Model Railroading > A new obsession and a question

Kylie has a new obsession! The Alaska Railroad! After years of trying to figure out what exactly to model she thinks she has finally settled on an idea. She built the layout as a freelanced Milwaukee Road layout with little expertise on a good track plan. As she moved on to CN she thought the Fraser Subdivision of the CN would be a good fit but quickly realized that her track plan only allows for four or five trains on the layout at a time. And the Fraser Sub would require up to a dozen trains a day.

​She has had a passing interest in the Alaska Railroad for years but only in the past six months has that interest grew. She has been doing a lot of research n the Alaska and likes what she sees. A couple of passenger trains and a few freights a day, perfect.

​She had a couple of Alaska SD70MACs already, one Kato on Athearn, but over the past six months she has been selling on models she doesn't use anymore and buying Alaska units and passenger cars. To date she has 13 units, with a Walthers F40 and another Athearn SD70MAC on the way and four Atlas GP38 and GP40-2s on order. She also managed to  get a couple Alaska cabooses.

​Photo 1: The locomotives
​Photo 2: Her "Denali Star" passenger train minus the Alaska Railroad Colorado Railcar domes which the prototype has. She knows the Princess cars in photos one are not 100% prototype but good stand ins.

Photo 3: Walthers F7 units, does anyone know how the shells come off for decoder installation?

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a few more, she knows 3000 was renumbered 3006 bin 1975...

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Almost as many loco's as the Real Alaska RR

No snow on the roof's ?

Ed Stewart
Jacksonville, FL

Looks great!  Can wait to see her put that equipment into action!

Shell removal, etc: http://www.digitrax.com/tsd/KB64/waltherslife-like-f7/

Nice........

I love the Alaska RR and have collected many pieces over the years even though I don't model it.  Having been there six times and riding the trains every time, I guess it gets in your blood.  I've thought about adding a new section onto the current layout and making it the Alaska RR.  Just got one of those Bowser VO1000 units with sound for Alaska and it is a great unit. 
​Been wondering how the Walthers Alaska F40 and SW1 run ??

Joe

Don't they still have a couple of Budd RDC's?  I remember they were using one for the 
Talkeeta Turn not too many years ago, and another one as a cab car for the train to
Whittier.

There is no more RDC's in revenue service. Of the four they had, one was left as a MOW crew car with it's drivelines removed. 
Two went to Portland TriMet and one other went to a non-profit charity camp for disabled kids but was snagged in some permitting delays and is on lease to a scenic railroad around the Great Lakes for the interim.

Yay Kylie! I'm biased of course, since that is where I work. I see you have a model of the 2002, my favorite yard engine. Good puller and a sweet sounding horn. It's an interesting little railroad for sure, with a lot of eclectic equipment. Have a blast!

arr701 Wrote:
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> There is no more RDC's in revenue service. Of the
> four they had, one was left as a MOW crew car with
> it's drivelines removed. 
> Two went to Portland TriMet and one other went to
> a non-profit charity camp for disabled kids but
> was snagged in some permitting delays and is on
> lease to a scenic railroad around the Great Lakes
> for the interim.

The Tri-Met untis get out and about in revenue service about once a month minimum.  Mice to see them active at 65 years of age!

Rob

Recently saw a de-motored RDC in a Globe Trekker episode on Cuban railways. Interior seating wasn't original either. Anyone know the history of this? I believe the episode was filmed in the last couple of years. First aired in 2015, maybe.

http://www.pilotguides.com/tv-shows/tough-trains/cuba/