The Venerable F40 Of course this isn't a true F40 anymore but it sure does look the part and quite sharply in Alaska Railroad blue and gold. Here is the caption I wrote when originally posted on RP.net a dozen years ago: On a Saturday afternoon ARR cab control/power car P31 (former AMTK F40PH #244) noses out of the north end of Shed 2 at the Anchorage Car Shop. Strung out behind her is the consist for the Denali Star, ARR's premier passenger train which begins it's daily trek to Fairbanks in one week. Mid May is the start of ARR's passenger season a tourists begin to arrive in the 49th State. Addendum: I did a bit of quick research and learned that this unit was built in Sept. 1977 as an F40PHR meaning it used parts from short lived six axle SDP40F 563. Working nationwide early in its career in later years it was assigned to the Northeast and I assuredly saw if not photographed her on the NEC through Kingston or perhaps in Palmer on an inland route train or the Vermonter. After finally being retired from active service by Amtrak I read that it spent a short time on lease to the LIRR in July 2001, and at least two periods with the MBTA in 2001 and 2002. The ARR ultimately purchased this unit and one sister and had them rebuilt in 2003 by NRE in Mount Vernon, IL with an 800Kw Cummins HEP power plant but retaining it's operating control stand. Anchorage, Alaska |
