Railworks America

There is an interesting program on cable TV called "Railroad Alaska". This is on the " Destination America" cable channel at 10:00 PM on Saturday. About the problems of railroading in Alaska and the people that they serve. Next Saturday re-runs start at 6:00 PM.

Will be looking for it next Saturday. We had the opportunity to tour Alaska, the Anchorage, Seward, Valdez and Denali Park in 1993. We took the train from Anchorage to Denali Park. The train would stop to pick up passengers that flagged it down, pulled over to sidings when a coal train was traveling south. Not a high speed trip at all. It will be interesting to see if the procedures have changed.

Dave

Thanks for the heads up. Will look for it.

I watched it last night. It's a good show. I recommend it to all RR fans.
Because it is a relatively small RR and a small community of people, it's like everyone knows each other. That was my take on it. Check it out.

Also comes on Wednesday night at 10pm EST.

I caught the last few minutes of last nights episode. Looks pretty interesting. Hopefully they won't fill it with manufactured drama story lines.

Mydnyte wrote:Also comes on Wednesday night at 10pm EST.

I caught the last few minutes of last nights episode. Looks pretty interesting. Hopefully they won't fill it with manufactured drama story lines.

They try to add a little drama, but so far it's not been over the top like what they did with the "Extreme Trains" show that was on the History channel. I just wish they would show a little more rail action, but I guess they are trying to attract railfans and non railfans to the show.

A little drama is just part of life. I just hate it when they take a show that's interesting and fill it full of soap opera story lines and get to where they have to bleep out every third word.

Like that show Moonshiners. The first season was pretty good, but now, it's just a back woods soap opera.

Mydnyte wrote:Also comes on Wednesday night at 10pm EST.

I caught the last few minutes of last nights episode. Looks pretty interesting. Hopefully they won't fill it with manufactured drama story lines.

There is lots of drama, mothers walking 2 miles through deep snow for the train and to get formula. Another reality show, but this one has trains!

Rich_S wrote:
They try to add a little drama, but so far it's not been over the top like what they did with the "Extreme Trains" show that was on the History channel.

Oh man, that guy was so annoying. I felt bad for the trainmen he rode with

I rode on the Alaska RR back a few years ago from Whittier up to Anchorage after we got off a inner passage cruise from Vancouver. The ranger that was supposed to give the scenic description was out sick that day so one of the train men did the dialogue for us. I'm sure he was ten times more interesting than the ranger since he had been with the railroad for 28 years and had all kinds of stories. We got to see the cannon they used in the Winter to start snow slides. (They stopped the train and we hiked up to where it sat.) He pointed out where the original tracks ran on one of the switchbacks that was originally used and all kinds of other trivia. We were running with the power on the back of the train and when I asked him what they were using for a control car he said "Come on I'll show you." So he took several of us up and we got to talk to the engineer and he explained everything. Got to hang out the door of the baggage car (just a chain across the door) and look at the awesome scenery.

Altogether a really informal operation that was way more than I thought it was going to be. It's on my list of things to do to go back and take the train from Anchorage to Fairbanks. I believe one of the unique things is in Whittier the train and cars share a tunnel where the traffic light turns red on one end when the train is coming and the cars have to wait until the train comes through since the tracks are on the road......or the road is on the tracks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anton_Ande ... ial_Tunnel

I cant watch the show, not available outside of the US...

thecanadianrail wrote:I cant watch the show, not available outside of the US...

Try this:http://www.tvplease.so/railroad-alaska/

Marathon on right now till 6am for those who have Destination America.