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Hurricane Turn Page 2

Alaska Railroad Hurricane Turn Flagstop Train

Talkeetna to Hurricane Gulch

July 29, 2007

Story and photographs by Richard Elgenson
RailNews Network writer

Below, another flag at milepost 255.  This view is through the engineers window.

   

   

   

The next stop was a dropoff of 2 couples at Sherman.  The story I got is that the first person who built a cabin in a wilderness area became the mayor.  At Sherman, the cabin is painted with large letters visible which say "Sherman City Hall."  The owner of this cabin, Clyde Lovell, had loaned his cabin to a family member.  The family member offered to do some work on the cabin and Clyde suggested painting the exterior.  Since this cabin was the original cabin in the area, it became "Sherman City Hall."  It even has its own depot.  Mary Lovell has written a book, "First in the Area" which was available on the train.

   

   

Below left, Mary Lovell watching the Hurricane Turn train leave.

   

After dropping off the Lovell's and their friends, we continued about 12 minutes to the next flag stop where 3 people boarded.

   

The next major river crossing was Gold Creek, milepost 264.1.  At this point, 3 people unloaded with rafting gear.

   

Under way again, we approached a location where I had spent one week at in 2001.  Indian River, milepost 266.7 and upstream several miles, is well known for good fishing.  I had hooked into at least one King Salmon, rainbow trout, and dolly varden.  This area is a favorite for silver salmon in late July and August.  On the Hurricane Turn, one can be dropped off for several hours of fishing and get picked up the same afternoon.

   

   

The track crosses Indian River again at milepost 269.2.  I recall walking along these stretches for fishing and visiting nieghbors in nearby cabins.  My friend is very interested in preserving the fishing in this area and made me smash the barbs off my hooks.  All fish that I caught, I released.  The track parallels Indian River for a mile or so through a canyon.  If one is off the train in the milepost 267 area, you can hear  southbound locomotive sound reverberate through this canyon indicating their arrival in the near future.

Hurricane Flagstop Continued