After some good photographs in Palmer, the train was now headed to the Anchorage Airport spur.
Alaska has beautiful scenery that abounds.
Crossing those streams once again on our way back towards Anchorage.
The train slowing down for Birchwood where we slowed to five miles an hour for an opportunity to shoot the last Alaska Railroad RDC which was used in work train service.
Alaska Railroad RDC3 701, nee New York, New Haven and Hartford 126 built by Budd Company in 1953, at Birchwood.
We returned to Anchorage and went by the passenger depot on the way to the airport line.
Mt. McKinley or Denali, depending on who you believe, was quite visible, as were other mountains of the Alaska range across the Kinik Inlet.
We came to the junction of the airport line and a signal gave us an available indication.
The train started onto the airport line.
Curving onto the airport line.
Gold Star passengers enjoying the airport line.
We reached the airport line control point and the train came to a stop.
The conductor climbed down to throw the switch which is normally aligned for the other route from the mainline. This leg of the wye was all new trackage for many of us.
Taking the first curve on the airport line.
Crossing a main road into the airport.
The train started up the grade.
The Anchorage control tower came into view.
The train reached the airport parking lot and was high above it.
Mt. McKinley was visible above the parking lot.
About to curve into the airport station, more correctly called the Bill Sheffield Alaska Railroad Depot at the Anchorage International Airport. This is the end of the branch, recently extended to this new train station which was built for the cruise ship trains. Bill Sheffield is a former Alaska Governor who signed legislation establishing the quasi-public Alaska Railroad Corporation and its seven-member board of directors as part of the process of Alaska acquiring the railroad from the federal government.
Our passengers detrained for the photo opportunity here and I sat in front of the photo line.
The train reversed into position for the static photo stop.
The static photo.
The reverse move.
The photo runby at the airport. We reboarded and headed for our next stop at Potter.
The track on which we had come in.
We returned to the main line and now headed to Potter.
At Conrock we ran by the gravel train that passed us at Matanuska on the way to Palmer.
Our train took curves on the way to Potter which marks the junction of Cook Inlet and Turnagain Arm, so named when Captain Cook's 1778 search up the arm of the Northwest Passage ended when he had to "turn again".
Mt. McKinley across the upper reaches of Turnagain Inlet.
Driftwood scattered along the shore of Turnagain Inlet. The train arrived in Potter after aligning the siding and our passengers detrained. We were told there was a freight train from Whittier coming our way about ten miles away so everyone with cameras went to the extreme east end of the parking lot and set up for the freight train.
Alaska Railroad speeder G1102 built by Fairmont.
Our train at Potter.
The train and Mt. McKinley off in the distance.
My freight train photo location.
Our passengers coming to the location.
The freight train came through Potter.
Milwaukee Road rotary snowplough 900207 built by the railroad and formerly operated on the Coast and Rocky Mountain Divisions. It was sold to Alaska Railroad in 1981 and is currently numbered X-900212.
Alaska Railroad Outfit Car 1500E, nee United States Army troop sleeper built by American Car and Foundry in 1944. It was used during World War II and converted to a kitchen car for use in maintenance-of-way service.
The Potter sign and one of the Gold Star cars.
The section house at Potter built in 1929.
The view from upper level of one of the Gold Star cars.
The troop sleeper and rotary display which was closed during our visit.
The tidal bore, a tidal phenomenon in which the leading edge of the incoming tide forms a wave (or waves) of water that travels up a river or narrow bay against the direction of the river or bay's current.
After some bear excitement caused by a bear following Bear Bait (Steve Barry), we reboarded the train, left for Anchorage and said our goodbyes to our fantastic passengers as it has been another fabulous trip with them. We arrived at Anchorage at 4:25 PM, unloaded the train then closed up our car before walking back to the hotel to get ready for tonight's NRHS Banquet.
NRHS BanquetWe arrived at the Hilton during the start of the reception period. I got a ginger ale and socialized with my friends including Bart Jennings, Chris Parker, Robin Bowers and of course, Sarah Jennings, plus others. The doors opened with everyone going to their proper tables. Salads were waiting but our table had to ask for dinner rolls.
Greg Molloy welcomed us to the event, an invocation was given and soon the main dishes arrived. My prime rib did not come with any au jus or horseradish, not that I would have eaten that. The cheesecake dessert was the best part of the meal.
After dinner, Greg Molloy started off the evening's proceedings which was followed by a presentation about the two Rail Camps, one in Wilmington, Delaware and the other in Tacoma, Washington in 2014, and an overview of what the campers would be doing.
Bart told about this year's convention, what it took to do it and thanked everyone who helped, including the Let's Talk Trains show. After that, he spoke briefly about next year's convention in Arkansas then representatives of the Alaska Railroad and finally a presentation by Pat Shake, Vice President of Transportation and Mechanical. After that Greg Molloy bid us goodnight and the banquet was over. We walked back to the hotel and called it a night since we were both tired.
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