Valley Railroad were the two roads that were purchased. These early predecessors all had number 1 locomotives as well as the Alaska Railroad. There has been word of a fifth number 1 though there isn't enough information to discuss here
The Alaska Central Railway was the predecessor to the Alaska Northern Railway, it started construction in 1904 in Seward. The ACRy rostered a few locomotives and rolling stock including ACRy number 1. ACRy 1 was a Portland Locomotive Co 4-4-0 American originally built for the Northern Pacific Railroad in 1883. In 1908 the ACRy was reorganized and became the Alaska Northern Railway, ACRy 1 became ANRy 1 and wore the number until the Alaska Engineering Commission bought the ANRy in 1915 which in turn re-numbered in to U.S. 10.
The Tanana Valley Railroad was a narrow gauge railroad that served Fairbanks and the gold mine towns in the region originally constructed in 1905. The TVRR had a Porter 0-4-0 built in 1899 numbered 1. The Alaska Engineering Commission purchased the TVRR in 1917 and extended the line down to Nenana until the Tanana River Bridge was completed. TVRR 1 was rostered U.S. 1 for a short time, by 1923 it was out of service. This locomotive survives today in Fairbanks.
The real ARR 1 was built new in 1915 for the AEC and was an ALCO-Rogers 0-4-2 saddle tank engine. Until the completion of the Alaska Railroad it's it's naming in 1923, the ARR 1 was rostered U.S. 1. Over it's life it received some modifications such as full height coal bunker, steam dynamo and electric lights. ARR 1 was out of service from 1935 roughly until it was formally retired in 1946. In 1947 the ARR 1 was sent to scrap.
Now this is where it gets interesting. The number 6 was a narrow gauge Davenport 0-4-0 Dinky locomotive built for construction use on the Panama Canal as 802. In 1917 it came to Alaska with other equipment used in Panama and was re-numbered to 6. In the late 1920s it was converted to standard gauge and was used as a shop switcher moving larger locomotives around the facilities. It was put into storage at an unknown date.
In 1947 it was brought back out of storage, refurbished and re-numbered 1. This was an honorary number 1 as it and a pair of homemade coaches were used as part of the inaugural celebrations of the new AuRoRa passenger train. Then in 1948 the Kiwanis Club of Anchorage and the Alaska Railroad used the honorary 1 and coaches as part of the annual Fur Rendezvous festivities and temporary track was laid down on a few streets.
In November of 1952 a monument commemorating the Alaska Railroad Rehabilitation Program in front of the Anchorage Depot was unveiled and the Davenport locomotive that was used as an honorary 1 stood on a pedestal where it sits today.
So for those who have or will see the ARR 1 in front of the Anchorage Depot, now you know it's history and the history of all the number 1 locomotives in the history of the Alaska Railroad.
Page created 1/6/21 and last updated 1/6/21