I ran an errand this morning that took me to Government Hill in Anchorage. To get there, I had to traverse the overpass over the Alaska Railroad tracks and the Anchorage Train Station and saw this passenger train parked down below, presumably waiting to take its next trip to Fairbanks, leaving tomorrow morning. On the way back I swung by to see if I could get a picture. I was a little worried. I could see no one about and there were “no trespassing” signs. I feared I could not get close enough to the train to get the picture I wanted. As I pondered the situation a bearded man operating a small loader and wearing a mask drove up, stopped and gestured toward me. “Oh no!” I thought, “He’s going to scold me and warn me not to come any closer.” “Bill?l he asked. I realized it was my friend, Mike Gerenday, who I first met when he was a kid riding his bicycle around the neighborhood and when he saw me out on a walk would pull up beside me, pedal slowly alongside me, and talk to me. As I have mentioned before, I brought him to our house and into my office to show him my HO model train, suspended 8 feet above the floor on a route that circumvented my work space. I was impressed by how much more he knew about my miniature locomotives and cars than I did. Mike now works for the railroad and hosts the Facebook page, Alaska Railroad Railfans. He gave me a little tour and posed by Locomotive 4325 - The Denali Star. Thank you, Mike. |
