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Alaska RR cars in the lower 48

Robert G P
 

Hello all, 

A recent mention made me wonder if anyone has photographic evidence or knows of any case where an Alaska RR boxcar or other railcar came into the lower 48 (outside of Washington/Oregon)? 

Seems to me this is unlikely because they had so many lower 48 cars up there around the clock that any originating loads bound south would be either A). Loaded in an appropriate car or B). If loaded in an  AK car then transloaded to an appropriate car for the 48 before loading onto a car ferry. 

Just a thought,  

-R 
Tim O'Connor
 

Dear R-

I have photos of Alaska RR cars in southern California, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Colorado. I suspect they went wherever
un-specialized freight cars went because the AAR rules let them roam.

Even though this photo is from 1968, these gondolas (ex-Rio Grande) were around in the 1950's. Sunshine made a kit for this car.

On 11/17/2022 3:05 PM, Robert G P wrote:

Hello all, 

A recent mention made me wonder if anyone has photographic evidence or knows of any case where an Alaska RR boxcar or other railcar came into the lower 48 (outside of Washington/Oregon)? 

Seems to me this is unlikely because they had so many lower 48 cars up there around the clock that any originating loads bound south would be either A). Loaded in an appropriate car or B). If loaded in an  AK car then transloaded to an appropriate car for the 48 before loading onto a car ferry. 

Just a thought,  

-R

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

arr_13398_40ft_gondola_GA-1_exD&RGW_BloomerWI_2-1968.jpg

Robert G P
 

Thanks so much for that Tim! I figured they probably did but since ARR was just like any other road. But also had doubts because of all the lower 48 cars readily at their disposal and the fact they were remote. 

-R

On Thu, Nov 17, 2022 at 3:10 PM Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...> wrote:
Dear R-

I have photos of Alaska RR cars in southern California, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Colorado. I suspect they went wherever
un-specialized freight cars went because the AAR rules let them roam.

Even though this photo is from 1968, these gondolas (ex-Rio Grande) were around in the 1950's. Sunshine made a kit for this car.

On 11/17/2022 3:05 PM, Robert G P wrote:
Hello all, 

A recent mention made me wonder if anyone has photographic evidence or knows of any case where an Alaska RR boxcar or other railcar came into the lower 48 (outside of Washington/Oregon)? 

Seems to me this is unlikely because they had so many lower 48 cars up there around the clock that any originating loads bound south would be either A). Loaded in an appropriate car or B). If loaded in an  AK car then transloaded to an appropriate car for the 48 before loading onto a car ferry. 

Just a thought,  

-R

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

Attachments:
Robert G P
 

*ignore that first but. 


On Thu, Nov 17, 2022 at 3:19 PM Robert G P <bobgp5109@...> wrote:
Thanks so much for that Tim! I figured they probably did but since ARR was just like any other road. But also had doubts because of all the lower 48 cars readily at their disposal and the fact they were remote. 

-R

On Thu, Nov 17, 2022 at 3:10 PM Tim O'Connor <timboconnor@...> wrote:
Dear R-

I have photos of Alaska RR cars in southern California, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Colorado. I suspect they went wherever
un-specialized freight cars went because the AAR rules let them roam.

Even though this photo is from 1968, these gondolas (ex-Rio Grande) were around in the 1950's. Sunshine made a kit for this car.

On 11/17/2022 3:05 PM, Robert G P wrote:
Hello all, 

A recent mention made me wonder if anyone has photographic evidence or knows of any case where an Alaska RR boxcar or other railcar came into the lower 48 (outside of Washington/Oregon)? 

Seems to me this is unlikely because they had so many lower 48 cars up there around the clock that any originating loads bound south would be either A). Loaded in an appropriate car or B). If loaded in an  AK car then transloaded to an appropriate car for the 48 before loading onto a car ferry. 

Just a thought,  

-R

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

Attachments:
earlyrail
 

<< A recent mention made me wonder if anyone has photographic evidence or knows of any case where an Alaska RR boxcar or other railcar came into the lower 48 (outside of Washington/Oregon)?


I have a photo of and Alaska RR gondola in Charleston SC

Howard Garner
Curt Fortenberry
 


ARR cars started appearing stateside after the rail barge service started in the mid 60's.  You'll see shots from all over the US.  Gons were frequent, and the ex troop cars converted to boxcars.  Flats and hoppers too.  Thus you won't find ARR rosters in ORER's before then.

The Sunshine ARR gon model is nice, ARR's had a different end that he did nicely.  FYI, the kit decals were the wrong color (white but should be yellow).  I did a replacement decal for Martin but not sure how many ARR models he sold.  These 40', and the ex DRGW mill gons, are still in MOW service here.

Curt Fortenberry
al_brown03
 

I saw an ARR gondola in Madison, Wisconsin, in the summer of '79.

Al Brown, Melbourne, Fla.
BRIAN PAUL EHNI
 

A photo I shot back in the 70’s. Don’t remember where.

 

 

Thanks!
--

Brian Ehni

 

 

From: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of al_brown03 <abrown@...>
Reply-To: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 3:45 PM
To: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Alaska RR cars in the lower 48

 

I saw an ARR gondola in Madison, Wisconsin, in the summer of '79.

Al Brown, Melbourne, Fla.

ARR 8026.jpg

ARR 8026.jpg

ARR 8026.jpg

Curt Fortenberry
 


ARR rebuilt 30 troop cars in 1970 into hi-cubes (of sorts) series 8000-8029.  Whack off the top, add the top part from a donor car.  

All are retired now.  

Curt Fortenberry
Chuck Soule
 

There was, and still is, regular car ferry (barge) service between Puget Sound and Alaska, particularly between Seattle and Whittier.  Once a car arrived in Puget Sound, it would be routed just like any other freight car.

Chuck Soule
Tim O'Connor
 


I think the ARR had little rolling stock listed in the ORER before, uh, what 1950 ? I don't know when the
car ferries began but it may have been around 1949 when the ARR acquired the gondolas from the Rio Grande.


On 11/17/2022 3:19 PM, Robert G P wrote:

Thanks so much for that Tim! I figured they probably did but since ARR was just like any other road. But also had doubts because of all the lower 48 cars readily at their disposal and the fact they were remote. 

-R


--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
Tim O'Connor
 


This one looks retired in Seattle, in 1986. These old troop sleepers (rebuilt as XM box cars) lasted a long time.


On 11/17/2022 4:48 PM, BRIAN PAUL EHNI wrote:

A photo I shot back in the 70’s. Don’t remember where.


Brian Ehni

 

 

From: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of al_brown03 <abrown@...>
Reply-To: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Date: Thursday, November 17, 2022 at 3:45 PM
To: <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Subject: Re: [RealSTMFC] Alaska RR cars in the lower 48

 

I saw an ARR gondola in Madison, Wisconsin, in the summer of '79.

Al Brown, Melbourne, Fla.

Attachments:

_._,_._,_


--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts

arr_10264 50ft_SD_box rebuilt troop-sleeper SeattleWA 5-1986.ebay.cobles.jpg

Tim O'Connor
 


I imagine that when an Alaska freight car ended up in Canada or Seattle with a load, that there was a
pretty strong incentive to find another load for it's return trip ! That could easily have led to wandering
around the main North American rail system for a while.


On 11/17/2022 4:17 PM, Curt Fortenberry wrote:
ARR cars started appearing stateside after the rail barge service started in the mid 60's.  You'll see shots from all over the US.  Gons were frequent, and the ex troop cars converted to boxcars.  Flats and hoppers too.  Thus you won't find ARR rosters in ORER's before then.

The Sunshine ARR gon model is nice, ARR's had a different end that he did nicely.  FYI, the kit decals were the wrong color (white but should be yellow).  I did a replacement decal for Martin but not sure how many ARR models he sold.  These 40', and the ex DRGW mill gons, are still in MOW service here.

Curt Fortenberry

--
Tim O'Connor
Sterling, Massachusetts
Douglas Harding
 

Here is a brief history of Alaska Railroad http://backcountrysafaris.com/alaska-railroad/railroad-history.php

The Alaska railroad was funded by Congress in 1914 and completed in 1923. It was/is government owned and landlocked, so not listed in ORERs. The first rail barge, ie interchange, service to Seattle was begun in 1962. 1963 the railroad came under the jurisdiction of the ICC over tariff rates. Prior to the barge service I suspect all railroad rolling stock was transported to Alaska via ship as cargo ie empty.

 

Doug Harding

https://www.facebook.com/douglas.harding.3156/

Youtube: Douglas Harding Iowa Central Railroad
Mark Vinski
 

I have a slide of a Alaska RR gondola that I did some air brake work on at the Union RR car shop near Pittsburgh, Pa. around 1970-71.

I also have a slide of one of the converted troop cars delivering lumber to a lumber yard at Glenwood on the B&O near Pittsburgh.

Mark
Ken Vandevoort
 

Attached is a photo of an Alaska caboose on a Rock Island freight in Pella, Iowa going through the Central College campus.  The date is February, 1980 and I have 19 different shots of it.

Ken Vandevoort

Alaska 1068 _2_.jpg

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