Frosty Matanuska Morning

Flying High

Another oldie from back in my flying days of a spot that should need no introduction! Here is the Alaska Railroad's famed Hurricane Turn flagstop train atop its wondrous namesake.

Unlike the famous golden fall shot where I flew from my camping spot after a long drive and mile hike in, for this one I actually rode the train itself up from Talkeetna. The friendly crew let us flag ourselves off on the south end of the bridge so Frank and I could launch our drones (and shoot conventional too) on a truly magical summer day just shy of the solstice.

Situated at MP 284.2 on the Alaska Railroad mainline it was completed in 1921 spanning 918 ft and rising 296 ft above the floor below. It is the signature location the on the entire ARR mainline and was the most expensive and difficult engineering project on the entirety of the line.

If you missed the story of the first time I photographed this bridge it's really worth reading. You can find it as the caption with this image taken a half dozen years prior.

Hurricane, Alaska
Monday June 19, 2017

Photo courtesy of Dave Blazejewski