Alaska
Railroad's Longest Passenger Train
On
Sunday, October 1, 2002 the railroad ran its longest passenger train in
its history. The 32-car train when it ran a 32-car passenger train
the longest in its history. The half a mile long train made a 26-mile run
to Indian and back carrying 1,600 passengers. An eight-person crew ran
the train: Conductors Leon Butler and Steve Lerwick; Brakeman Chris Cramer,
Sean James, Mark Dustin and Jason White; Engineer Louis Owens and Fireman
Ed Alford. Here is the line-up:
Power
car P30Dome
#554Bar
Cafe Lounge #351 (Tiki)Dome
#553Dome
#552Bar
Cafe Lounge #352 (50's diner)Dome
#551Dome
#523Baggage
#100Coach
# 204Dome
#500Coach
# 200Coach
# 206Diner
#300Baggage
#101Coach
#201Dome
#501Coach
# 207Diner
#400Coach
# 208Baggage
#110Dome
#502Coach
# 202Diner
#401Coach
# 209Dome
#522Dome
#521Coach
# 210Diner
#301Coach
# 203Coach
# 205Baggage
#111Locomotive
GP40 #3008Locomotive
GP40 #3010
Now
it makes you wonder why they didn't stick on the remaining passenger car
roster. Of course AutoTrain diners 311 and 322 are still in ragged looking
Amtrak paint scheme so they were definitely out. However, they still could
have added baggage 102, lunch diners 451 and 452, bi-level coach 600 and
the Denali.
The
previous record was set on September 15, 1979 when 24 passenger cars for
the Alaska Resources Council carried 700 businessmen to Seward.
Page created 7/29/03 and last updated 7/29/03
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