The DMU Arrives

After years in production, the Alaska Railroad's newest piece of passenger equipment arrives in Anchorage for the first time. Vintage GP40-2 3001 running as train 290W tows one flat car and the ARR 751, the brand new double decked, glass topped Diesel Multiple Unit built by the now defunct Colorado Railcar Manufacturing. The project was jointly funded by the Alaska Railroad and the U.S. Forest Service and hence features the logos of both organizations and wears the name "Chugach Explorer" on its flanks. The car's namesake mountains dominate the horizon in this southward looking view on the Alaska Railroad's double track mainline south of downtown Anchorage. The strange looking flatcar is equipped with a cutout in profile of the Portage Tunnel which was the most restrictive clearance the car had to pass through enroute north for the first time. Alaska Railroad civil and mechanical engineers onboard walked the car through for its first trip to ensure all their advance calculations were correct.....they were and the car made it through without incident.

Anchorage, Alaska
Thursday April 16, 2009