Just outside of Healy the Denali Park Hotel uses three WWII troop sleepers. Two are visible as they are right by the Parks Highway and the third is deep in the property, I didn't get photos of that car as there are private property signs and I respect the owners signage.

These cars I'm pretty sure were used after the original McKinley Park Hotel burned in the fall of 1972. The ARR went into action and brought a few pieces of passenger rolling stock to be used as hotel rooms. The two heavyweight sleepers in Nenana were ones used by the park. These troop sleepers I believe were outfit cars prior to hotel service.

There are no numbers or any markings on the cars as they have been painted over, though there is a possibility there are some inside. These cars are in pretty decent shape and retain their original Allied full cushion trucks which are rare now in Alaska. The springs have been removed which is odd to me. The cars are dressed in the 1971 scheme or DOT scheme, and to my knowledge no troop cars of any incarnation ran over the rails in this scheme. I believe the museum in Portola CA has a couple of the these cars also dressed in the 1971 scheme.

With these images you can get a really good idea on what the troop sleepers looked like in detail while in service and unaltered. Remember, these cars were built to box car specs and many were converted to such cars so seeing actual troop sleepers are considered rare in Alaska. I hope to get in touch with the owners one day to get permission to get inside photos of these cars. Mike Gerenday, 04/13/2021.