ABOVE: After arriving at Denali Park on Wednesday, the train pulled south just a short distance from the station and posed on Riley Creek Trestle. This scene was accessible via a hike of about a half mile. LEFT: No reindeer were seen, but the first official photo stop on the Alaska Railroad was made at North Pole on Sunday, September 15. The train continued on to Chapados; the tracks from there to Eil- son Air Force Base are excepted and cannot be used for passenger trains.
of the season was docked, making for a nice photo prop in town. After leaving Whittier and returning to the main line, the train briefly continued south to the U.S. Forest Service flag stop at Spencer where a photo opportunity of another Seward-bound train was made.
21. This time the charter headed down the main line towards Seward to Portage, where it diverged onto the 12- mile branch to the former military town of Whittier. The trip included a run through the Anton Anderson Me- morial Tunnel under Maynard Moun- tain. The tunnel was used exclusively by the railroad until 2001 when one lane of roadway was built on the tracks
allowing autos pass through. It is the second-longest highway tunnel and longest shared use tunnel in North America.
Just before entering the Anderson Tunnel, a shorter tunnel is used to ac- cess Bear Valley and a photo runby was held at the shorter tunnel’s south por- tal. Whittier has become a cruise ship destination, and the last Princess ship
The convention’s final day was spent mostly in a motorcoach, as attendees were taken north to Wasilla. The first stop on the tour was at the shop of the 557 Restoration Company, the group that is restoring ARR 2-8-0 No. 557 to service (with full cooperation of the Alaska Railroad). The last stop was made at the Museum of Alaska Trans- portation and Industry where an eclec- tic mix of all kinds of vehicles are on display. The official last rail trip of the convention was a short speeder ride on
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