What's New - 2011 Archive
Where
Are They Now?: Many thanks
to Whit Wardell for sending us a current photo of GP49
#2807 - 12/30/11Rosters: Added
photos of 303, railmobile and #1205 -
12/28/11Creations: The
next installment of Pat Durand's ongoing effort to create a #208 Panama
Mogul - 12/28/11Snowfighting: Added
photos of old SnoGo equipment -
12/27/11News: Ex-ARR
1551 and 1552 status - 12/27/11Film: Many
thanks to Jonathan Fischer who provided us with actual photos of the
consist from the movie Runaway
Train - 12/26/10Picture
of the Week: Runaway Train -
12/26/11 Rosters: Wow! James
DeBroeck was kind enough to send us photos of #557 on the barge
in Seattle! - 12/23/11Creations: Pat
Durand's ongoing effort to create a #208 Panama
Mogul - 12/22/11Rosters: Added
photos from Jeff
DeBroeck of preparing #557 for shipment and Richard
Olson's photos of it passing through Connell, Washington - 12/20/11News: Usibelli
expects record-breaking year - 12/20/11Picture
of the Week: Nos. 1506 and 1508 in Idaho -
12/19/11 Rosters: Added
some additional photos from James
DeBroeck of preparing #557 for shipment - 12/17/11For
sale: The Alaska
Railroad by Bernadine Prince for sale. The Museum of Alaska Transportation
and Industry, Inc. in Wasilla, Alaska offers a set of The Alaska
Railroad by Bernadine Prince for sale. The hard bound two volume
set is inscribed to Locomotive engineer Brown by Bernadine. There
were only 1000 sets printed. The set is clean, little used with
tight binding and no broken spine. The paper yellow jacket is
in tatters. The set was donated by Mrs Fay Palin, Mr. Browns
daughter, for use as a fundraiser. The asking price is $1000.00
and any bonus beyond that amount will be considered a cash donation
to the Museum. Contact the Executive Director, Mrs. Sherry Jackson
at work 907-376-1211mobile 907-775-3170, email sherryedmati@gmail.com.
Museum of Alaska Transportation and Industry, Inc., PO Box 870645
Wasilla AK 99687 - 12/16/11Where
Are They Now?: Added
current information on
GP49 #2808 - 12/15/11Rosters: Steam
locomotive #557 is
coming back to Alaska! - 12/13/11News: National
Railway Historical Society to convene in Alaska - 12/13/11News: Driver
escapes injury as train demolishes his car - 12/13/11Picture
of the Week: No. 557 returning to Alaska -
12/12/11 Picture
of the Week: A new life for our ladies -
12/5/11 Historical: Added Wreck
of 1950 near Nenana, Wreck
of 1951 at Moose Pass and Wreck
of 1961 at Grandview - 12/2/11Freight/Passenger: Added
a photo and article on passenger car numbers 30
and 31 - 12/2/11Picture
of the Week: ARR domes
- 11/28/11 Creations:
This guy never ceases to amaze me! Pat Durand (with help from his son Casey)
has put together an HO scale Denali
business car. - 11/24/11Freight/Passenger:
Many thanks to Casey Durand for sending updated photos of the Princess
railcars - 11/24/11Rosters:
Bob Harvey sent two photos of caboose
1076 in Whittier - 11/24/11Picture
of the Week: Whittier shuttle
and a boat tote
- 11/21/11 Rosters:
Pat Durand submitted Globe
Trotting Locomotives to the steam roster section - 11/15/11Rosters:
Added a 1933 photo of the Rainbow
depot - 11/15/11Picture
of the Week: And you thought it was just a boxcar,
eh? - 11/14/11 Creations:
Mark Snyder's HO scale layout
- 11/8/11Creations:
Pat Durand's F7A #1514 - 11/8/11Picture
of the Week: Go green!
- 11/7/11 News:
Ex-ARR MP-15s purchased by GMTX
- 11/1/11 Picture
of the Week: End of the Line
- 10/31/11 Rosters:
Added photos to passenger car roster of numbers 46
and 57 - 10/28/11News:
Usibelli withdraws permit request for Sutton coal mine
- 10/24/11Picture
of the Week: Of trains and cruise ships
- 10/24/11 Rosters:
Here are my recent eBay purchases: GP40
#3016, 2-8-0 #555, 2-8-2
#701, F7 #1512, Mate
#1, F7 #1508 and two (1,
2) photos of the shuttle.
- 10/22/11
News:
Spooky Train offers free rides to costumed kiddos
- 10/21/11Picture
of the Week: RDC #701 as MoW caboose
- 10/17/11 Picture
of the Week: DMU #751 amidst fall colors
- 10/10/11 Rosters:
Added a 1951 era photo of the Railway
Express Agency at Moose Pass, a roof
shot of an RF1A and a shot of RSD1
#1002. - 10/3/11Creations:
Pat Durand's Alaska Northern Railroad E18
#3401 - 10/3/11Picture
of the Week: Whittier barge ramp
- 10/3/11 News:
LaHood Holds Roundtable On Seward Highway Issues
- 10/1/11Rosters:
I finally located a photo of
#559! Hopefully, someday I will have a photo for every steam locomotive
on the ARR's roster. Also, here is another photo of #901.
- 9/29/11News:
Tanana River bridge gets 21-shovel salute
- 9/29/11News:
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood tours the Alaska Railroad
- 9/27/11Picture
of the Week: Fall comes to Hurricane Gulch
- 9/26/11Rosters:
Added 9 photos to the former passenger car roster: 90,
5437, 46,
72, 57,
66, 47,
6, 5,
- 9/22/11Freight/Passenger:
Many thanks to Curt Fortenberry for a photo and EIF of the 505XX series
on the boxcars page - 9/22/11News:
Fairbanks coal bunkers the last of their kind
- 9/22/11Rosters:
Added a photo of #114
at Girdwood - 9/22/11News:
Into The Wild: Alaskan Train Caters To The Intrepid
- 9/20/11Picture
of the Week: Sherman Stebbins Labor Day train
ride - 9/19/11Stories:
Paul Duncan returns to Alaska after five years and provides us with an awesome
trip report complete with 62
photos! - 9/16/11Creations:
Want to see something truly amazing? Check out Casey Durand's HO scale Wilderness
Express passenger car! - 9/15/11News:
Russia Renews Proposal for Siberia-Alaska Rail Tunnel
- 9/15/11News:
Mat-Su Residents Speak About Proposed Wishbone Hill Project
- 9/15/11News:
Speeders — little railroad maintenance cars — are getting put
to a new use thanks to a unique tour group
- 9/15/11Rosters:
Added a nice color photo of steam locomotive #6
- 9/15/11News:
New hopper status - 9/14/11Picture
of the Week: New hoppers!
- 9/12/11Admin:
Time Warner has fixed the problem and I am back online
- 9/11/11Admin:
I have lost Internet connectivity due to a thunderstorm. I may be offline
for a week or so. - 9/5/11Picture
of the Week: Three from Ted Spencer including
Along Turnagain Arm -
9/5/11News:
Work on Tanana Bridge scheduled to start soon
- 9/1/11Picture
of the Week: GP40 #3015 on the cruise train
- 8/29/11News:
Freight car purchase -
8/26/11Main
page: Added Alaska Railroad Depot (Denali national Park) webcam
- 8/26/11Picture
of the Week: River crossing at Salcha, home gate
and cabooses - 8/25/11News:
Open house planned for Tanana River bridge project
- 8/16/11News:
Massive amounts of rock needed for new Tanana River bridge
- 8/10/11News:
Work crews prepare new Tanana River bridge site
- 8/10/11Creations:
Many thanks to Andrew Kovak who sent us photos of his locomotives
and caboose project. - 8/8/11Creations:
More photos of Jeff McCrea's models;
Denali Star meets the Oil Can - 8/8/11Picture
of the Week: Hurricane Turn on Hurricane Gulch
Bridge - 8/8/11Rosters:
Added more historical information and a more recent photo of ex-ARR steam
locomotive #152 - 8/7/11Creations:
Pat Durand's fabulous 1/29 scale Brill
#114 - 8/6/11News:
Officials float idea to extend Pioneer Park train to visitors center
- 8/5/11News:
Sea, rail links both vital
- 8/2/11Picture
of the Week: Hurricane Turn on Hurricane Gulch
Bridge - 8/1/11Picture
of the Week: Distributed power and MOW at Portage
- 7/25/11Picture
of the Week: Rafting trip at Spencer
- 7/18/11Picture
of the Week: Export coal train
- 7/11/11Creations:
More photos of Jeff McCrea's models
- 7/6/11Modeling:
Many thanks to Nelson Bailey who provided photos of the N
scale Trainworx 100 ton quad hoppers -
7/5/11Picture
of the Week: Palmer Hay Flats and cache
- 7/4/11News:
Canadian firm talks of building railroad from Alberta to Alaska
- 7/1/11Picture
of the Week: Many thanks to Daniel Osborne for
supplying us with two exciting photos of Brill M-107
- 6/27/11Picture
of the Week: MoW at Moose Pass
- 6/20/11News:
Alaska could see another record in coal exports this year as production
grows - 6/14/11News:
Alaska could see another record in coal exports
- 6/14/11Picture
of the Week: Passenger train in Seward
- 6/13/11News:
Tanana River bridge gets EPA approval
- 6/12/11News:
Ice park close to securing deal on new home
- 6/11/11News:
EPA signs off on $190 million Tanana River railroad bridge
- 6/9/11News:
Tanana River bridge gets EPA approval
- 6/9/11Creations:
Gregory Farley's HO scale layout
- 6/9/11News:
Alaska Railroad rallying support for proposed Tanana bridge
- 6/9/11News:
Ice Alaska buying property near current location
- 6/9/11Picture
of the Week: MoW equipment at Bird
- 6/6/11Strange
Freight: Blake Moore sent
us a photo of a rock crusher
- 6/1/11News:
Railroad, agencies juggle Tanana River bridge permits
- 6/1/11News:
Alaska Railroad 'All Aboard' to Replace Old Rail Ties
- 6/1/11Picture
of the Week: Aerial view of Seward docks
- 5/30/11Stories:
Don Walker's A Tale of
Two Baldwins and Me! - 5/25/11Picture
of the Week: Fairbanks open house
- 5/23/11News:
Alaska Railroad refuses to sell land on which ice park sits
- 5/21/11Picture
of the Week: Power car #32 and the Coastal Classic
- 5/16/11News:
Alaska state lawmakers back Tanana bridge project
- 5/13/11News:
Gov. Parnell pushes for Tanana River bridge project
- 5/13/11Picture
of the Week: Anchorage open house
- 5/9/11Links: Added
a link for Alaska Railroad
Tours - 5/4/11Creations:
Harold Emerick's fire suppression
tanks - 5/4/11News:
Ice Alaska preparing another offer for railroad land -
5/4/11Picture
of the Week: RDC adventure
- 5/2/11News:
Fairbanks borough assembly's ice park debate runs late into the night -
5/1/11News:
Alaska Railroad turns down Ice Alaska proposal -
4/26/11Links: Added
Ken Secrest's Alaska
Railroad train orders site and a link to historical information on Alco
#1034 - 4/26/11Picture
of the Week: MoW equipment on Bird Point
- 4/25/11Picture
of the Week: Double stack well car
- 4/18/11News:
Legislators set to OK $3B capital budget -
4/17/11News:
GP40 nos. 3007 and 3008 update -
4/16/11News:
Funding for Tanana River bridge up in the air -
4/15/11News:
GP40 nos. 3007 and 3008 update -
4/13/11Picture
of the Week: Whittier docks in 1943
- 4/11/11News:
GP40 nos. 3007 and 3008 update -
4/9/11Rosters:
What exciting things are you doing with your Friday night? I am sitting
here at home adding eight more steam locomotives to the roster: 31,
221, 272,
275, 277,
310, 319,
1201. Don't you feel sorry
for me?!? - 4/7/11News:
Tampers and spikers -
4/8/11News:
GP40 nos. 3007 and 3008 update -
4/8/11Rosters:
Robert Krol pointed out that former ARR passenger car #4518 at the Arizona
Railway Museum in Chandler, AZ has been refurbished and repainted. The interior
is absolutely gorgeous. Check out the Trainorders.com discussion link here.
- 4/7/11Creations:
Robert Krol's O scale F7 #1524
- 4/5/11Rosters:
I always love it when someone provides a little quality review of the website.
Bob Garner found some inaccuracies with the information on power car #10.
I went back to ARR historian Don Marenzi who set me straight. You'll find
the new information here and
here. - 4/5/11Rosters:
Railfan Tom Morrow spotted ex-ARR passenger car #7002
at the Illinois Railway Museum last weekend. It appears to be destined to
become a permanent addition to their collection. - 4/5/11
Modeling:
Added the latest painting
tips from Pat Durand -
4/5/11Historical:
Many thanks to Keith Buck for
providing us with photos from the early 1980s - 4/5/11Picture
of the Week: DPU at Indian
- 4/4/11Rosters:
Added a few photos from Dave Blazejewski - retired
switchers, spreader #9
and Seward coal - 4/1/11News:
GP40 numbers 3007 and 3008 returning to Alaska -
4/1/11News:
Rail spur to connect port to main line at Houston
- 4/1/11 Modeling:
Many thanks to Nelson Bailey who provided photos of the N
scale Intermountain F7 locomotives -
3/29/11Creations:
Pat Durand's impressive HO scale RSD1
- 3/29/11News:
Rail spur to connect port to main line at Houston-
3/29/11Picture
of the Week: The Whittier Shuttle -
3/28/11Creations:
Check out Pat Durand's HO scale P-30
- 3/26/11Creations:
Randy Thompson's kit bashed TNM
hopper - 3/26/11For
sale: The Alaska Railroad was the subject of the "Railroad Series"
of Alaskan artist Cote Sutoer several years ago. Mr. Bob Neitz at 907 884-5633
invested in five prints in the series dated 1992 thru 1996 all are numbered
445/500. The originals were water color approximately 11X14 inches in size
and the prints were sold in serial numbered sets, in this case print 445
of 500 made. The prints are reported to be mounted and in like new condition.
-
3/26/11News:
Nordco tampers - 3/26/11Historical:
Sherman Stebbins, collector of historical Alaska Railroad photographs, has
been sending me interesting tidbits for the last year or so. Well I've been
waiting for an appropriate place to put them and have given up. So I just
created a Sherman Stebbins Collection
page. I'll add more photos to this as he sends them. - 3/26/11Historical:
I spent about a dozen hours finally getting those Walter
Strong historical photos online - 3/25/11Rosters:
A special thank you to Darren Buss who provided us with Fairbanks
Depot construction photos - 3/25/11Picture
of the Week: Freight on Hurricane Gulch -
3/21/11Stories:
Tom Smith-Pererson's photo
trip to Alaska - 3/20/11Modeling:
Many thanks to Nelson Bailey who sent photos for Wheels of
Time's new N-scale bi-level
commuter coaches - 3/16/11Rosters:
Added dates (month) to the #550 class steam locomotives section on the complete
locomotive roster page - 3/16/11Freight/Passenger:
Added three photos on the gondolas page
and some roster info to the boxcars page
- 3/16/11Picture
of the Week: Freight and Mt. McKinley -
3/14/11Picture
of the Week: Walter Strong's
photo of #556 -
3/7/11News:
Locomotive alumni update-
3/2/11Picture
of the Week: Bicentennial MoW train -
2/28/11News:
Alaska Railroad upgrading coal cachment system
- 2/24/11News:
University Avenue reopened after train derailment Thursday
- 2/25/11News:
Train derails, blocks University Avenue in Fairbanks
- 2/24/11News:
Railroad seeks permit for herbicide use in Fairbanks railyard and along
local tracks - 2/21/11News:
Alaska Railroad Corp. gets new chairwoman
- 2/21/11News:
Alaska Railroad asks state for an additional $44 million for bridge expansion
- 2/21/11Picture
of the Week: Rail cycle -
2/21/11News:
Railroad supports Chena River north bank trail; Ice Alaska controversy remains
- 2/16/11News:
2012 Commemorative Art Print Contest
- 2/16/11News:
Tanana Valley Railroad stories for 2011
- 2/16/11Picture
of the Week: GP-7 #1808 crosses a ghost forest
- 2/14/11Picture
of the Week: Alaska Coal!
- 2/7/11Rosters:
Added several of my recent eBay purchases - covered cemet hopper #14500,
F7 #1502 leads an A-B-B-B-A lineup,
McKinley Park depot, E9
#2401, F7 #1526, and MoW
tender #0039M (note that I have begun
posting images in 1280 pixels wide format) - 2/2/11
News:
New Alaska Railroad CEO has admittedly 'atypical' career
- 2/1/11News:
Railroad CEO expects improved revenues for fiscal 2010
- 2/1/11Picture
of the Week: 4005 crosses Glacier Creek
- 1/31/11News:
CEO predicts continued Alaska Railroad economic upturn
- 1/29/11News:
Tanana railroad bridge now estimated to cost $185 million; funding plan
up to $60 million short
- 1/27/11Modeling:
New ARR O
scale items are being cranked out so fast that I can't keep up with
them. Therefore, I am very thankful that Chris Lord has begun combing my
list and sending me updates. He just sent three updates including photos! -
1/25/11Rosters:
Robert Krol and Jason Kuehn added remarks to Randy Thompson's GP-7
data sheet - 1/25/11News:
Alaska Railroad defends plans for $160 million Tanana River bridge
- 1/25/11News:
Latest chatter - 1/24/11Bibliography:
Added three more periodicals
- 1/24/11Rosters:
Added a photo of a 4-6-2
cockpit - 1/24/11
Picture
of the Week: Alaska Railroad Alco RSD-1 # 1034
was moved to the Army Transportation Museum at Fort Eustis, Virginia.
- 1/24/11Historical:
From the land down under, James Coy sends us photos of the Harding
Car during his 2007 Alaska visit - 1/18/11Rosters:
Many thanks to Randy Thompson for sending us his GP-7
data sheet - 1/18/11Picture
of the Week: Of
cranes and cabooses
- 1/17/11News:
Seward coal dust lawsuit moves forward
- 1/12/11Creations:
Tom Koole sent us several photos
of his N scale layout - 1/11/11News:
Railroad plans 2 public hearings on projects around Southcentral
- 1/10/11Picture
of the Week: Five
dome cars all in a row
- 1/10/11Rosters:
Russell plow sold for scrap - 1/4/11Webmaster's
note:
Congratulations to my son John for becoming my troop's 50th
Eagle Scout! - 1/4/11Rosters:
Many thanks to Blake Moore who provided current photos of ex-ARR coach #5416
at the Florida Railroad Museum. Thanks also goes to Don Marenzi in helping
track down the history
for this car. - 1/4/11Picture
of the Week: Winter
Aurora train
- 1/3/11Hall
of Fame: The 2011 inductees to John's Alaska Railroad
Web Page Hall of Fame
are Albert Bailey, Nelson Bailey, Curt Fortenberry, Blake Moore and Sherman
Stebbins. Congrats to all! - 1/1/11For
Sale:
From Margaret Heaven, ""I'm contacting you
because I have a signed set of the book, "The Alaska Railroad"
by Bernadine LeMay Prince printed in 1964 that I want to sell and I thought
you or an organization you belong to might be interested in purchasing it.
Or you might know someone else who might be. The yellow jackets are worn
but both volumes are in excellent clean condition. With only 1000 sets printed,
I know it is pretty rare and valuable and will want fair value for the set.
I am asking $1500.00. If you might be interested, please let me know. Margaret
Heaven, Wasilla, Alaska 907-376-5679." Alaska Railroad Historian, Pat
Durand, has confirmed the condition of this set and is a personal friend
of Mrs. Margaret Heaven. Her late husband, LeRoy Heaven, was totally engaged
in historical preservation activities and this set is from his reference
library.Webmaster's
note:
Happy New Year! - 1/1/11© 1997-2011 John Combs unless otherwise noted