Acknowledgements
I would like to thank a small arsenal of helpful and dedicated people who helped me along my way. Thanks goes to Matt Abbey, Louie Bencardino, Jim Blasingame, Dave Blazejewski, Frank Dewey, Dan Garvey, Robert Krol, Wendy Lindskoog, Doug and Jan Reynolds, Curt Rudd, Jim Somerville, Dwight West, Tim Woodward for making my trip extra special.
Special thanks goes to Tim Thompson for taking care of all arrangements with the Alaska Railroad.
An ocean of appreciation goes to Captain Brett Spencer for his tugboat tour as well as supplying me with lots of photos and videos from his journeys.
An enormous thank-you goes to Pat Durand for guiding, transporting, feeding and housing me for two days. His love for the great state of Alaska is definitely contagious.
And my eternal gratitude goes to Don Prince (retired Alaska Railroad yardmaster). The man will give you the shirt right off his back. His condo has become my Alaskan home. I consider myself fortunate to call him “friend.”
And thanks to all those railfans who have given me kind words of support over the years!
John Combs
7/20/08