Find out what's cooking
in February at
John's Alaska Railroad web page
Freight/Passenger: Bulktainers captured on flatcars #18836 and #18831 by Robert Krol. - 2/21/25Rosters: Robert Krol popped up in Whittier and snagged us some photos of SD70MAC #4129 (ex KCS units). - 2/21/25Video: On February 20, 2025 Robert Krol captured a freight train pulled by SD70MAC numbers 4009, 4129 and 4006 arriving in Whittier 1, 2, 3, 4 - 2/21/25Modeling: Whittier yard gravel installation and passenger cars tweaked for prefect operations on my HO Alaska Railroad layout. - 2/21/25News: Alaska House passes HB 65 to fund new passenger dock in Seward for tourism boost - 2/19/25Rosters: The final installments of William Gibson's photos: GP40 #3010 and Train 1, GP40 #3011 along Turnagain Arm and Passenger trains in Anchorage. - 2/18/25Picture of the Week: Spreader 9 at Hurricane - 2/17/25Rosters: From the Durand Collection are photos of MRS1 numbers 1604, 1715, 1716, and 1609 and 1602. - 2/16/25Rosters: More William Gibson photos: RDC and Train #3 at the Anchorage Depot (2004), and later down the track, RF1A #1074 near Anchorage. - 2/16/25News: Alaska Railroad highlights goals for 2025, beyond - 2/15/25Rosters: William Gibson captures SW-1 #1201 at the Seward Depot in 1957, an engineer's view of Birchwood in 1956, Extra 1506 North leaves Portage in 1957 and Extra 1510 South. - 2/14/25Modeling: Terry Douglas sent individual photos of the new N scale Micro-Train Lines Alaska Railroad Heavyweight 3-Pack (1, 2, 3). - 2/14/25
News: Two ex-BNSF SD70MACs head to Alaska - 2/14/25Modeling: Celebrating Valentine's Day in style on my HO Alaska Railroad layout. The Eppley Shops continue to fine tune the passenger car roster. - 2/14/25Rosters: Lisa Krol catches a Whittier freight (and 3015!) as it rumbles its way into Anchorage. - 2/14/25Modeling: Many thanks to Randy Thompson for sending photos of the new N scale Micro-Train Lines Alaska Railroad Heavyweight 3-Pack (1, 2). - 2/12/25
Rosters: Jonathan Fischer works at an archive that acquired Doug Cummins photo collection. There are over 130,000 images and here are a few from the Alaska Railroad: RSD-1 #1028 and Baldwin #1300. Some of the photos he sent I had already posted years early, but the information on the back of Jonathan's photos provided some additional information on RF1A #1074 and RSD-1 #1026. - 2/12/25Rosters: Detailed photos of MP15 #1551 and #1554 from March 2, 2004. Here are a few of #1551 I took in the diesel shop. - 2/10/25Picture of the Week: It just doesn't get any better than this! Steven McKay captures a photo that would even make the professional photographer's jaws drop. Gold drop under. Mic drop. - 2/10/25Video: Geoff Brown from the UK with a three part video of Conductor Vern Gillis turning the train around on the Y in Seward. This is a rare capture from the rear observation deck on the Aurora business car. All three videos put together are over 1GB. - 2/8/25Rosters: My favorite lady GP 40 #3015 with a passenger train at the Anchorage depot. You can also get a glimpse of a couple of RDCs as well. Also at the Anchorage depot is a rare sighting of a Tour Alaska dome car.- 2/7/25Modeling: If you are looking for HO or N scale items then be sure to check out Roundhouse Hobbies. - 2/7/25Modeling: We discovered Woodland Scenics Roto Wheel Cleaner doesn't work with a RailPro system. However, we did have success on a distributed power passenger train achieving a 20 car record on my HO Alaska Railroad layout. - 2/6/25Where Are They Now?: Remember Ron Simpson purchasing caboose 1091? He has just released the paint scheme. Make sure and check it out this summer at Copper Center. - 2/5/25Rosters: This photo taken by Steve Katkus shows how SD70MAC #4130 is a little bit different from her sisters. Who wore it best? - 2/5/25News: The Alaska Railroad announced the 2026 calendar winner, "Big congratulations to Michael Harding of Ohio! He is the winner of our Catch the Train photo contest. Harding snapped this incredible shot of an Alaska Railroad freight train winding along Turnagain Arm on its way to Anchorage. As the winner, he'll take home $1,500, Alaska Railroad tickets and his photo will be featured on the cover of our 2026 calendar!" - 2/5/25
Video: A very cool YouTube video that gets you up close and personal, ARR 3002, ARR 2005, and ARR 3005 pull out of Whittier, Alaska, with 53 cars in tow towards Anchorage. - 2/5/25Modeling: Athearn has HO scale GP7Ls for sale. - 2/5/25Modeling: Atlas is announcing pre-orders of HO scale MP15 numbers 1553 and 1554. These rascals are DCC ready and even have working ditch lights. - 2/5/25Rosters: James Luc snagged a couple of photos of GP-L #1827 in Dayton Bluffs, Illinois, on its way to a rebuild. - 2/5/25News: Historic golden railroad spike will return to Alaska after Anchorage Museum and Nenana team up for purchase - 2/5/25News: The Alaska Railroad’s Golden Spike Hammered in by President Harding Will Return to Its Home State - 2/5/25News: Anchorage Museum and City of Nenana Announce Historic Acquisition of Alaska’s Golden Railroad Spike - 2/5/25No.
557 Info: The January Engine 557 Restoration Company Progress Report - 2/4/25Picture of the Week: 0900 Extra Crew pulls one lonely hopper off the Suntrana Branch in Healy. - 2/3/25