You never know what you might find in the woods of Alaska. Normally you're excited to stumble upon a bear or moose (at safe distance of course) but you rarely expect to find an F-unit! Nevertheless, while exploring a dirt road out to Bear Lake near Seward I was startled to find this rusting, truckless frame in the woods behind a residence/B&B. It turns out this unit is the former ARR 1514, and EMD FP7A purchased new by the Alaska Railroad in 1953. According to sources on John Combs' wonderful ARR railfan page this unit is somewhat historic as it was the very last F7 unit built by EMD as order number 19066. To see a photo of her being delivered click here. In service. And stripped after suffering a fire that ended her career around 1980.

Her frame was sold and she ended up at Kim's Forrest Bed and Breakfast in Seward. Plans to turn her into an Orient Express themed getaway never materialized and she languished as a giant backyard lawn ornament until being sold and trucked to Whistle Hill in Soldotna as seen here. Stop in for a coffee and a waffle on your way down the Sterling Highway on a fishing trip and check her out!

Seward, Alaska
November 5, 2009