Alaska Railroad Videos
MPegs by Harold Emerick (June 1999)
01: No. 3014 leading
a passenger train
02: Six locomotives
pulling hoppers
03: Locomotive and
power car pull a passenger train up a hill
Quicktime videos by John Combs (July 2002)
01: Northbound
Seward passenger train crossing Twenty Mile Bridge (160x120, 192KB)
02: Interior of
the business car Aurora (160x120, 192KB)
03: Southbound Seward
passenger train in a scenic curve (320x240, 704KB)
04: Overhead
view of Northbound Seward passenger train passing through a tunnel (160x120,
512KB)
05: Overhead
view of Denali Star from overpass at Healy yard (160x120, 656KB)
06: Piggy
packer loading a trailer onto a flat car (160x120, 652KB)
07: SD70MAC leads
passenger train into Fairbanks depot (160x120, 544KB)
08:
Southbound Coastal Classic crossing Snow River Bridge (160x120, 832KB)
09: Aerial view
of Healy coal tipple (320x240, 1.7MB)
10: Driving into
the Anton Anderson Memorial tunnel heading to Whitter (320x240, 1.1MB)
Quicktime videos by Stewart White
01: Moose Gooser - last
steam engine on the line; Kiwanis shipped up for Alaska centennial; #16 on Labor
Day 1967; (320x240, 1MB)
02: Moose Gooser - last
steam engine on the line; Kiwanis shipped up for Alaska centennial; #16 on Labor
Day 1967; (320x240, 724KB)
03: Engineer Stu White
blowing horn (320x240, 620KB)
04: Old dormitory at
Curry (320x240, 972KB)
05: Rotary throwing
snow (320x240, 1.2MB)
06: Rotary throwing
snow (320x240, 760KB)
07: Rotary throwing
snow (320x240, 780KB)
08: Rotary throwing
snow (320x240, 996KB)
09: No. 3002 after hitting
a pickup truck (320x240, 600KB)
10: Grandview wreck
? tried to single a double with a bunch of light flats on the head and they
string lined them; should have doubled the hill (320x240, 6.1MB)
Quicktime videos by Pat Durand
01: The Alaska
Railroad operated a Christmas Special to Seward on December 6, 2003 Three locomotives
with 3014 in the lead along with P-30 delivered a 12 car train to the Alaska
Railroad Cruise Ship Terminal in Seward. The passengers were greeted to a holiday
bazaar in the terminal building and free shuttle bus service to local Seward
retailers. The weather was cloudless and 20°F in Seward. The video clip was
taken in the shade at Crown Point just after the train crossed the Trail Lakes
Bridge. It was 4°F in the Moose Pass area as the train passed through. (320x240,
10MB)
02: On Sunday, July 17th the Friends of the Tanana
Valley Railroad celebrated the 100th anniversary of railroading in Fairbanks
by operating 106 year old TVRR Engine #1, downgrade (320x240,
10MB)
03: On Sunday, July 17th the Friends of the Tanana
Valley Railroad celebrated the 100th anniversary of railroading in Fairbanks
by operating 106 year old TVRR Engine #1, upgrade (320x240,
10MB)
Mpeg videos by Mike Ferguson
01: Number 2008 pulling
out of Quadra Chemical on the Fairbanks airport branch. Number 2008 had just
pulled a empty tank and spotted a loaded one in its place. She is crossing a
South Lathrop street with horn and bell going. (160x112, 122KB) January 2004
02: Hear the rumbling thunder of two SD70MACS
Nos. 4009, 4012 at the south end of the Fairbanks yard. (160x112, 284KB) January
30, 2004
03: 4008 south at Sheep Creek Crossing.
(160x112, 636K) March 2004
04: SD70MAC coupling to a tank
car. (160x112, 492K) April 2004
05: SD70MAC 4323 pulling a south freight
out of Fairbanks. (160x112, 775K) June 2004
06: SD70MAC 4324 starting up. (160x112,
391K) June 2004
07: Four SD70MACs split for distributed power; Sheep
Creek crossing about 2:30 PM and the temperature is about -35 (160x112, 1.3MB)
January 17, 2005
08: Southbound Denali Star at Happy (640x368, 6.1MB) July 13, 2024
09: Southbound Freight at Happy (640x368, 25.3MB) July 13, 2024
Mpeg videos by Matt Leistico
01: This was taken
at Potter when I was coming back form Girdwood, and wanted to stop to check
out the Potter station and happened to catch a southbound train. (320x240, 3.7MB)
August 1, 2003
02: A moose as seen from our passenger car from
our Seward trip. (320x240, 688KB) June 24, 2003
Quicktime videos by John Combs (March 2004)
- 01:
Chasing 4003 north: 4010 south meeting 4003 north at Birchwood (320x240, 904KB)
- 02:
Chasing 4003 north: 4003 north at Hurricane (320x240, 3.1MB)
- 03:
Chasing 4003 north: 4003 north at Broad Pass (320x240, 1.4MB)
- 04: Chasing 4003
north: 4003 north just south of Windy (320x240, 644KB)
- 05:
Aurora - Fairbanks to Anchorage: Crossing Mears Memorial Bridge (320x240,
1.6MB)
- 06:
Aurora - Fairbanks to Anchorage: Healy Canyon (320x240, 3.5MB)
- 07:
Aurora - Fairbanks to Anchorage: Approaching Garner Tunnel (320x240, 616KB)
- 08:
Snowfleet north of Anchorage: Clearing snow at Montana (320x240, 700KB)
- 09: Snowfleet
north of Anchorage: View out the front window of Jordan Spreader #9 (320x240,
532KB)
- 10:
Snowfleet north of Anchorage: Clearing the siding at Houston (320x240, 640KB)
- 11:
Snowfleet south of Anchorage: View along Turnagain Arm, "Just another
day in paradise" (320x240, 848KB)
- 12: Snowfleet
south of Anchorage: Engineer Frank Armstrong using joystick to control movement
of spreader wings (320x240, 636KB)
- 13:
Snowfleet south of Anchorage: View of spreader wing from the rear of the spreader
(320x240, 588KB)
- 14: Snowfleet
south of Anchorage: Spreader 9 clearing snow from Spencer siding, "Save
the camcorder!" (320x240, 1.4MB)
Quicktime videos by John Combs (August 2005)
- 01:
Whittier barge: unloading freight cars (320x240, 1.8MB)
- 02:
Whittier barge: forklifts unloading containers (320x240, 3.4MB)
- 03:
Whittier barge: forklift unloading an underground tank (320x240, 2.4MB)
- 04: Feeding a fox
cheese crackers and peanut butter in the Anchorage Yard (320x240, 2.2MB)
- 05:
A. S. & G. gravel unloading (320x240, 1.4MB)
- 06: Southbound
Denali Star at Birchwood (320x240, 1.6MB)
- 07:
Work train: Randy riding in the caboose (320x240, 648KB)
- 08:
Work train: unloading concrete ties (320x240, 2MB)
- 09: Work train:
as close as you'll ever get to a northbound oil train (320x240, 1.6MB)
- 10:
Northbound passenger train at the Ferry bridge (320x240, 2.6MB)
- 11:
Southbound passenger train from the Healy overpass (320x240, 2.1MB)
- 12: Usibelli
tour: Ace in the Hole (320x240, 4.5MB)
- 13:
Usibelli tour: Explosion to remove overburden (320x240, 1.1MB)
- 14: Jack's
MACs: Two scale SD70MACs pull us through the woods (320x240, 1.2MB)
- 15:
Jack's MACs: crossing a wooden trestle (320x240, 1.8MB)
- 16:
Northbound Coastal Classic at West Chester Lagoon (320x240, 844KB)
Quicktime videos by John Combs (November 2006)
- 01:
Whittier barge: unloading pipe gondolas (320x240, 3.2MB)
- 02:
Work train: Old Glenn Highway Overpass (320x240, 4.1MB)
- 03: Work
train: Milepost 206 (320x240, 1.9MB)
- 04: Work
train: Hurricane (320x240, 2.6MB)
- 05: Work
train: Colorado (320x240, 1.7MB)
- 06: Dwight
west four-wheeling it out of Colorado (320x240, 2.5MB)
- 07: Work
train: Between Summit and Broad Pass (320x240, 4.1MB)
- 08:
Work train: New Summit crossing (320x240, 1.1MB)
- 09:
Distributed power on a coal train (320x240, 9MB)
- 10: Letroporter piggy packer (320x240, 4.7MB)
Quicktime videos by John Combs (July 2008)
- 01:
Northbound passenger train at Anchorage depot (480x360, 9.9MB)
- 02: Gravel travel north of Anchorage (480x360.
4.4MB)
- 03: On the McKinley Explorer crossing Hurricane
Gulch (480x360, 12.4MB)
- 04: Northbound
passenger train (480x360, 3.7MB)
- 05:
Tank train near Wasilla (480x360, 11.4MB)
- 06:
Coal loading in Seward (480x360, 5.1MB)
- 07: Maintenance of Way equipment along Turnagain
Arm (480x360, MB)
- 08: Princess passenger train (480x360, 6.5MB)
- 09:
Glacier Discovery along Turnagain Arm (480x360, 3.9MB)
- 10: A quick pass through the Anton Anderson Tunnel
(480x360, 6.9MB)
- 11: Railroad
rafting trip video (480x360 6.8MB)
- 12: Dall Sheep along Turnagain Arm (480x360, 5.1MB)
- 13: Barge rail traffic at Whittier (480x360 MB)
Quicktime videos by John Combs (March 2022)
- 01:
Aurora at Anchorage depot
WMV videos by Andy Tejral
- 01: Gravel train
time lapse taken from the maintenance building (320x240, 2.1MB)
- 02: Tower cam
in Wasilla (at Home Depot parking lot) captures an oil train (320x240, 3.8MB)
- 03: Pair
of locomotives from the Channel 2 Live Van mast camera, 42' in the air. 6/20/06
20 (320x240, 452KB)
- 04: Passenger
train at the Old Glenn Highway overpass 11/11/06 (320x260, 1.8MB)
- 05: SB freight
at Beach Lake Road 12/06 (640x480, 2.6MB)
AVI video by Raymond Hamm
- 01: Oil can on the
Tanana Valley Model Railroad club's layout (2.2 MB)
YouTube video by Steven Katkus
- 01:
Denali Star at Talkeetna 9/2/06
- 02:
Budd RDCs at Talkeetna 9/2/06
- 03:
Denali Express Princess Cruise Train at Talkeetna 9/2/06
- 04:
McKinley Explorer Princess Cruise rail at Talkeetna 9/2/06
- 05: Freight and passenger trains cross
- 06: Northbound freight 7/30/24 (1280x720, 56.5MB)
- 07: Fair train 8/31/24 (1280x720, 23.5MB)
- 08: Work train at Pittman 4/10/25 (1920x1080, 134.4MB)
Last run of Rotary #3 by Rick Leggett
- 01:
Rotary #3 at Talkeetna 3/2/90 (480x360, 3.7MB)
- 02: Rotary
#3 at Sherman 3/2/90 (480x360, 4.3MB)
- 03: Rotary
#3 at Hurricane 3/3/90 (480x360, 2.4MB)
- 04: Rotary
#3 at Colorado 3/3/90 (480x360, 2.2MB)
- 05: Spreader
#8 at Colorado 3/4/90 (480x360, 2.8MB)
- 06: Rotary
#3 at Colorado 3/4/90 (480x360, 2.5MB)
- 07:
Spreader #8 at Broad Pass 3/4/90 (480x360, 2.5MB)
Video by Blake Moore
- 01: Trains passing
somewhere between Nenana and Fairbanks (look for RDC 701). 9/11/10 (404x540)
12.4MB
Video by Casey Durand
- 01: GP-38 #2005 used
as helper/cab unit in case the SD70MACs short out in flood waters. 5/28/13
(1920x1080) 104MB
- 02: Switching a hopper into Alaska Mill and Feed, 2/24/20 (1280x720, 59.6MB)
- 03: Southbound Denali Express at Old Glenn Highway overpass, 2/24/20 (1080x1920) 38.2MB
- 04: Work train in Whittier, 2/24/20, (1280x720) 36.9MB
- 05: Holland America A and B cars, 2/26/20 (320x240), 4.2 MB
- 06: Holland America C car, 2/26/20 (320x240), 2.1 MB
- 07: Princess E car, 2/26/20 (320x240), 2.1 MB
- 08: Loader, 2/26/20 (320x240), 3.1 MB
- 09: Southbound passenger, 2/26/20 (320x240), 5.3 MB
APU switching 12/25/20 (01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07)
Three heritage units at the Anton Anderson Tunnel. Arriving Whittier on 2/5/21 with all 3 remaining Black and Gold GP40s. Single digit temps, blowing 40mph and gusting over 50mph.
Three heritage units at Windy point, Southbound Whittier freight. Almost 7,000 feet of train. Locomotives were built and painted in 1974 and directly behind them are new flatcars built in 2020!
Three heritage units at unnamed creek just railroad south from Potter Section. 2/5/21
Three heritage units in Whittier 2/2/21
Speeders near Anchorage 9/21
Video by Robert Krol
Video by RaeEllen Kurzendoerfer
Video by Mike Gerenday
Video by John James Rice
Video by John Carrico
Video by Rusty Wendlandt
Video by Bill Hess
Video by Vanessa Crandell Beck
Video by Brian LeRoy
Video by Steve Katkus
Video by Robert Nelson
Video by Michael Maillet
Videos by R. Lolli Morrow
Video by Brice Douglas
Video by Terry Douglas
Video by Troy Gladle
Video by Graham Zielinski
Video (unknown)
Video by Geoff Brown
Turning the train around in Seward - Charter members aboard business car Aurora at the rear of the train were allowed to witness turning the entire 12 car train on the Y at Seward yard. Train conductor Vern Gillis was in contact with the locomotive crew by radio. An half an hour video in 3 parts.
- Alaska Railroad 4328 and 3013 lead the Coastal Classic out of Anchorage (6/13/24) (1920x1080, 77.6MB)
- The Coastal Classic is a daily summer train to Seward leaving Anchorage at 06.45am, seen here crossing 36th Avenue one of the many railroad crossings as it threads its way out of Anchorage heading south.
- 4007 ‘Spirit of Palmer’ leads 4001 and 4318 south bound out of Anchorage, Alaska (1920x1080, 141.4MB)
- It’s always good to get a wave and a thumbs up from the engineer. At 10:58pm this south bound freight is probably heading for the port of Whittier where the freight cars will be loaded onto a barge for the trip to Seattle and the lower 48 states, there being no rail conection between the Alaska Railroad and the railroads of Canada and the lower 48 states.
- Alaska Railroad 2.5 mile long Anton Anderson Memorial tunnel (6/16/24) (1920x1080, 294.6MB)
- The only land transport link into Whittier is the Anton Anderson Memorial or Whittier Tunnel it is a shared rail and road tunnel.
Built during World War II to connect the port city of Whittier to the Alaska Railroad's main line at Portage. The tunnel was constructed by the military as a secret facility, codenamed H-12, to support the war effort and provide a more reliable supply route for the railroad. The tunnel was also important for the war effort because it allowed the railroad to carry about 75% more freight traffic and provided a safer and more secure lifeline to Alaska.
It opened to vehicle traffic on June 7, 2000 after extensive conversion from a World War II railroad tunnel. The redesigned tunnel has a single uni-directional highway lane and a single-track railway.
The second tunnel seen at the end of the video is the 0.9-mile Portage tunnel.
- A train of gravel hopper crosses the road at 36th Avenue, Anchorage (6/17/25) (1920x1080, 242.5MB)
- Alaska Railroad SD70MAC 4012 “Spirit of Healy” and 4013 “Spirit of Nenana” with an 80 wagon train, I make no excuse for videoing the whole 80 wagon train as back in the UK we just don’t have lengthy freight trains like this anymore.
- Alaska Railroad 557 Engine Restoration Company fundraiser train ride, Welcome by CEO Bill O'Leary (6/19/24) (1920x1080, 284.3MB)
- Alaska Railroad 557 Engine Restoration Company fundraiser train ride, returning to Anchorage (6/21/24) (1920x1080), 364.2MB)
- From Grandview, (mile post 45) through the area known as the loop. Initially a huge spiraling, wooden trestle was built so steam engines could pull loads up the steep maintain grades (steam engines could only pull up a 1% grade) The tracks actually looped over one another. The Loop trestle was abandoned in 1951 due to high maintenance costs and the introduction of diesel locomotives that could pull up 3% grades.
- Alaska Railroad aboard the Coastal Classic - Tunnels (6/21/24) (1920x1080), 505.9MB)
- Riding the Coastal Classic through the tunnels between Spencer and Grandview, from the open corridor connection at the rear of the train.
- Engine 557 Restoration Company Alaska Railroad charter Anchorage to Seward - 5 tunnels (6/21/24) (1920x1080, 309MB)
- One of the most scenic and exciting parts of the route to Seward is the section through the Placer River Canyon where the line passes through a series of 5 tunnels, and although I have already put a video on here of this section filmed from the back of a train I couldn’t resist putting this one on as well.
This trip our carriage at the rear of the train halted on the bridge over the river as we exited the last of the 5 tunnels, known as tunnel 1 as this is the first tunnel from Seward, the reason for being stopped here will become apparent in the next video I put on.
Notice how some of the tunnel portals have numbers painted low down on the tunnel portals.
- Denali Star service Fairbanks to Anchorage passing Nenana Railroad Depot (6/25/24) (1920x1080, 122MB)
- The Mears Memorial Bridge which the train has just crossed can be seen in the distance as the train travels towards the depot. The structure in front of the bridge is a viewing platform for the Nenana Ice Classic tripod. The Ice Classic, a popular annual guessing game, started in 1917 by Alaska Railroad employees. Bets are made on the exact day and time the ice will break up, usually late April or early May. The tripod is set up on the river ice and when the ice moves the tripod 100 feet the clock stops. The annual payoff is more than 300,000 dollars, often split by several contestants.
- Hopper car freight train passing Nenana Depot (6/25/24) (1920x1080, 126.6MB)
- Not long after the south bound Denali Star, Fairbanks to Anchorage service train passed by, seen in the previous video this freight followed it.
- Alaska Railroad SD70MAC # 4323 returns north through the suburbs of Anchorage with a train of cruise line dome cars (6/26/24) (1920x1080, 107.5MB)
- I didn’t have to wait long for the next train following the south bound freight in the previous video and pictures, as at 11:06pm 4323, which I videoed earlier in the day passing south reappeared with its train of empty dome cars.
- Arriving at Denali Depot aboard Alaska Railroads north bound Denali Star service (6/27/24) (1920x1080, 337.8MB)
- Denali Stars meet at Colorado (6/27/24) (1920x1080, 197.8MB)
- Seen from the Vista Dome car of the southbound service the northbound Denali Star arrived stopping with the headend power side be side for the crews to change trains before passing us with the conductors on the front platform of the leading locomotive. This whole process of passing trains took the best part of an hour to take place, and just in case you’re wondering we did stop again to pick up our conductor after he had returned the loop turnout to the main running line.
- Passing Nenana Depot and crossing the Mears Memorial Bridge (6/27/24) (1920x1080, 291.3 MB)
- Aboard Alaska Railroad's Denali Star north bound service between Anchorage and Fairbanks. We pass under the George Parks Highway after which the depot is on the right, as we pass under the highway bridge the Mears Memorial Bridge can be seen in the distance, the railroad describes a 180-degree loop to gain height before the bridge. The old Nenana Depot is now the official Alaska State Railroad Museum, a gift shop, and a B&B. The Mears Memorial Bridge was the final link on the ARR route, completed by the American Bridge Company in February 1923. Construction involved building a huge trestle circling back and leading up to the bridge, then constructing the bridge itself by building upwards from pilings frozen in the river.
- Aboard the north bound Denali Star service, along the Nenana River gorge, part 1 (6/27/24) (1920x1080, 381.5MB)
- Aboard the north bound Denali Star service, along the Nenana River gorge, part 2 (6/27/24) (1920x1080, 496.9MB)
- Alaska Railroad north and south bound Denali Star trains passing at Broad Pass, MP 304 (1920x1080, 356MB)
- The Alaska Railroad Ride Guide says Broad Pass at 2,300 feet is the lowest pass across the Alaska Range and the entire Rocky Mountain chain. It is a windy stretch that has snow drifts up to 15 feet in the winter. The broad, beautiful valley between here and Summit is spectacular and so is the blueberry picking. Caribou may be seen here.
Summit is just 8.5 miles further up the track towards Fairbanks and is 63 feet higher.
Between May 9th and September 19th the Denali Star trains run daily between Anchorage and Fairbanks, departing at 08.20AM and arriving at 08.00PM. The head end crew and conductors change over trains at their passing points and return to their home depots but most of the on board train staff work through to the destination, staying overnight to return the following day.
Note the two conductors on the ground doing a roll by check of the train as we pass by.
- Along the Nenana River gorge aboard Alaska Railroads south bound Denali Star Fairbanks to Anchorage service, part 1. (6/28/24) (1920x1080, 439.1MB)
- Seen from Vista-Dome car no. 522.
- Further along the Nenana River gorge aboard Alaska Railroads south bound Denali Star Fairbanks to Anchorage service, part 2. (6/28/24) (1920x1080, 408.9MB)
- Seen from Vista-Dome car no. 522.
Video by Todd Shechter
Historical clips
- Rear end wreck 45MB
- Rear end wreck Mt. McKinley, Dome 7004 buckled, two women killed, Strong in front of 1526, locomotive crane, 5 units and 18 cars (1522, B unit, several 2000s)
- Grandview wreck – D.L. Smithson and George Ash tried to single a double with a bunch of light flats on the head and they string lined them; supposed to have doubled the hill
- Potter Hill
- That’s Lorzell on F7 1500
- Going toward tunnel – an area where they had bad slides
- Seward docks – logs destined to Japan
- More of tunnel including section house and tunnel shots
- Anchorage Yard with 1837
- Old shuttle with caboose 1078, locomotive 1839 6MB
- Bicentennial 1510 at Honolulu, Engineer Bill Reeke 8MB
- Railroad Travel through Seward, the Loop, and Tunnels
Great YouTube videos
Drone videos
- Frank Keller
- Snow train - bringing seven side-dump cars of snow from Fairbanks to Anchorage in support of the Iditarod (3/3/16) 98MB
- Alaska Railroad presentation at Austell Railfest, Georgia 2021 (720p 905MB; or 1080p 2.43GB)
- Mike Criss (via YouTube)
- Verne Pomraning (via YouTube)
- Anchorage gets stoned - A movie how Anchorage Sand and Gravel gets gravel from Palmer by train and hauled off by local trucks for Anchorage building projects.
Freight train under darkness near Anchorage (12/29/21)
Case wheel loader using a notched piece of steel to clear ice, snow and mud from the rail in the Whittier yard (12/16/22)
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This page was created 12/9/99 and last updated 5/11/25
