Passenger, Freight
Service Stepped Up
On Alaska Railroad
Stepped - up passenger and
freight train service on The Alas
ka Railroad between the key
t-ities of Anchorage and Fairbanks
wa. an ;unced by Colonel J. P.
Johnson, general manager of the
railroad. The new schedules are
now effective.
month—as quickly as new time
tables can be printed, Johnson
said.
Under the revised schedule
the streamliner Aurora will
slash an hour and 15 minutes
' off its running time north to
Fairbanks. That puts the train
into the interior city at 9:15
p.m. each Monday, Wednesday
and Friday.
On its return trip to Anchorage,
the Turora is to arrive at 9 p.m.—
an hour and one-half earlier than
current timetables.
Fast through freights will cut
an hour from the schedule bv
leaving Anchorage at 8:45 p.m.
and arriving in Fairbanks at 4:55
a.m.
This is the second major reduc
tion in Alaska Railroad schedules
, within the past six months. The
railroad clipped 12 hours off the
Anchorage-Fairbanks freight run
only last May.
The improved service is a “div
idend to railroad stockholders—
the Alaskan taxpayers,” Colonel
Johnson said.
“When the railroad initiated its
rehabilitation program in 1947.”
the general manager declared, “it
promised improved service and
cheaper rates.”
Since that time, and despiie
rising operational costs, The Alas
ka Railroad instigated three major
tariff reductions and cut delivery
schedules on several occasions, he
! pointed out.
More schedules are earmarked
for conversion to faster running
times.
At the end of next month
freight and passenger trains
will be zipping over the new
Turnagain Arm railroad. Trains
once held to 25 miles an hour
in this district can now clock
off 45 miles an hour.
Between Anchorage and Fair
banks, at various points, speed
limits are being raised to 60 miles
an hour.
Many other railroad improve
ments came with the summer
construction season, according to
Johnson, all of which will make
for more expeditious service.
The first freight train flashed
through the new Potter Hill line
change between Mile 103 and 105
last week.
Work is underway on relocat
ing a mile and one-half of the
mainline north of Anchorage.
It will bypass the freight yards,
eliminating interference with
switching operations, and jump
Ship ~reek via a new steel
bridge at Mile Post 115.
By the end of next year, trains
| will float over new 115-pound
steel rails from Portage, 50 miles
south of Anchorage, all the way
to Fairbanks.
' Rail relaying moved at a swift
pace during the construction sea
son. The construction firms of
W. A. Smith Co. and Brown and
Root Construction Co. replaced
70-pound steel with sturdy 115
pound rails between Caswell and
Curry, Broad Pass and Chulitna
and Clear to Fairbanks.
All total they installed 147
miles of new steel rails.
Thai pari of ihe railroad be
tween Portage and Seward was
strengthened and orders placed
for two steel bridges. These
sturdy spans are earmarked for
Mile 47.8 and Mile 51.8—the
"front and back doors" of the
Loop.
Repairs also were made to ten
other bridges on the south end.
A study is underway as to the
feasibility of driving two tunnels
in the Nenana River canyon area,
north of McKinley Park, and thus
avoiding continuous rock slides.
The program is not part of regular
r ilroad planning and would re
quire a special appropriation.
If authorized, the tunnels [
would be 5500 fset and 1200 feet
long and be sandwiched into
the area between Miles 356 and
358. Slides disrupted service
here this summer.
Other large scale construction
was undertaken along the railbelt.
At Fairbanks final work was com
pleted on a 900-kilowatt power
plant in the railroad terminal
yards. Construction of a 1700
kilowatt plant was started at An
chorage in conjunction with the
Chugach Electric Association and
is to be occupied by mid-Decem
ber.
A huge warehouse, for railroad
storage, was built at Anchorage.
The Alaska Railroad Announces:
! Jaster Passenger Service
\ BETWEEN ANCHORAGE AND FAIRBANKS ON THE "AURORA"
To Alaskan Travelers:
It is a genuine pleasure to announce taster train schedules between Anchorage and
Fairbanks. For the past four years The Alaska Railroad has pushed its rehabilitation
program with the aim of bringing Alaskans the best possible service at the most eco
nomical rates.
Despite rising labor and operational costs, the railroad has been able to pass along
rehabilitation savings to shippers and travelers. At the same time service improved.
Three major rate reductions were perfected. Only last last May rehabilitation progress
made it possible to trim 12 hours off the freight schedule between Anchorage and Fair
banks. An additional cut is planned this month.
As lime goes on, the railroad expects to offer even better# service. Right now
Alaskans are getting the best rail transportation on wheels.
Sincerely,
J. P. JOHNSON, General Manager
The Alaska Railroad.
NEW SCHEDULE NOW IN EFFECT
\ Monday—Wednesday—Friday ▲ Tuesday—Thursday—Saturday
Leave Anchorage . . . .8:30 a. m Leave Fairbanks.8:30 a. m.
Arrive Fairbanks ... .9:15 p. m. ▼ Arrive Anchorage . . . .9:00 p. m.
Travel the Deluxe 'Aurora' Way
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