Story and Photographs copyright 2004 by Richard Elgenson

In Anchorage, the railroad is double tracking a portion to ease traffic congestion.  The track north from Anchorage towards Wasilla has undergone major reconstruction.  The railroad has turned its attention to south Anchorage where there is a gravel dumping facility receiving  2 trains per day during gravel hauling season (when things aren not frozen!).  From early May to early September add to that about 6 passenger trains from 7 am to 10:30 pm and it becomes apparent the reason for track construction.

   

The State of Alaska is moving a stretch of the Seward Highway and a portion of the Alaska Railroad onto reclaimed land in the Turnagain Arm.  This particular stretch has been prone to avalanches.  Parked on a siding was  the air dump train with a caboose on one end and a spreader on the other.  The material was excavated from above the highway,  loaded onto train dump cars, hauled to the site and dumped.  It was Sunday and that crew job day off.  Some of the above pictures show the area where the material is being dumped.    This new construction will yield a railroad with less curves and faster train speeds.