Real Alaska Heritage

The hoar frost clings to everything as the mercury hovers just south of -30 degrees Fahrenheit, not exactly the best day for a stroll around Pioneer Park, which was understandably deserted! While the ARR currently rosters a vintage 1930s heavyweight business car named the Denali what you see here is the original. This car is often referred to as the "Harding Car" since it conveyed President Warren G. Harding to Nenana, Alaska on July 15, 1923 where he drove the golden spike completing the Alaska Railroad. The car itself has six axles and is 81 feet in length overall. It was originally No. 762 built by Pullman (Lot 3205, Plan 2082B), and received by the Great Northern on 9/24/1905. It was renumbered to No. 9002 on 2/29/1908 and sold to the US Government 12/27/1922 for use on the fledgling Alaska RR. If interested, more history and photos can be found here on John Combs' fabulous web site.

Fairbanks, Alaska
Sunday February 13, 2011

Photo courtesy of Dave Blazejewski