For a time I was fascinated by the Alaska Rail Barge operation, which involves a large barge with 8 tracks and overhead racks for containers which is shuttled more than 1,000 miles (1609 km) between Whittier, Alaska and Seattle, Washington by a large ocean going tugboat. The rail cars and containers are unloaded and taken 60 miles (96 km) north to Anchorage, Alaska.
Alaska Rail #3011 a GP-40-2 and #30D12 which appears to be the same type of unit. I can't find any info on the unusual loco number. Could it be a slug?
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.775...i7HA_vOg!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Here's a poor image of the barge docked at Whittier.
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.776...NspVwoVg!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Just for reference, here's a better image of the barge in an industry newsletter. Notice the tow cables leading off to the right into the water. A few web searches can bring up quite a bit about the interesting transport by barge operation.
https://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/heading-north-navigating-alaskas-supply-chain/
A 2.5 mile (4km) long mixed use tunnel leads northward from Whittier. Highway traffic is blocked when trains are using the tunnel.
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.777...4!1sSRbBG7oN_E4yCi09xA8_tw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Headed north toward Anchorage -- looking for locos, but finding MOW instead -- here's a shot of ballasting and more MOW equipment to the right. The equipment appears in several years, so perhaps it is a storage area? In 2021, more equipment is in use further left/north, frustrating my search for trains.
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.837...SlN8LZiQ!2e0!5s20090801T000000!7i16384!8i8192
Following the highway northward checking several years, a northbound passenger train _finally_ appeared, but Google won't give a close shot of it possibly for privacy constraints.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.011...8hKcCZPQ!2e0!5s20090801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
The street view car is headed south so this is the view where the northbound first appears.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.012...3q12gEbA!2e0!5s20211001T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Finally found a freight train headed by #4319 and #4317, both apparently a Progress Rail (EMD) SD70MAC, going south in another year. Not quite certain what loads are on the first few flatcars.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.060...IO20eiXQ!2e0!5s20110901T000000!7i16384!8i8192
And caboose #1092 bringing up the rear. Notice how many "smokestacks" it has. Do you think it gets cold there?
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.062...h9dTCNuQ!2e0!5s20110901T000000!7i16384!8i8192
Using an elevated highway as a vantage point in northern Anchorage to view the railroad's facilities, a couple more locos are parked (too far away to read numbers). Panning to the right exposes some freight cars and lots of passenger cars. Also a long consist of yellow side dump cars filled with large rocks.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.226...01.171776&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192
This post nearly turned into an essay. I hope it isn't too boring.
Alaska Rail #3011 a GP-40-2 and #30D12 which appears to be the same type of unit. I can't find any info on the unusual loco number. Could it be a slug?
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.775...i7HA_vOg!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Here's a poor image of the barge docked at Whittier.
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.776...NspVwoVg!2e0!5s20110801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Just for reference, here's a better image of the barge in an industry newsletter. Notice the tow cables leading off to the right into the water. A few web searches can bring up quite a bit about the interesting transport by barge operation.
https://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/heading-north-navigating-alaskas-supply-chain/
A 2.5 mile (4km) long mixed use tunnel leads northward from Whittier. Highway traffic is blocked when trains are using the tunnel.
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.777...4!1sSRbBG7oN_E4yCi09xA8_tw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192
Headed north toward Anchorage -- looking for locos, but finding MOW instead -- here's a shot of ballasting and more MOW equipment to the right. The equipment appears in several years, so perhaps it is a storage area? In 2021, more equipment is in use further left/north, frustrating my search for trains.
https://www.google.com/maps/@60.837...SlN8LZiQ!2e0!5s20090801T000000!7i16384!8i8192
Following the highway northward checking several years, a northbound passenger train _finally_ appeared, but Google won't give a close shot of it possibly for privacy constraints.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.011...8hKcCZPQ!2e0!5s20090801T000000!7i13312!8i6656
The street view car is headed south so this is the view where the northbound first appears.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.012...3q12gEbA!2e0!5s20211001T000000!7i13312!8i6656
Finally found a freight train headed by #4319 and #4317, both apparently a Progress Rail (EMD) SD70MAC, going south in another year. Not quite certain what loads are on the first few flatcars.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.060...IO20eiXQ!2e0!5s20110901T000000!7i16384!8i8192
And caboose #1092 bringing up the rear. Notice how many "smokestacks" it has. Do you think it gets cold there?
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.062...h9dTCNuQ!2e0!5s20110901T000000!7i16384!8i8192
Using an elevated highway as a vantage point in northern Anchorage to view the railroad's facilities, a couple more locos are parked (too far away to read numbers). Panning to the right exposes some freight cars and lots of passenger cars. Also a long consist of yellow side dump cars filled with large rocks.
https://www.google.com/maps/@61.226...01.171776&pitch=0&thumbfov=100!7i16384!8i8192
This post nearly turned into an essay. I hope it isn't too boring.
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