Railroaders' Nostalgia > Another season ends in Alaska

While not technically "nostalgia", I thought this post best belonged here since every year at this time of year I get a little nostalgic.

You see, I work up here in the 49th State on the Alaska Railroad and I generally work seasonally (usually May through September or thereabouts).

When the passenger and aggregate (gravel) trains come off for the winter, the railroad sheds about 30 to 40% of it's T&E ranks in the form of a seasonal furlough. I usually volunteer for it for reasons I won't get in to here, but even if I didn't, I'd eventually get laid off anyway since only the oldheads have the whiskers to hold the few remaining jobs in the winter.

So like a Canada goose, I head south in the fall and return north in the spring. Not every year. I've worked some winters here and overall, I spend more months in Alaska than not. But for the most part, this is the modus operandi.

As the season winds down in the fall, those of us who are about to get cut off begin to wonder when our last trip is going to be. I had been working a new road assignment this month, a "hard rock" gravel train for one of our customers.

But on September 11th, after our second round-trip for the week, we arrived in Birchwood Yard, just north of Anchorage, and after running the power around, switching the EOT to the south end, and securing the train, I had a feeling this might by my last train of the season. So after finishing our work and as we were loading our grips and coolers into the buggy for the deadhead to Anchorage, I took a quick pic of the train with my phone just for posterity.

As it turned out, my prediction was spot on. No sooner did we begin our weekend when both my engineer and myself got bumped off the job and before the weekend was over, since we were displaced, we both ended up in a four-day rules class. As soon as I completed my rules exam, I was put in layoff status. This week I'll process out, bringing a close to the 2015 season for me.

For those interested, the train consist is two SD70MACs and 27 Difco side-dump cars. The job departs the Anchorage area (either Anchorage or Birchwood) and runs north to Broad Pass at about MP 304. We are generally called on-duty at 0030 hours (midnight thirty) behind the north freight and with the goal of arriving at Broad Pass about sunrise, where we load the train.

The loading is interesting as it happens right on the main line and is done with two large Caterpillar front end loaders that work in perfect unison. I get on the ground and supervise the movement of the train, going faster or slower depending on the rhythm and progress of the loaders, and the customer loads it one bucket at a time. Each side-dump holds 6 scoops, at about 11-tons per scoop, and the loaders are so skilled that, when done, it almost looks like it was loaded at a tipple. My best time loading the entire train is 1 hour, 40 minutes.

Once loaded, we advance the train to Cantwell, run it into the siding, run the power around and switch ends on the EOT, secure the train and use a company vehicle to head for the hotel. We usually tie-up between 11 and 12 hours OD.

The next morning we are called for 2:30AM for the run south, right behind the south freight. About sunrise we arrive at Pittman (near Wasilla) to unload the train, which is done with me on the ground directing the train's movement, a MOW employee operating the side-dumps, and the customer with all the necessary loaders, excavators, and dump trucks to clear the piles of gravel away. It usually takes three spots and less than 2 hours to dump the entire train.

Once dumped, we advance the empties to Birchwood, runaround, secure it, and get it ready for the northbound trip before a buggy shows up to take us to Anchorage to tie-up. Once a week it goes all the way to Anchorage for a Class 1 and to service the locomotives.

Anyway, here is the "parting shot". It was a damp and cloudy day and Birchwood isn't exactly a photogenic spot. But I took the shot anyway thinking this was probably going to be the last one of the year. And so it was. I'll miss it and will look forward to returning in the spring.

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Thanks for a most informative post.  You're a modern day boomer, I guess.

Haha...yeah, nice observation. I've been given the nickname Tundraboomer by some. It's a double entendre since when I "go booming" I work on the tundra, and I also happen to drive a Toyota Tundra.

Ah, the one train we missed while up there visiting Frank and Blaze...  Though most of us did ship back to the lower 48 on the 10th.

I was hoping one of you guys would get a shot of it but with the crappy call times, it's not exactly a photo-friendly train unless you catch it on the NB run between Broad Pass and Cantwell. With 27 yellow side-dumps though, it would make an interesting subject. It's up to 31 cars now and it's supposed to make another 12 or 13 runs to complete its mission.

Enjoyed the read.   After spending some time in Alaska this past July, I can see why anything on wheels has a nice coat of grime two thirds of the way down.

Loved the story, can't wait to head up there to see old friends (my dad was based at Elmendorf back in the 70s) and do some serious railfanning which I only had bits and prices of back in 85-86!

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/15 00:31 by ProAmtrak.

Hi Mike:

Thanks for the season's recap and details on the rock train.  How many years have you been working on the ARR?

We look forward to seeing you down here in the warmer clime over the next few months.

Tim Costello