100 Years....Congratulations Alaska Railroad!
100 years ago today President Warren G. Harding drove the golden spike to signify the completion of the 470 mile long Alaska Railroad from Seward to Fairbanks. The ceremony took place just at the north end of the massive Mears Memorial Bridge across the Tanana River from the community of Nenana. I wish I could be there today with my friends and colleagues for the reenactment and celebrations taking place, but alas I'm some 3300 miles away (in a straight line...4500 or so to drive).
But since I can't here's a photo from a half dozen years ago just north of that hiatoric location as the ARR's local coal turn (train 188W) is headed north back to Fairbanks from the Usibelli Coal Mine in Healy behind a SD70MAC / GP40-2 alongside the Parks Highway at about MP 414.7.
In the background about a mile behind them is the Mears Bridge, a mighty 700 ft long structure which is one of the longest simple truss bridges in the world and was the final obstacle in the completion of this monumental wilderness railroad.
To learn more and see some historic photos check out this National Park Service link:
www.nps.gov/articles/dena-history-alaska-golden-spike.htm
Nenana, Alaska
Tuesday March 14, 2017
100 Years....Congratulations Alaska Railroad!
100 years ago today President Warren G. Harding drove the golden spike to signify the completion of the 470 mile long Alaska Railroad from Seward to Fairbanks. The ceremony took place just at the north end of the massive Mears Memorial Bridge across the Tanana River from the community of Nenana. I wish I could be there today with my friends and colleagues for the reenactment and celebrations taking place, but alas I'm some 3300 miles away (in a straight line...4500 or so to drive).
But since I can't here's a photo from a half dozen years ago just north of that hiatoric location as the ARR's local coal turn (train 188W) is headed north back to Fairbanks from the Usibelli Coal Mine in Healy behind a SD70MAC / GP40-2 alongside the Parks Highway at about MP 414.7.
In the background about a mile behind them is the Mears Bridge, a mighty 700 ft long structure which is one of the longest simple truss bridges in the world and was the final obstacle in the completion of this monumental wilderness railroad.
To learn more and see some historic photos check out this National Park Service link:
www.nps.gov/articles/dena-history-alaska-golden-spike.htm
Nenana, Alaska
Tuesday March 14, 2017