Goodbye to Alaskan Rail

Fairbanks-Talkeetna – Anchorage

Sorry you didn’t see Denali Mountain, moose or caribou…….. there is a chance but I warn you ,it is mighty slim. Rain has followed us from Fairbanks but the locals said it has been raining on and off since June. You have been sooooo lucky! You have just had the odd light shower that hasn’t stopped you seeing anything. We just had time to visit the Denali Visitors centre before the train left.

Crossing Hurricane Gulch and travelling through the mountains and valleys gives you a true understanding of how difficult the building of the Alaskan railway was. Of course the scenery is magnificent.          

     



Talkeetna is a historical town. Many of its buildings date back to the early 1900’s. It stays open all year long. Last year there  was so much snow, people’s windows were covered. Light was restricted to special light bulbs and the open door. Short hours of light, travelling 1.5 hours to Wasilla ( the next big town) for supplies makes winter life here hard. You can understand why so many people don’t stay.      

There are many original log buildings including the Nagley general store. The owner ‘s cat, Stubbs, was the unofficial mayor for many years. He won the position by receiving 7 votes concerning the town being made a ‘city’.He held the position for 20 years.No, I only saw a picture as he died in 2017.


I loved the movies in the local museum it gave you an insight in how people used everything. It is in the original school house. 12 students started and the teacher lived in rooms above the classroom.


 

A. new chair for your family room?

Building the railway was the worst …….they dug out so much rock by hand. The pay was 37.5 cents per hour. Their living conditions were primitive and all for a mere $64 remaining for 6 months work after deductions for necessities like food, accommodation and clothes. This would have to last 6 months until building started again.

Would you spend 3 weeks climbing a mountain? They have to acclimatise to the thin air and cold , so spend a few days at each elevation. The National Parks staff that spend a month at a time at the highest camp to help those climbers ,who get injured or suffer altitude sickness , need an award for service or a mental health check!

A few quirky sights and plants before we leave.

   
I see a moose, one of many but all a  bit stilted I’m afraid.

I did find a quilt shop that sold material designed in Alaska.

Anchorage is next! Just a short 4 hour train trip today and then your Alaskan train journey is complete……want more? Come back another time and do the Seward section or go on the Hurricane train.