# CRD 2011



## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Opening up the outdoor railroad for the season: The time is overdue for me to start a new thread. After all, we are in a new year and the old thread has become somewhat dated. This one begins on March 3rd--the last quarter of winter here in the North Country. Although the way it has been lately, it is more like the last HALF of winter has just started. We are have seen well into the minus 30s for the last two nights, with temperatures barely reaching to about 10 above during mid-afternoon. We experienced a series of late-winter snow storms that added significantly to our snow load in what is normally a very dry country. Officially precipitation here is under 15 inches annually, but you would never know it by viewing our last snow levels. But with the days growing longer at the rate of about six minutes a day, it is only a matter of time before significant melting will commence and spring break-up will be underway. As of today we are still about two months away from the annual break-up of the Tanana River at Nenana--the event started by railroad workers looking for something to do and a new way to gamble away their money back in 1917. And, in fact, it will probably take the next two months for us to rid ourselves of all this snow and ice. For awhile this might be a "watch the snow melt away" thread. We will see how it develops. 

 Two days ago I cleared a pathway over to the Cicely model town structure. That area had been inaccessible for quite some time due to rather extreme winter weather. But I love to take photos of the model, and with reasonable daytime temperatures returning to this valley, it was time to open up the area for the first photos of an early spring. Perhaps that is being a bit optimistic, but I am going with that sentiment. So we are off. 
Above is a shot of the rear of the building that houses part of my railroad display--Uncle Nicolai's Shop. That building also has four sleeping rooms in it that will be opened up sometime within the next two months. It has some interesting snow patterns on the roof thanks to several days of gusting winds. 

Below you see the beginning of the path I dug out with a Sears Craftsman 30 inch blower. Even with that machine, this process involved a lot of work. The snow has become compressed and takes time to work through.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Down the path . . .it's a good thing I left that gate open early this winter or it would be iced-shut leaving this area inaccessible until April. 
  The pathway to the left heads to the back of the bar. The one to the right is the direction we are going.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

All of these photos, as usual, are clickable to a larger size, in this case 2250 pixels-wide. These ones are all 800 px except for the vertical ones that are 600 px-wide. 
Here you can barely see the end of the western edge of the Sulphur Springs Wye that I installed last year. Not much to see of it yet. You can already see the effects of the sun rays melting the edge of the canopy on the Cicely model structure. Even though the ambient temperatures are low, the sun rays are already quite intense. One month ago there would have been ZERO effect of the sun rays. A month before that the sun was not even hitting this building. 

 Looking toward the eastern-end of the outdoor layout, you can see Mt. Wrangell through the trees.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The walkway: Plenty of snow on the far end. Note that in a lot of places on the upper track the snow has largely been knocked off the track by heavy winds over the last few days. In other places, heavy, icy clumps remain. 
 Below is the beginning of the Sulphur Springs Wye exposed in the last few days by a combination of wind and sun rays.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Views of the west side of the Cicely model structure: 
 I had to clear the snow off the bridge. The deck was starting to separate from the substructure, heavily tilting the tracks toward the south (the left).


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Looking back down the path toward the southeast: Visible is the stub of the far-western end of the Sulphur Springs Wye. 
 This is the most snow I have yet seen on this section of track to the immediate west of the Cicely model structure:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

As you can see from these two images, the Kennecott model structure is still blocked off by snow. I will dig out to it in the next few days and will then raise the flag for the season on the 35-foot pole seen here. 
 The railroad yard below the model town of Cicely has succeeded in protecting all that rolling stock through one more winter. You can see the snow encroaching on the far end. But the cars are safely out of the way. On that end is the beginning of the Sulphur Springs Wye, which also marks the far end and turn-around of this model railroad. Access is by means of the middle rail you see here at the lowest level which is currently occupied by a group of Great Northern passenger coaches. To its left are AmTrak coaches and to its right are Northern Pacific passenger coaches. These will be back in operation by about mid-April--I hope !


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Inside the Cicely Model Structure, all is in good order and awaiting the opening of the railroad:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Sometime during the winter a Pep Boys franchise took over the 4-bay automobile repair business, although from the front it still sports the old name: 
 A major franchise in such a small town ? Do these guys know something the rest of us don't ?


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Over on the east end of town at the old Northwestern Mining Company coal tipple, three Caterpillar pipe layers are positioned and waiting in anticipation of gas pipeline construction activities rumored to be coming to the region. 
 These three units, plus a large dozer, were all cleaned up and repainted in an northern Alyeska repair shop where they had been sitting since the original pipeline construction days some three decades before. The new owner is betting his small fortune that he can sell these to a yet-to-be named construction company for a project that may never happen. But, after all, speculation is what makes some people millionaires while, for most others, it makes a small fortune out of a large one. 
 All we can hope is that this speculator has a GOOD lobbyist in the Juneau capital and that he can buy his legislators at a reasonable price ! Judging by recent Alaskan history, the latter should be no problem.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Thus, one way or another, it seems, there are always those waiting here in our own little town of Cicely to suck the unwary dry !


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Alas it is only too easy to be taken in by the temptations offered by this very alluring town: 
  This busy downtown scene with all those street women is not all that different from how things appeared during the height of pipeline construction in beautiful downtown Fairbanks.
  Oh, let's just break down and admit it. For those of us who lived through this once before, we would LOVE to see this happen again just ONE more time !


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

During pipeline construction days we had TWO of those Big Boy franchises, now long-gone, in Anchorage. I used to regularly eat breakfast in one of them back in the late '70s
 Of course, they WERE just a tad larger than THIS small art-deco-style diner ! As for those '50s cars, haven't seen many of them since I grew up in Ketchikan, well before pipeline construction days.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, I thoroughly enjoyed your pictures! Some of them, like the town of Cicely and the train yard underneath it, look just like last summer. Other views like with the piles of snow on the tracks look VERY different! Glad to see and hear though that the clamp of winter is easing up a little at least. How long before you can get back to work on your addition???

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Another business comes to mind that undoubtedly anxiously awaits a new pipeline boom in Alaska: 
 To say that the liquor was flowing in the streets of downtown Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau and Ketchikan during does days does not even give the construction era its due. One would have had to be there to believe it. Those were times like no other--at least not since the Gold Rush days the early 20th Century.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 03 Mar 2011 07:58 PM 
 Ron, I thoroughly enjoyed your pictures! Some of them, like the town of Cicely and the train yard underneath it, look just like last summer. Other views like with the piles of snow on the tracks look VERY different! Glad to see and hear though that the clamp of winter is easing up a little at least. How long before you can get back to work on your addition???

Ed

Probably not until about mid-summer, although some insulation and sheet-rock work will occur on the lower level in order to accommodate the new liquor storage room that will be in service to replace the one that will now house the stairwell to the upper level living quarters.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

My fingers were nearly frozen after taking that last set of close-up pictures INSIDE the Cicely model structure ! I had to thaw out in the house.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Meanwhile the LGB Aster, WP #73 is side-lined at the out-of-service Chitina depot on the abandoned CRNW tracks awaiting the return of the summer season:
 Behind it is a line of short coaches kept on hand for the tourists who will board at Skagway. All of this will be transferred to the ALCANEX mainline once the new season arrives.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

One of my prize pieces of rolling stock is this rare LGB White Pass drovers caboose--a very limited-edition piece. This one was costly, but worth it. This is connected to the line of WP coaches seen in the previous post. I believe this was a California "Gold Coast Station" exclusive special-run. Can't help wondering how many of these were ever produced.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Last year I used WP #73 in conjunction with these two Aristocraft AKRR coaches and the caboose seen here, which I see needs new decals. These have been sitting in place as you see here since the end of last season, Sept 2010. It is a short consist, but just about right for this application. You have seen the entire consist together in a previous photo from the 2010 season. These tracks behind the bar are part of the ALCANEX mainline--the operating line for the 2011 season. The upper CRNW Railway line is out of use once again while it awaits major upgrades that will not occur this year.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Google-Earth view showing the paths dug out of the snow in yellow and the ALCANEX mainline track system in red:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

_It is highly unlikely there will be any additions to the CRD track plan this year. Shown below is the existing line all the way to the Sulphur Springs wye and then a planned extension (purple) of the KMR to the approximate location of Grand Forks. Although it may never be constructed, I still will include it in my plans. _
  _However, even though I have more or less abandoned the original Phase III plans that called for a Klondike Mines Railway narrow-gauge extension, I am still considering adding onto the line at the east end of the existing Sulphur Springs Wye with the intent of including features from the historic KMR. I have received additional impetus because I discovered that I can order a copy of the original construction plans for the SE segment--the half of the line that ran from Grand Forks to Sulphur Springs. I have gone ahead and prepared the order. Below are segments of the map as found on line that I am ordering in full-size--An exciting prospect to say the least. _







_ Above is only a part of the SE segment (1/2 of the full 31-mile KMR line)._
_The next two images show the extreme eastern end of the line, which was Sulphur Springs before the wye was constructed. _








The wye that I have built is out-of-proportion to the historic one because I had to accommodate much-longer consists in full standard gauge. However, I chose to retain the historic name because the original plans called for this wye to be located at that spot on my outdoor layout. [/i]


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

_The map includes the segment you see below, which is the far-western end of the eastern 1/2 of the KMR. This leaves open the possibility of ultimately re-creating Grand Forks based on its original layout. It was a true piece of serendipity to run across this map at the UAF Archives. The archives apparently does not have a copy of the western 1/2 of the KMR, but the eastern segment is of greatest interest to me, so this works out well. _


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Those plans are pretty exciting, Ron! That was quite a find! Have you given any more thought to getting railroad service in and out of your Kennecott mining complex?? I remember we talked about the problems and some possibilities when I was there last summer. It seems like such a shame to me to have that beautiful mining complex there and not being able to get trains in and out of it.

I was intrigued by your google view of your property and how the railroad fits on it. Neat usage of modern technology!

Thanks too for all the pictures, I thoroughly enjoyed all of them.

Ed


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron 
how was you able to copy and past the photo from G.E.? I found mine but no way to save the photo. 

You must have some really good run times on those mains.
thanks bud.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 04 Mar 2011 06:29 PM 
Ron 
how was you able to copy and past the photo from G.E.? I found mine but no way to save the photo. 

You must have some really good run times on those mains.
thanks bud. 

On Google-Earth, go to: *FILE > SAVE > SAVE IMAGE *[/i]


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 04 Mar 2011 06:27 PM 
Those plans are pretty exciting, Ron! That was quite a find! Have you given any more thought to getting railroad service in and out of your Kennecott mining complex?? I remember we talked about the problems and some possibilities when I was there last summer. It seems like such a shame to me to have that beautiful mining complex there and not being able to get trains in and out of it.

I was intrigued by your google view of your property and how the railroad fits on it. Neat usage of modern technology!

Thanks too for all the pictures, I thoroughly enjoyed all of them.

Ed

It won't happen this year. I need a good 150 feet of additional track to connect the one to the other. And then the engineering standards of the Phase I line do not match those of the Phase II line. So I have to upgrade the Phase I line as well.Thus, for now, the CRNW Railway line is indeed an abandoned garden railroad line, albeit, still intact.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Upgrades mean progress. Upgrades are GOOD!!!!


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## dieseldude (Apr 21, 2009)

Ron- Nice pictures, thanks for sharing. In the picture with the Big Boy restaurant, it looks like you've got an Airstream camping trailer (behind restaurant). Is that a camper? If so, what scale is it and where'd ya get it? -Kevin.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The old Kennecott Mines Railway track grade- the Copper River & Northwestern Railway-- is now effectively an abandoned line. 
  There were a limited number of runs in 2010, but that is far less likely to happen this year until the upgrades are completed.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron 
it would not let me copy it to the computer. I was able to print it but only at the 200 ft size. 
My wife helped but no go. 
its fairly new photos because my neighbors new shop is in it.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By dieseldude on 04 Mar 2011 07:15 PM 
Ron- Nice pictures, thanks for sharing. In the picture with the Big Boy restaurant, it looks like you've got an Airstream camping trailer (behind restaurant). Is that a camper? If so, what scale is it and where'd ya get it? -Kevin. 
I have two of them. These were originally produced in the mid-1990s by Franklin Mint at a sale price of $179.00. That's when I ordered my first one, seen below. I bought a second one through Ebay a few years ago and paid nearly double for it. They are indeed the highly sought-after 1:24 scale !


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 04 Mar 2011 07:30 PM 
Ron 
it would not let me copy it to the computer. I was able to print it but only at the 200 ft size. 
My wife helped but no go. 
its fairly new photos because my neighbors new shop is in it. 
Do you have the latest version of Google-Earth ? I save my GE images to a file and then process them with Photoshop. I've been doing that for at least the last two years.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 04 Mar 2011 07:41 PM 
Posted By NTCGRR on 04 Mar 2011 07:30 PM 
Ron 
it would not let me copy it to the computer. I was able to print it but only at the 200 ft size. 
My wife helped but no go. 
its fairly new photos because my neighbors new shop is in it. 
Do you have the latest version of Google-Earth ? I save my GE images to a file and then process them with Photoshop. I've been doing that for at least the last two years. 
My version is: Google Earth 5.2.1.1588, Build Date Sept 1, 2010. If yours is an earlier version, try getting rid of it entirely and downloading the new version. When I hit "save" on mine it immediately brings up the file that I use for saving GE. So did my prior version of it.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 04 Mar 2011 06:29 PM 
Ron 
how was you able to copy and past the photo from G.E.? I found mine but no way to save the photo. 

You must have some really good run times on those mains. 


Actually, I do have some great run times on the mainline. Every time I upgrade it I try to improve the performance of the overall layout. So far so good. 

Ask Ed about that. He ran it several times last summer and had a great time with the layout. 


  _At the end of the line before the Sulphur Springs Wye was installed _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

_Two more views from the abandoned section of the CRD line: _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

One can derive some remarkable images from Google-Earth:
This is the view from Copper Center, near where I live, looking east toward the Wrangell Range. In view are Mounts Drum, Wrangell and Blackburn. Click this image for a REALLY impressive one:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Google-Earth is a remarkable tool. Here you see (click for a much-larger image) maps I have created of the Kennecott mines area using GE. Those colored lines are the historic locations of the various aerial tram lines that once existed there (and to a large extent, many of these have still survived somewhat intact). I have carefully located the mine camps and adits and other historic features and placed them for future reference on these maps. 
The first image is an _overview_ of the entire area from the town of McCarthy, to include all of the Kennecott mine sites from Mother Lode to Erie, plus Nicolai Prospect and the Green Butte copper mines. 

  The lower image focuses in on the Kennecott mines with an elevation exaggeration of "1." You can go as high as "3," but "1" is the realistic number.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, I know the rail lines in and out of the real Kennecott mining complex are long abandoned, but you don't have to be THAT realistic!!!!! And by the way, you just HAVE to share with us how your WP&Y Mikado runs after DAve's rework (I know we have to wait until the snow leaves!!!)

And Marty, yes, you can have some great run times on Ron's mainline. As he said I spent a lot of time running my SD45 on his mainline pulling a number of his freight cars, and had a most enjoyable time! I have to say that Ron's railroad is definitely awesome!!!!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 05 Mar 2011 01:26 PM 
Ron, I know the rail lines in and out of the real Kennecott mining complex are long abandoned, but you don't have to be THAT realistic!!!!! 


Ed
Ed, even after the line closed in 1938, O.A. Nelson, who owned most of what was left of Chitina, ran this "O.A. Nelson Chitina Auto-Railer" from about 1939 until soimetime in 1947. It ran from the east bank of the Copper River (the trestle crossing the Copper washed out in early 1939) all the way to Kennecott and back, supplying whoever remained out in the McCarthy area--mostly small mining operations, but also the caretakers at Kennecott itself. 


I am thinking about setting up some similar operation until I can make the necessary changes to the track. 
 *Chitina Auto-railer on the Gilahina trestle, about half-way between Chitina and McCarthy*


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 05 Mar 2011 01:26 PM 
Ron, I know the rail lines in and out of the real Kennecott mining complex are long abandoned, but you don't have to be THAT realistic!!!!! 


Ed
ED, this configuration appears to be the most realistic tie-in from the Phase II back up to the Phase I line. From point [2] at the southern end of the East Loop to point [1] on the north end of the Kennecott mill loop is a distance of 246 feet (yet another great feature of Google-Earth is the ability to gain such measurements for projects such as this one). This path is one I have considered before because it follows the fence line, thus allowing me to take advantage of existing vertical supports for almost the entire length of the line. This route also avoids existing pathways and railways where overhead distances would otherwise cause obstructions or other problems. The distance is sufficient to keep the slope at about a two-percent maximum grade. One other advantage is that it will only require me to rebuild a section of the Kennecott town site area rather than include the entire CRNW Railway line because I can make provisions for a return point back to the* proposed 246-foot **CRNW** extension* track that avoids all the old track of the McCarthy-Chitina area. In any case, because most of the vertical supports are already in place (although some reinforcement will be required along much of the fence line), it appears that the main expense will be the additional Llagas track and two new manual-throw wide-angle switches. 
 *Click for larger image 
[/i]*


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Today I dug a path up the western stairs of the Kennecott model housing structure to gain access to the rear stairs on the east that are closest to the 35-foot flagpole so I could raise the flag. It was ten degrees and clear. Below is a photo I took of the area just after sunrise, *April 11, 2006 *. The Cicely model structure had not yet been constructed, but the original Phase II ALCANEX line--back then I called it the GN main line--had been in place since the previous summer. As you can see, there was still a fair amount of snow on the ground then, but what you cannot see is that the rails were largely exposed and usable had I chosen to run a train down that track on that day ( I did not). The earliest I have ever run the rails was, if I am not mistaken, last year on that date. 

The photo is clickable to a larger size


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The first consists I ran down that track in the late summer of 2006 were indeed Great Northern consists such as this one. I recall having one great catastrophe with one of these the first time I ran down this line, sending a double-header set of LGB moguls and two GN passenger cars off the track, crashing to the ground about 7 feet below. Nothing like that has happened since 2006. So far, so good. This was also the first year I got to run my GN mallet, so down the tracks it went, first with a load of freight cars, and then pulling this group of USA coaches. Later, as I modified the original scheme of this new section to include other road lines, I changed the name of the line, ultimately settling on ALCANEX--Alaska-Canada Northern-Expo Consolidated Railways System (see logo below). 
click image for a larger one


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Here is that first GN freight consist I ran in the summer of 2006. I have not used these cars since: they need metal wheels. Never quite got there. Maybe because all those passenger cars already come with the metal wheels. I had other places to put what money I had. Metal wheels was not it. So that line of freight cars along with a similar group of GN coal cars, remain in storage at Uncle Nic's Shop. Who knows if those tourquoise GN grain cars and the GN coal cars will ever see use on this line. Come to think of it, I did not run the mallet all last year, either. 

It is hard to believe that this upcoming season--2011--will be the SIXTH year of operation of the "new" Phase II line. Where does ALL that time go ? 

click image for a larger one


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I think your solution for reaching the Kennecott mining complex is brilliant, Ron. I know we had talked about it last summer, and at that time you hadn't come up with this plan. That looks like an elegant solution to me. Your pictures of 2006 are also fascinating. I don't know if you remember but in 2005 we heard about your railroad while in the area, and came up to see it. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the day, and of course your tavern was closed and we didn't see anyone around, and didn't see any sign of the outside railroad, because of all that wasn't there!! This is why I was so amazed when we arrived in Copper Center this past summer. It's interesting though to see what your railroad looked like in 2006. Thanks!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 06 Mar 2011 06:47 AM 
Your pictures of 2006 are fascinating. I don't know if you remember but in 2005 we heard about your railroad while in the area, and came up to see it. Unfortunately it was in the middle of the day, and of course your tavern was closed and we didn't see anyone around, and didn't see any sign of the outside railroad, because of all that wasn't there!! This is why I was so amazed when we arrived in Copper Center this past summer. It's interesting though to see what your railroad looked like in 2006. Thanks!

Ed

I believe this is a photo of the first consist I ran down the Phase II GN Mainline--a Great Northern, naturally. Here you see it entering the new wye from the bar sometime during the late summer of 2006. 
  In 2006 and 2007 there was no turn-around loop on the west-end, only the wye. I made this GE-overlay back then, which also shows the planned location of the Cicely model structure. At that time I was planning on placing the structure right over the middle of the track--running the track right through the town model. In the end I decided to run the mainline outside of the model town and to its immediate south. This would leave the train operations more visible. As it turns out, that decision made the operations far easier as well. To this day, most train runs by-pass the model town. 







Except for some minor repairs and possibly some upgrades here and there, no changes are likely to be made to the layout this year. However, circumstances permitting, in 2012 I may proceed with the Kennecott model track extension plan outlined above. Hopefully we will have some kind of economy that will continue to support this model railroad project. At this point things do look rather grim, but all that could change overnight.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great pics Ron 

On the pic above, what are the other buildins between the layout and the river?


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 06 Mar 2011 03:28 PM 
Great pics Ron 

On the pic above, what are the other buildins between the layout and the river? 
Mostly what you see on the Google-Earth are these structures. The white end-building is Uncle Nicolai's Shop where I store excess model RR equipment and make summertime displays available of historic interest--mostly, but not exclusively, railroad-related. It is deliberately designed to have that frontier-look, although the paint remains fresh-looking. The siding on that structure is T&G. Then there are seven rooms for overnight accommodations--four of them adjacent Uncle Nicolai's Shop. View is from the top of the CRD building looking SE and overlooking the McCarthy part of the Phase I CRNW model railway system.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

This was my original concept for the Phase II GN model railroad line from 2006. I was going to build a model of the local 84-room Copper River Princess Wilderness Hotel just above the west end of the wye, which is to the north of the bar. I still have those plans drawn up and (almost) ready to go, but that project never got off the ground. I was going to build a model of the Alaska Healy Coal open-pit mine and run the railroad along the ground to that location; construct a model of the Seward Loop District--a double railroad loop of historic interest; build the Cordova roundhouse in the location shown; build facsimiles of historic Dawson City, Klondike City and Grand Forks; construct a railroad junction with a small number of structures to be named "Petty Coat Junction," and construct some version of Cicely inside of the East Loop. None of that ever occurred. Of those projects, the Grand Forks model and the Princess Hotel remain as long-term possibilities. And Sulphur Springs exists as a large wye on the far-eastern end of the railroad. Additional development may occur there at some later time. I was considering adding a small locomotive repair shop and depot there based on what likely existed at the historic location on the Klondike Mines Railway.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Over the years the entire eastern section of the Phase II line has been reinforced and much of the track has been widened or replaced and the curves widened as well. 
These are all 2006 views--the year of construction of this section. 

 Much of the East Loop was also reinforced, widened and re-leveled by 2009-10.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

By Sunday, March 6th, direct sun light rays were beginning to have an effect on the snow on the south-facing canopy of the Cicely model structure, causing part of the snow to slide off the fiberglass roof. Ambient temperature was 12 degrees, but the warmth of the sun was causing some melting action on the edges of some of the roofs. Snow and ice is also starting to melt back from segments of the outdoor rail. We should be about five weeks away from complete exposure of all the outdoor rail surfaces, making outdoor model railroad operations possible. Snow depth on the ground is just over two feet in most places.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The two GN consists in 2006: A USA passenger consist and a GN freight consist headed by a GN mallet. Much of this area has been modified since this photo was taken during the first few days of operation of what was then the new Phase II line.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, the effect of the sun at those cold temperatures is incredible! Each time I've been to Alaska I have been amazed at the heat you feel from the sun. I expect the sun to feel "hot" here in Florida since we are closer to the sun, but I never expected it in Alaska! Your descriptions of the "melting" just confirm what it "felt" like to me when I was there. I can definitely see the changes between now and 2006 on your railroad too. Pretty impressive!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 07 Mar 2011 02:38 PM 
Ron, the effect of the sun at those cold temperatures is incredible! Each time I've been to Alaska I have been amazed at the heat you feel from the sun. I expect the sun to feel "hot" here in Florida since we are closer to the sun, but I never expected it in Alaska! Your descriptions of the "melting" just confirm what it "felt" like to me when I was there. I can definitely see the changes between now and 2006 on your railroad too. Pretty impressive!

Ed
_Those summertime sun rays result in some remarkable growth. That sun REALLY beats down on us !_

 _End-of-the-line, mid-summer 2010._


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Great images, Ron.... Just got off the phone with Ed and I had to kid him about the "almost" collision with the septic tank vent... 

Thanks for posting railroading fun..


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

The Direct Sunlight Rays are having thier effect here in AZ too. It is about 2:15 03-09-11 in the afternoon and being out in the direct sun working on the NR&W is hot. It is about 95 degrees if not more in the direct sunlght.

You just can't take you shirt off or the sun will burn you alive. I have a old cowboy shirt with the sleeves cut off. 

I need to make a new shade machine. The last one was taken out by the last wind storm. 

JJ 

PS: Do any of your regular customers come over to watch you run trains and drink beer?







How much of a draw factor is the trains? You have done such a wonderful job with them.


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Ron, I noticed in your last pic there is a hump in the track, you probably have been asked but do you up there get perma frost heave at all?

Tom


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By tom h on 09 Mar 2011 05:20 PM 
Hey Ron, I noticed in your last pic there is a hump in the track, you probably have been asked but do you up there get perma frost heave at all?

Tom
This is the only major problem location, right in front of the Cicely town model: 
I have some work ahead of me to fix that. I expect to get to it this year since I have no expansion projects planned. 
Throughout most of the line, frost heaves are not much of an issue. 
I can no longer recall how this series of heaves (there are three of them) occurred, 

but I assume that springtime frost pushed up the supporting posts to cause this. 
It seems to be getting more pronounced each season.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 09 Mar 2011 02:15 PM 
The Direct Sunlight Rays are having thier effect here in AZ too. It is about 2:15 03-09-11 in the afternoon and being out in the direct sun working on the NR&W is hot. It is about 95 degrees if not more in the direct sunlght.

You just can't take you shirt off or the sun will burn you alive. I have a old cowboy shirt with the sleeves cut off. 

I need to make a new shade machine. The last one was taken out by the last wind storm. 

JJ 

PS: Do any of your regular customers come over to watch you run trains and drink beer?







How much of a draw factor is the trains? You have done such a wonderful job with them. 

Mostly I have my customers who work up at the Princess Hotel come by to see this. It has proved far more difficult to meld the business into the train operations than one would think because I often find that I am the only one around to operate the bar. As I tell the customers, I can either be a bartender and serve you drinks or I can run the trains. I can't do both. I do have a considerable number of returnees each summer season who ask about the train, most of them stating that they have been drinking at the bar x-number of years and never seen it run. Kind of a shame.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Since installation in 2006, as seen here, probably in July 2006, the line remains remarkably straight and free of frost heaves. 
  The cat is in the area where the Cicely model housing structure was built in 2007


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 09 Mar 2011 08:15 PM 
Since installation in 2006, as seen here, probably in July 2006, _the line remains remarkably straight and free of frost heaves. __
_   The cat is in the area where the Cicely model housing structure was built in 2007



The posts are encased in concrete and buried two feet into an old river bed. Yet the frost drives down into the ground sometimes well in excess of that. When the above segment was built, the fence had already existed for 7 years. The greatest problem is protecting those structures, all of which are under cover now because the ice formations that build at the base of the snow alone would be enough to destroy the models.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

We're not making much headway here. One cannot expect to see much melting action when the temperature range (as of this morning) is minus 34 to a high of plus 12. I am starting to see a little more of the track appear here and there but that is about it. Even the direct sunlight, which is gaining on the dark at a rate of 6 minutes a day, cannot make up for such cold temperatures !


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I dunno, Ron, maybe our hot summers aren't so bad down here!!







That is COLD!!!!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 12 Mar 2011 05:42 AM 
I dunno, Ron, maybe our hot summers aren't so bad down here!!







That is COLD!!!!

Ed

It's been spectacular weather out there, but so far nothing is melting. It is currently Minus 25, a rise of ten degrees from our low this morning of Minus 35. I don't think it even reached 15 above yesterday. This is the longest late cold spell I have experienced since I moved to the interior in 1975. And, although the long-term forecast is encouraging, they keep moving the warm-up date farther away from us. Very frustrating.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

As you can see, the coldest weather appears to finally be behind us. So far this has been the coldest March since I moved to the Copper Valley in 1996. 
We were making some progress until we took that big dip in night time temperatures you see in the broken line area of the chart below. In another day, 
the forecast says we should finally be reaching average day time temperatures and (hopefully) above-average night time temperatures. 
The warmest I have seen in this month was yesterday afternoon when we reached a high of 26 F. Some melting action is staring to occur, mostly on the roofs,
due to the intensity of the sun (which is not out today). Last night's low appears to have hit minus 10 and it remains below zero as I write this.
Melting action on the outdoor railroad has so far been almost non-existent. We should be less than a month away from operational temperatures, however,
if previous patterns hold. Today is not the day.


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

Blackburn wants 'melting action'...as part of my route, I *have* to go down a road which has been flooding - 
or trying to flood, anyhow - despite temps only slightly warmer than where he is (-5 to +25 F). Said road is also 
carved into the *north* side of a rather tall hill...


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By ThinkerT on 19 Mar 2011 06:15 PM 
Blackburn wants 'melting action'...as part of my route, I *have* to go down a road which has been flooding - 
or trying to flood, anyhow - despite temps only slightly warmer than where he is (-5 to +25 F). Said road is also 
carved into the *north* side of a rather tall hill... 
This _could_ be one of the more interesting break-ups . . . [/i]


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Not quite barefoot weather here yet, but I didn't wear my big coat today.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Torby on 20 Mar 2011 06:48 AM 


Not quite barefoot weather here yet, but I didn't wear my big coat today. 

Definitely not barefoot weather here. We have not yet even hit the freezing point. Closest I have seen here was 30. Today it only reached 24. Last night's low was Minus 16. I am, however, seeing _some _minor melting action during those few hours in the late afternoon when the sun is hot. For the most part the tracks remain as frozen in as ever.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Winter was in full force yesterday when I had to make a round trip to Fairbanks--265 miles ONE way. I encountered about a 100 miles of very icy conditions and 20 miles of blowing snow, heavy drifts and otherwise treacherous road conditions in the mountains on the north side of the Alaska Range heading up yesterday morning. By the time I was returning, the winds had stopped and the roads had been largely cleared. We are reaching the last gasps of a winter that does not want to go away. The entire trip took about 12 hours to complete due to road conditions. Two nights ago it was still running below zero at my porch. But today was a different story. The melting of the ice and snow is finally noticeably underway. Given that, and a somewhat optimistic two-week forecast, I am predicting that the trains should be able to run the outdoor tracks by mid-April. I was able to clear about 2 feet of snow off of areas of the layout that are mostly in the shade in order to speed up the melting of the ice that is on the tracks. The one section which is on the ground will take longer. It remains well buried in the snow. Picture updates to follow.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

We are looking at upper 90s this week end. Could even be 100 

JJ


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Here is a copy of the original news article marking the driving of the copper spike at Kennecott--100 years ago--March 31, 1911. I added the pictures. It is difficult to imagine that there ever was a newspaper at Chitina, now a town of maybe 200 people. 
_The Chitina Leader_*
April 1, 1911

RAILROAD COMPLETED TO THE COPPER BELT

COPPER SPIKE IS DRIVEN AT MINE*

*   
Cordova Now in Close Touch With Famous Bonanza Mine at Kennicott, a Big 
Producer of Fabulously Rich Ore
by Will A. Steel
The goal has been reached. 3:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 29, 1911.
At a cost of over twenty million dollars.
The Copper River & Northwestern Railway, from Cordova to Kennecott, 196 
miles.* 


* 
Wednesday afternoon will ever remain a memorable occasion in Alaska. It 
records an event that will have important significance throughout the 
United States.*
* 
At the time recorded the last rail was driven into place by a copper 
spike, that marked the completion of track laying on the new railway 
that runs from the sea port terminus of Cordova to Kennicott, the end of 
the line as at present projected.*
* 
At the interior terminus is located the renowned Bonanza copper mine; 
800 feet beyond the big concentrator and ore bins, on the mountain side 
opposite one of the largest glaciers in the northland, with a beautiful 
perspective of snow-covered mountain peaks, frozen rivers and timbered 
valleys, the modest ceremonies were witnessed that records the 
accomplishment of one of the most gigantic and daring enterprises known 
to the commercial world.*
* 
The day was most propitious. The sun shone brightly and the crisp, 
invigorating air, with the thermometer registering 38 degrees above 
zero, had an inspiring effect on the interested spectators. A tense and 
anxious feeling was evidenced until the last act was performed that 
declared the practical completion of the building of the railroad to the 
end of the line. And it was the obliterating of frontierism from a 
hitherto remote section, bringing rapid communication and making 
available all the comforts of civilization, in the development of that 
vast domain tributary to the Copper, Chitina, Nizina and other 
unnavigable rivers.*
* 
All present realized the full import of the advent of steel rails in the 
awakening of a new empire of hidden wealth that is destined to soon woo 
thousands of adventurous prospectors and operators, who will produce 
mineral values in such quantity as will startle the world.*

  

*Driving of the Copper Spike
On Monday Chief Engineer and General Manager E. C. Hawkins left Cordova 
for the front, in Supt. Van Cleve's private dining, sleeping and 
observation car. Accompanying him were J. R. Van Cleve, superintendent, 
and R. J. Barry, general freight and passenger agent of the new 
railroad; E. A. Hegg, photographer; and Will A. Steel, editor of the 
Cordova Daily Alaskan and the Chitina Leader. At Chitina the party was 
joined by J. C. Martin, manager of the Orr Stage Line.*


*
This was the first through train that had gone over the entire trackage 
of the new railroad. After spending the night at camp 146 the train went 
on to Kennicott arriving Tuesday afternoon within a quarter of a mile of 
the end of the line. Shortly beyond a trestle of 256 feet was being put 
in, which delayed track laying until the following morning. However, the 
trestle was completed and trackage laid to the ore bins and concentrator 
of the Bonanza mine before noon Wednesday. After lunch the additional 
800 feet of steel was laid and the final ceremonies occurred at 3:30 
Wednesday afternoon.*


*
When all was in readiness the golden, or, in this instance, the more 
appropriate copper spike, was placed in position by Mr. Barry. It was 
then driven in turn by chief Engineer Hawkins and General Superintendent 
Samuel Murchison. Faithful old engine No. 50, puffing and whistling, 
stood on the track a few feet in the rear, with a large portrait of the 
late M. J. Heney over the headlight. The spectacle was witnessed by a 
couple of hundred workmen, officials and a few other interested spectators.
Prior to the act of driving the spike, in response to a suggestion by 
Mr. Hawkins, the assemblage stood with bowed and uncovered heads in 
memory of the late and much beloved contractor, Mr. Heney. * 


*Afterwards 
Mr. Hawkins made a short address, in which he expressed the appreciation 
of himself and the Katalla Company for the splendid organization built 
up by Mr. Heney and so ably perpetuated by Mr. Murchison, and for the 
effective and harmonious work performed by the contracting department.
Afterwards there was general congratulations and Mr. Murchison took 
occasion to extend his grateful appreciation to Mr. Hawkins and the 
Katalla Company for the many courtesies extended and the able assistance 
rendered his people. The several engines then blew their whistles and 
the workmen and all others present gave way to much rejoicing.
The telephone wires had kept pace with the railroad construction and 
General Manager Hawkins telephoned a message to Cordova, to be cabled to 
Seattle and there telegraphed to New York, informing the owners of the 
railroad that the copper spike had been driven. The following morning 
several replies were received at Chitina, expressing the sincerest 
congratulations for the splendid work so expeditiously performed by Mr. 
Hawkins and the contracting company.*


*
Shortly after the important finish the special train left and passed 
over the new and unballasted track for fifty miles at the rate of 20 
miles an hour. The night was spent at Mr. Murchison's headquarters, camp 
146. Thursday morning the run was made to Chitina, where Mr. Hawkins 
left the train, expecting to remain several days between that point and 
Kennicott. With the rest of the party Superintendent Van Cleve took his 
car down to mile 54, where he and Mr. Barry rendered valuable assistance 
in cleaning the snow slides.*


*
A Glorious Accomplishment
The completion of the copper River & Northwestern Railway marks an 
important epoch in Alaska's history. While equally as daring railroad 
accomplishments may have been undertaken in other parts of the world, it 
is doubtful if there has ever been another project that has been so 
successfully carried on under more adverse and trying conditions.
 For nearly three and a half years past, men numbering into the 
thousands, from the highest officials to the laborer who shoveled mud or 
snow gave of the best that was in them. At times over 6,000 men were 
employed, while at the end the number had decreased to about 500. During 
the period of construction such adverse conditions were encountered and 
surmounted as are very seldom met with in other parts of the world.
Much of the work on the several steel bridges was done when the 
thermometer was from 35 to 50 degrees below zero, or when raging 
torrents or huge icebergs carried by swift currents, made foundation 
work almost impossible. In constructing understanding, scientific 
knowledge, broad intellect, physical force, and even unto their heart's 
blood, to a work that shall forever redound to their credit, to the glory 
of the capitalists who made it possible, and to the benefit of the 
thousands who will make of the new section a land of rich development.*



*   
Route of the New Railroad
The tide water terminus is at the land-locked town of Cordova, on an 
inlet of Prince William Sound. Then, as Mr. Swergal describes it, the 
road effects a sea level passage of one of the coast spurs of the 
Chugach range at the junction of Eyak Lake and Eyak River, some six 
miles from Cordova, the only point of easy penetration to the interior 
from the southern Alaska coast. After leaving this mountain pass the 
road is laid on a tangent of thirteen miles, passes the old Russian 
trading post at Alaganik, crossing the rioting delta of the Copper River 
by means of modern steel bridges at what are known as Flag Point, Round 
Island and Hot Cake channels. * 




*Fifty miles from Cordova occurred one of 
the greatest engineering feats of modern times; the second crossing of 
the main channel of the Copper by the erection of the Miles Glacier 
cantilever bridge, embattled on either side by the mighty Childs and 
Miles Glaciers, both presenting a defiant wall of ice 300 feet above and 
100 feet below the river and three to five miles in length. Here, in 
summer, thousands of tons of ice fall into the river in single masses 
almost hourly, accompanied by thundering roars. These masses of ice 
throw monster waves across the river, leaving the salmon high on the 
banks to be gathered by prowling bears and passing prospectors and Indians.
*


*From the glaciers the line extends in a general northeasterly direction 
along the Copper, over the Baird Glacier Moraine (a field of earth 
hidden ice), and on through the panoramic Wood Canyon, surpassing the 
grandeur of the Alps, and on to Chitina, the coming copper city of the 
North. This is also the point of connection between the railroad and the 
Orr stage line for carrying passengers and the U. S. mail to and from 
Fairbanks and other interior sections. Leaving Chitina through a solid 
rock tunnel, the railway makes the third crossing of the main channel of 
the Copper immediately above the mouth of the Chitina River, and there 
climbs to the bench lands skirting the Kotsina. One hundred and 
forty-nine miles from Cordova, the crossing of the Kuskulana River is 
made by means of a modern steel bridge 238 feet above the ice bound 
floor of the gorge, thence, on through the valley of the Chitina to the 
famous Bonanza copper mine at Kennecott, 196 miles from Cordova. This is 
in the heart of one of the world's greatest copper regions, and it also 
promises great wealth in gold.*



*   
Magnificent Steel Bridges
Everyone connected with the railroad is proud of the fine steel bridges 
that were erected under most trying climatic conditions, at a cost of 
over $2,500,000. From the very start it was generally known that the 
problem of bridging the copper River from the foot of Glacier Lake and 
the edge of Child's Glacier, was one of the most perplexing problems and 
hazardous feats that the management had to contend with. Two abutments 
and three piers were decided on to support the necessary 1,550 feet of 
steel. With the current rushing past at a reckless rate of speed and 
carrying the immense icebergs, which find their way out of the lake, the 
problem of bridging the river proved a most difficult one.* 




*
Work was started on the first caisson in April, 1909. In building it a 
railroad track was laid over the ice, and a monster pile driver, resting 
on the ice, drove the piles necessary to support the wave of the 
caisson. In early May when the caisson was ready to slip into place the 
 ice began to break and it was necessary to carry on the work by means of 
an aerial tramway. In placing the other caissons in the middle of the 
stream by the aid of compressed air, huge icebergs were continually 
careening and bumping the sides of the caissons.*


*
But this work was finished and the piers completed that summer, followed 
by the placing of the false work, which permitted the setting on and 
riveting of the steel pieces so soon as they were received in the spring 
of 1910. The work of putting the spans in place went on satisfactorily 
until toward the finish of the third span in May. The ice had been 
running for a week past, moving two or three inches each day, and had at 
various times seriously interfered with the false work or trestling from 
which the men were working. Had the ice carried away this piling and 
frame work it would have been impossible to have completed the bridge 
that season. But fortune favored the brave efforts of a heroic class of 
steel workers and when the break came two days later the time of danger 
had passed. The last span was built over a portion of the river that is 
distant from the main channel and was not affected by the floating ice. 
It was completed in June, 1910.*


*
The total cost of the bridge was about $1,500,000. In the construction 
of the two abuttments and three caissons about 18,000 cubic yards of 
concrete were used, while in the bridge there are 5,000,000 pounds of 
steel. The first span of the bridge is 400 feet long; the second 300 
feet; the third and cantilever span 450 feet, while the fourth is 400 
feet. Chief Engineer Hawkins received valuable assistance in this great 
work from A. C. O'Neel, bridge engineer, who was directly in charge of 
the work. He labored with untiring zeal in supervising and directing 
this great undertaking, with the loyal assistance of foreman of bridge 
construction, Chas. McDonald, the steel foreman, Chas. Dwyer, and a 
corps of faithful steel men.*


*
The work of crossing the Kuskulana gorge, 238 feet high, was staged 
October 23, 1910, and completed the following Christmas day. This bridge 
consists of three half-camel back spans and is 500 feet long being three 
spans of 150, 200 and 150 feet. The construction of this bridge 
presented difficulties not heretofore encountered in the other steel 
bridges of the road. The extraordinary height of the structure, together 
with the swiftness of the water in the chasm that it spans, rendered the 
erection of false work infeasible. These conditions necessitated 
constructing the bridge by the cantilever trick. That is, the central 
span, which actually crosses the gorge is suspended from the first span 
by cantilever rigging attached thereto. When the gorge or central span 
was completed, the wedges in the cantilever rigging were slacked off,  
permitting the span to settle in place at its union with the third span 
on the other side of the gorge. Engineer O'Neel was compelled to work 
his men much of the time with the thermometer 20 to 45 degrees below zero.
The Flag Point bridge at mile 27 is 1,300 feet in length with spans as 
follows, in feet, 300, 150, 150, 175, 175, 175, 175. It was completed in 
August, 1909. Almost a continuation of this bridge is the Round Island 
structure at mile 28. It is 560 feet in length, with two spans of 300 
and 260 feet each, and was completed in May, 1909. These two bridges 
were built at a cost of $560,000. The Hot Cake bridge at mile 34 is 525 
feet long with three spans of 175 feet each. It was finished in 
November, 1909, and cost $230,000. The steel in the five bridges weighs 
over 20,000,000 pounds.
The construction of the steel bridges was done directly by the Katalla 
Company, while the wooden bridges and trestles were built by Contractor 
Heney.*



*   
Wooden Bridges, Trestles and Snow Sheds
Between Cordova and Chitina there are 129 bridges, with a length of 
42,988 feet, or 8.15 miles, which were built at a cost of $590,000. This 
side of Miles Glacier, mile 47, there are 40 bridges, length 17,963 feet 
costing $256,000. From Miles Glacier to Tiekel, a distance of 52 miles, 
there are 42 bridges length 15,459 feet, costing $18,000. From Tiekel to 
Chitina, a distance of 32 miles, there are 47 bridges, length 9,566 
feet, costing $163,000. The longest bridge is across the copper river 
just beyond Chitina, at mile 132. It is 2,790 feet long, or a little 
more than a half mile. The west approach to the Miles Glacier bridge is 
nearly as long. The Gilahina bridge is 890 feet long, from eighty to 
ninety feet high and was built in eight days.* 




*
The superintendent of bridges is P. J. O'Brien and he made many notable 
records in the construction of wooden bridges and trestles. With the 
thermometer always down to zero and as far below as 50 degrees, Mr. 
O'Brien completed 6,700 feet in thirty-five days, after the 7th of 
January last, working on an average of forty-eight men. The total cost 
of the bridge and trestle work on the Chitina branch has not yet been 
determined.*


*
In order to protect the tracks from snow slides and drifting snow 3,030 
feet of substantial sheds were built. At round Island, mile 28, 703 feet  
were built and at Abercrombie Canyon, between miles 53 and 54, there are 
2,327 feet. These sheds were built at a cost of $101,000. As a result of 
the past season's experience and observation it has been found necessary 
to erect additional sheds, which will be done before next winter.*



*   
Equipment of Railroad
Everything is of the most modern and substantial character and includes 
15 locomotives, eight coaches, 256 cars, four steam shovels, two rotary 
ploughs, one wrecking crane, track driver, two spreaders, one dozer, all 
of which were purchased at a cost of $750,000. This motive power runs 
over a standard gauge railroad with 70-pound rails to Chitina, and 
60-pound rails on the Chitina branch to Kennecott. Native ties have been 
used throughout, while all of the track fittings, sidings, frogs, 
switches and other ap-standards.* 




*
The motive power was built by the American Locomotive Works and includes 
several consolidation engines of most modern typ, equipped with electric 
headlights and used exclusively in the hauling of passenger and mail 
trains. Two snow rotaries are in constant readiness to give battle to 
the snow and prevent blockades. The rolling stock is of the latest 
approved pattern, the freight cars ranging from sixty to one hundred 
thousand pounds capacity, with a large complement of auxiliary cars for 
construction and maintenance purposes. A table d'hote dining car service 
is maintained on all passenger trains between Cordova and Chitina, the 
service of which is unexcelled on the standard railways in the states, 
insuring appetizing meals in comfort at all hours.*



*  *


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Absolutely fascinating reading, Ron. THanks so much for posting it.

Ed


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

It's good to see that Blackburn Mines Co. will be active this summer... should keep you busy! 

As always very enjoyable history lessons. 

Thanks, 
John


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 09 Mar 2011 05:45 PM 

(photo taken some time between March 4 & March 8): 

  It has taken nearly a month since the photo above was taken to reach the point you see below, April 3: 
  Although much of the raised track is now free of ice, the part on the ground remains buried in snow. In the photo below you can see the west end of the Sulphur Springs Wye in the early stages of emerging from complete snow cover: 
  The only other part of the wye which is exposed is also above the ground. It was only in the last few days that this segment was finally free of snow and ice cover:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Although most of the snow and ice is off the tracks along the east end of the CRD layout, significant amounts of ice remain along the large sections of the west end, as you see here. Much of this area does not receive direct sunlight except for very brief periods during this time of the year, so the melting in this area is a much-slower process. If the current weather trends remain, the tracks should be completely free of ice and snow by about April 10 or 11th, just as last year. At latest, probably by April 15th for the first run of the season ! 
 click image for larger view


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 03 Apr 2011 03:12 PM 
It's good to see that Blackburn Mines Co. will be active this summer... should keep you busy! 

As always very enjoyable history lessons. 

Thanks, 
John 
Although I have no plans for any expansion this year, the existing layout should be operational very soon !


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Amazing reading.


----------



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, this history lesson is fabulous. 

Thank you Ron


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Love the history Ron, I have one question, the trestle over Chittut creek, did they do anything to strengthen the piers for spring thaw, when there was a lot more water pressure and ice chunks.

Tom h


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Sure looks like train running can't be too far away, Ron. I have a pictures of my Great Northern SD45 coming toward your camera facing the west end of the line. Sure looked good running on your railroad!!!!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By tom h on 03 Apr 2011 06:26 PM 
Love the history Ron, I have one question, the trestle over Chittut creek, did they do anything to strengthen the piers for spring thaw, when there was a lot more water pressure and ice chunks.

Tom h

There was no bridge to Chititu Creek. However, from McCarthy an 8-mile road extended to the Nizina River where a bridge was built to cross the Nizina River, thus giving access to the gold country which included Chititu Creek. 

If you are referring to the Chitina Crossing at CRNW MP 132 over the Copper River, it was not considered possible to protect that trestle against the annual break-up of the Copper River. Only a permanent steel bridge high above the river bed would have accomplished that objective, but the cost for such a bridge at the time was considered prohibitive.  _Plan for the steel bridge at MP 132, never constructed. Est cost: $650,000.00. _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

This is the very first of over two dozen trestles that were built to cross the Copper River at MP 132: 
 Copy of original RR survey map showing location of the trestle crossing relative to the Chitina depot at Chitina:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Copper River trestle crossing at MP 132: 
 The MP 132 trestle crossing going out during break-up: 
 Last break-up of the trestle in 1939: After this, no more were built. The railroad had already been abandoned by November 1938:


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm sorry I expected a quiz at the end.... hence my notation of your upcoming season as repoted; 

"The California-Alaska Development Company, composed of Capt. A. E. 
Lathrop and San Francisco parties, will work their Kotsina properties 
this season on a larger scale than ever. Others operating on the Kotsina 
are the Hubbard and Elliott, the McCarthy company, and the Guilianeau 
Mining Co. The Cushman properties on the upper Strelna, the Deyo and 
Price group and others, will be worked. The Mother Lode Mining Co., 
beyond Kennecott, and the Millard company, which owns the Nikolai mine, 
propose to work on a larger scale than ever, as does also the Blackburn 
Mines Co." 

Somethings just catch my eye.... sio,it sez here you plan on operating on a larger scale...you layin' more track of redoing in a larger scale? 
That's all, my friend. 
I don't get out much, 'cept to work in the sun ;-) 

John


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The bridge at MP 132 was built at the narrowest-possible point for crossing to the north side of the Chittyna River. This might have added to the problem of summertime washouts as well as spring break-up ice jams because the river was in a relatively-narrow channel, resulting in tremendous pressure from upriver. Note the difference in width between the main channel crossing at the Copper River and the width of the Chittyna River at its confluence with the Copper River just downriver from the bridge. Both rivers are of approximately the same volume. 
  Here is a historic view of the approach to the trestle from the top of the hill on the north side of Chitina: 
 From the same vantage point, looking straight east, one sees the mouth of the Chittyna River as it enters the Copper. Both images were photographed in 1911.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 04 Apr 2011 12:17 AM 
I'm sorry I expected a quiz at the end.... hence my notation of your upcoming season as repoted; 

"The California-Alaska Development Company, composed of Capt. A. E. 
Lathrop and San Francisco parties, will work their Kotsina properties 
this season on a larger scale than ever. Others operating on the Kotsina 
are the Hubbard and Elliott, the McCarthy company, and the Guilianeau 
Mining Co. The Cushman properties on the upper Strelna, the Deyo and 
Price group and others, will be worked. The Mother Lode Mining Co., 
beyond Kennecott, and the Millard company, which owns the Nikolai mine, 
propose to work on a larger scale than ever, as does also the Blackburn 
Mines Co." 

Somethings just catch my eye.... sio,it sez here you plan on operating on a larger scale...you layin' more track of redoing in a larger scale? 
That's all, my friend. 
I don't get out much, 'cept to work in the sun ;-) 

John 

Ah ! Now I see it. I had never seen that reference before. The name would have come from Mt Blackburn which is at the head of the Kennicott Glacier (among others). Blackburn is the tallest of the peaks on the American side of the Wrangell Range. You can see the mouth of the Kotsina River on the map above. That is the river which enters the Copper just upstream from the trestle at MP 132. 

And, no, I cannot compete with the historic scale of what once occurred in this part of the country. Also, no planned additions to the track in this season.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 03 Apr 2011 07:50 PM 
Sure looks like train running can't be too far away, Ron. I have a pictures of my Great Northern SD45 coming toward your camera facing the west end of the line. Sure looked good running on your railroad!!!!

Ed

The melting is finally becoming a daily event. The snow on the ground still has a long way to go, but little remains on the tracks except in the shaded areas on the north side of the bar and Kennecott model structure. That ice will take another week or so to go away at present rates, it appears. Incidentally, you might have just started a trend. I have an LS visitor coming by in late May, in a motorhome no less, to see the layout here.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

This map, MP 132-134, shows the Kotsina River just to the north of the railroad as it makes its way up Kotsina Hill, east side of the MP 132 crossing: 
  View from the east looking toward Chitina:


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, that is great, another LS visitor. You are just too hospitable!!! I just wish I could afford to come back, I really enjoyed our visit.

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

On some summers, the bridge would wash out due to the bursting of a glacial dam on the Tazlina River. This photo was taken in August 1932: 
 View from the west bank (Chitina side) after a summer wash-out of the trestle at MP 132:
 The line shack seen here is the one now on the CRD property.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Copper River & Northwestern Railway main line ended at the Chitina crossing of the Copper River, MP 132. At that point a branch line, the Chitina Local Branch of the CR & NW Railway began. This was because the original survey called for the CR & NW mainline to continue all the way to Fairbanks by way of Chena, which was then the beginning of the Tanana Valley Railway. The mainline used 70 pound rail whereas the branch line used 60 pound rail. Also, the curves on the branch line were tighter and the climbs were steeper. The mainline never exceeded 1.5 per cent but the branch line just east of MP 132 was a 4 per cent grade and the line from McCarthy to Kennecott was a 3.47 per cent grade. It was assumed that the branch line would only be a mining branch of only a few years duration, probably 8 years. As it turned out, this line operated for 27 years due to the unanticipated richness of the copper ore at Kennecott. Had the railroad anticipated such a long life for this branch, it would have built the steel bridge shown in an earlier post to preclude the sometimes twice-annual washouts of the temporary trestle.


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## tom h (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice pics Ron, the one from the East view, are those cables across also? And what would they be used for, in the info did they ever say how much money the value of the mineral they pulled out, not just the copper, but the other stuff also. Sorry if I missed it or it was posted previously.

Tom h


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Railroad rail must have been cheap. 

You thought they would at least have salvage the rail before it got damaged.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By tom h on 04 Apr 2011 06:13 PM 
Nice pics Ron, the one from the East view, are those cables across also? And what would they be used for, in the info did they ever say how much money the value of the mineral they pulled out, not just the copper, but the other stuff also. Sorry if I missed it or it was posted previously.

Tom h


When Kennecott decided it was going to be shutting down the mine indefinitely starting in 1932, they designed and constructed an aerial tram as an alternate means to transport supplies and people across the river in the absence of the trestle that was sure to go out that same year. The tram remained in operation until the mid-1960s even though Kennecott permanently abandoned the railroad in 1938.   West bank: stairs and rails to haul supplies up to the tram house on the west bank of the Copper River. Both photos taken in 1955. 
  As to your other question, Kennecott's output from 1911 until 1938 was approximately 207 million in copper ore and about 9 million in the by-product silver. The silver was extracted at the Tacoma smelter and was said to be sufficient to cover the operational costs of Kennecott during that entire period. No other minerals of any value were present at Kennecott.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 04 Apr 2011 06:19 PM 
Railroad rail must have been cheap. 

You thought they would at least have salvage the rail before it got damaged. 
The railroad usually removed the rails, caps and stringers about two weeks ahead of the anticipated break-up. There was no way to save the rails during the summer time floods, as these extreme events were not predictable.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Significant progress in the melting action today, Apr 4, 2011: 
  Even though the ground remains buried in snow, including almost all of the Sulphur Springs Wye . . . 
The East Loop and all the track east of Cicely is now free of ice and snow as of today. 
 Yes, that's the infamous _Ed Headington_ toe-stubber straight ahead. 


Considering how cold almost all of March was, this development is unexpected, but definitely welcome. 
  West of Cicely, a diminished amount of snow remains. However, almost all of what remains is compacted into ice: 
Looking down "Cold Pass" in a WNW direction: 
  Over the last few weeks, I removed as much snow cover as possible to enhance melting of the remaining snow, which was mostly compacted ice, including the area you see here.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The remaining ice that has to be removed is now largely confined to a roof slide area along the western end of the layout. Once this has been safely cleared (snow is still sliding off that section of the bar roof), the first run can proceed. The Sulphur Springs Wye will remain out of service longer thatn the rest of the track, but it is not critical to operation of the line. I am particularly anxious to test White Pass #73, which is my modified LGB-Aster Mikado. That should be only days away now. 







_These will typically be the problem areas every year. _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Conditions permitting, it appears I should be ready to make the first run on the outdoor tracks by this weekend. The tracks are now largely cleared of the ice with only remnants here and there for the sun or ambient temperatures to melt away.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Hey Ron 

Since you have the bar to run and you seem to be all alone. When do you find time to Run trains and build road beds? Do you have an other bartender other than your self?


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

JJ 

Are you looking for a job?


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 07 Apr 2011 05:17 PM 
JJ 

Are you looking for a job? 

Only as the main scriptwriter for a movie based on my own historic novel "Legacy of the Chief." THAT job I would take in a heartbeat ! 

BTW, I recently wrote the opening scene for just such a movie so I have a lead-in to the book .


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 07 Apr 2011 04:07 PM 
Hey Ron 

Since you have the bar to run and you seem to be all alone. When do you find time to Run trains and build road beds? Do you have an other bartender other than your self? 

Good point. Often I do NOT have time for the trains. This year I have a bartender lined up that I was lucky enough to find late last season. She will be back for the tourist season. Thus, at least in part, I will now have some time to actually catch up on some of the maintenance AND I will be free at times to run the trains for my guests.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The avalanche zone only weeks ago: 
  By April 7 I was able to clear the north-facing bar roof of the snow that threatened the model RR exit to the outside layout: 
  Today, April 8, I started to run my Milwaukee Road Doodlebug, as I do every year. However, do to the continued high wind gusts encountered, I postponed the run.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

100 years ago TODAY--April 8, 1911, the first trainload of ore from Kennecott arrived at the port of Cordova: 
  click the above image for a much-larger one which shows the true detail of this magnificent panorama.This is one of many such historic photos on display at the Copper Rail Depot, Copper Center, Alaska



The first copper train was expected to be 60 cars long to bring down the great backlog of ore; however, since insurance could only be obtained on a value of up to $250,000 the train was reduced to 35 ore cars. These cars carried 1,200 tons of copper ore, valued at the maximum insurable amount, $250,000.

Here is an account of this event as it appears in "The Copper Spike," by Lone Janson

"The first copper train was expected to be 60 cars long to bring donw the great backlog of ore; however, since insurance could only be obtained on a value of up to $250,000 the train was reduced to 35 ore cars. These cars carried 1,200 tons of copper ore, valued at the maximum insurable amount, $250,000.

"In Cordova mighty preparations were under way for the arrival of the first ore train from the famous Bonanza Mine. Saturday, April 8, 1911, was officially proclaimed by the Mayor as "Copper Day" in Cordova. On that day the ore train would steam into town. Tourists from Valdez, Seward and other towns were arriving. Excursions were planned by two steamship lines serving Cordova, the Alaska Steamship Company and the Pacific-Alaska Navigation Company. The Copper River & Northwestern had rail excursions set up for the day. Five big steamships were in port : The Northwestern, Seward, Bertha, Edith and Jeanie. A huge dance was to be held at the Eagle's Hall to allow the crews of these five vessels to attend.

"A delegation from the City of Cordova departed town on Friday morning, bound for Mile 27. They had discovered the train was due in on Friday (the 7th) and their mission was to hold the train over until the next day because of the celebration plans. The delegation took advantage of the delay to decorate the train with bunting and streamers.

‎"In town schools were not in session so the entire town was out, young and old alike. At 9 a.m. the excursion train left for Mile 27 to join the copper train and escort it to town. Aboard were several hundred citizens and the Eagles' band.

"People in town waited all along the tracks for the first sign of the train. At last they heard it. As the locomotive and its long string of ore cars approached Cordova with the excursion train ahead of it, the Eagles' band was playing, and the entire passenger complement was cheering and waving. All the bells in Cordova were then rung, whistles blew, and dynamite blasts rocked the air. Everyone had a shrieking good time as the train puffed its way slowly through town to the dock. As it neared the dock, the five ships, gaily decorated with bright bunting, began to toot their whistles and add to the joyous din.

"Telegrams of congratulation were dispatched by the Mayor to President Taft, J.P. Morgan, the Messers Guggenheim, S. W. Eccles, president of the Copper River & Northwestern, Governor of Alaska Walter E. Clark and Secretary of the Interior Walter L. Fisher. ‎"The Northwestern began loading the ore for shipment to the Tacoma smelter. 

"Nor did the festivities end there; when the vessel entered Seattle harbor nearly a week later, she was trimmed out in holiday attire with bunting and long streamers reading: "First trainload of copper ore from the Bonanza Mine. Worth $250,000. A million tons to follow. We also have coal of our own. Let us mine it." --Lone Janson, "The Copper Spike, "p 138, "Can't Run and Never Will" Special thanks to our great Alaskan historic writer Lone Janson whose famous work "The Copper Spike" took many years of patient research to complete. She brought life back to a history that was nearly lost. "

The "Copper Spike" is one of the most entertaining histories I have ever read. We Alaskans owe Lone Janson a tremendous debt of gratitude for this work which she originally published in 1975.


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Well. I'll do something to mark the day!


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Great story Ron


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## bvdrr (Jan 3, 2008)

Ron,I never get tired of your stories,and I have followed them from your very first posting,just keep up the good work. Your posts are the first thing I look for when I sign on.
Fred


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Like always.. very, very interesting post.. Keep it up...


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I have added Copper Center to my list of towns I watch for weather condtions. Along with Nebraska City, Grand Junction, Witchata, And of course New River.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Friday, April 8th--the 100th Anniversary of the first load of copper ore arriving at the Port of Cordova--I pulled out the Milwaukee Road Doodlebug to begin testing the rail line since most all the ice was gone off the mainline. However, due to strong wind gusts, I ended up backing the train back into the bar for the day. 
  The next day--Saturday--was a far more favorable day for running trains. This time I proceeded down the mainline following the Southern Exposure Route to Cicely:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Passing Cicely as the small Doodlebug test consist heads east: 
  No wind today: So far so good ! 
  Looking toward the far-eastern end of the line:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Below me was the Sulphur Springs Wye, still largely buried in the snow: 
 The Milwaukee Road Doodlebug approaches the east end: 
 Out here the snow on the ground remains quite deep. Unless there is good reason to head out there, I staying on the platform and observing this operation from a safe, dry distance. 
 In these last two photos you can see the far-eastern end of the Sulphur Springs Wye appearing out of the gradually-melting snow


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

These three shots show the Milwaukee Road Doodlebug working its way around the East Loop:   In the background is Uncle Nicolai's Shop where the excess rolling stock that has never been unpacked or otherwise used remains stored. 
  In the background of this shot is the shower room complex and two of the rooms used for overnight accommodations.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Milwaukee Road consist turns at the far end of the East Loop and momentarily heads east once again: 
  As it does it passes the switch that leads to the lower level, including ground level at the Sulphur Springs Wye. 
  But as the consist re-enters the mainline just north of the East Loop, the caboose details and detaches. There it will remain for now. 
  At the point the consist minus its caboose begins the climb back to Cicely


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Doodlebug approaches Cicely. This year, unlike last season, it will not be entering the town, choosing instead to remain on the mainline to the south side of Cicely:
 Here the consist leaves the Southern Exposure section, heading toward Cold Pass:
 The consist successfully reaches Cold Pass and heads toward the far-western end of the line:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Reaching the far-western end of the line from the north-side:


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The Doodlebug approaches the Western Wye: 
 Before once again backing into the bar, thus completing the first run of the year on April 9, 2011:
 As usual, all of these pictures are clickable to a larger-size that loads quickly.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Map showing the route traveled: click for larger image.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

I hope there is enough coal in the caboose to keep the pot belly stove going tonite. 
Otherwise the poor guy in the caboose will freeze


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 09 Apr 2011 09:02 PM 
I hope there is enough coal in the caboose to keep the pot belly stove going tonite. 
Otherwise the poor guy in the caboose will freeze That caboose is likely to remain there for up to a week unless I get my snow shovel out to make a path to that area. 
  Upon looking at the larger images (click), one can clearly see the derailment of the front truck on this caboose.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron, the MKE Doodlebug consist is a dandy.... Glad you're able to run something again..


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Stan Cedarleaf on 10 Apr 2011 07:46 AM 
Ron, the MKE Doodlebug consist is a dandy.... Glad you're able to run something again..









One of these days I am going to get those logo decals on some of these pieces, too. The major hang-up with that has been the apparent need to spray some clear gloss on a suitably-sized area so the selected decal can properly stick. 


The Milwaukee Road and the Burlington-Northern heavy-weights are the prime candidates, along with many of the engines.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 09 Apr 2011 10:31 PM 
Posted By rlvette on 09 Apr 2011 09:02 PM 
I hope there is enough coal in the caboose to keep the pot belly stove going tonite. 
Otherwise the poor guy in the caboose will freeze 

  
I decided to slog through the snow anyway to retrieve that caboose. It turns out that a front wheel rode over the top of the switch, which is held shut by a spring to allow one-way traffic through the switch. I will have to place heavier wheels on this caboose, even though the ones which came with it appear to be metal. On the other hand, this means that there is no new problem which has been introduced over the winter to this section of track, so I am free to go ahead and run additional trains through that section without alteration of the layout.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Ron. 
I'd bet some grit got into that switch. Clean out around the throwbar and under the point rails and pivot points, squirt in some graphite and see if that doesn't cure the derailing. If that car was ok last season, it should be the right weight now. 

Looking good. 

John


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 10 Apr 2011 08:11 PM 
Ron. 
I'd bet some grit got into that switch. Clean out around the throwbar and under the point rails and pivot points, squirt in some graphite and see if that doesn't cure the derailing. If that car was ok last season, it should be the right weight now. 

Looking good. 

John 
Ah yes, that cursed glacier dust strikes again! At your suggestion I will go ahead and check out and service that switch.


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

this thread is as interesting, as all your threads are! 

this mix of historical investigation and playing with trains does it. 

btw. do you publish the historical part of your texts and pics somewhere else? - if not, you definitely should start doing it.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, all those shots of your doodlebug traveling around your railroad brought back many fond memories. I was imagining the doodlebug was actually my GN SD45!!! Sure glad the derailment wasn't caused my some track heaves or something.

I'll bet that many of you folks don't know that Ron has actually written and published a book covering much of the history of the Copper Center railroad, the mining operation, etc. It is an excellent book.

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Contained herein is_ the complete "Historic Native adventure novel with a twist of the supernatural," now online._ _Below are the listings as links to all sixty chapters. You may click either the chapter name or the associated image to the right. Please note that I hold a *2001 copyright to the book, ISBN 1-888125-86-1*. _ 




_ I purchased the rights to use the images which appear in the book. However, those rights are not transferable and the images are mostly copyrighted with the rights to their use held elsewhere. _ 
  
_-- _*©*_* Ronald N Simpson*, *2001, author, Legacy of the Chief*_ _ Ron Simpson's intro:  * Preface* _ *2001*   intro: Rosalene Nicolai: *  The Story Begins  2003* 

* (newly-added) *
  _Ch 1: Ron Simpson: *Echoes* _*1848-1982* * * _Ch 2: Wesley Dunkle's* Wrangell Formation*_ *1956*   _Ch 3: W.A. Richelsen:  *Closing Day at Bonanza*_ *1938 *   

_ Ch 4: Johnny Gakona: __  *The Russian C'eyigge* _ *1885*   

_ Ch 5: Skolai Nicolai: __ *  A Warning from Uk' eledi* _ _* 1898*_   

_ Ch 6: Skolai Nicolai:  *Nicolai's Anger* _ *1899*   

Ch 7: Johnny Gakona: _* The Deal*_ *1899*   

_Ch 8: Johnny Gakona: * Sezel at Taral* _ *1910*   
_Ch 9: Johnny Gakona / Chief Nicolai: * Nicolai's Raven Story of Creation*_ *1910* 
  

_Ch 10: Johnny Gakona:* Abercrombie Rapids Landing*_ *1914* _  _   

_  Ch 11: Mary Birch__:__  * Mary Storms into Alaska*_ *1916*   

Ch 12: Mary Birch: * Mary and Stephen Birch Arrive at Childs Glacier* *1916*   _  _ 
_ _ _Ch 13: Johnny Gakona:* Ketcheteneh Birch and Johnny Gakona*_* 1916*   

_ _ _Ch 14: Johnny Gakona:__ __* Johnny Gakona Signs On* _ *1916*   

_Ch 15: Johnny Gakona: *Chitina Trestle Crossing*_* 1918*   

_Ch 16: John DeHaviland:  * DeHaviland Arrives in Chitina *_ *1923*   

_ Ch 17: Johnny Gakona:* Interview at Chitina* _ *1923*   
Ch 18: Stephen Birch: *Birch Private Train #73* *1924*   

_Ch 19: author:* Birch Party at McCarthy *_ *1924*
 


_Ch 20: Frank Buckner:_* Formal Dinner at the Birch House*
_*1924*_
 


_Ch 21: Frank Buckner:_ *  Lunch at Bonanza* *1924*   

_Ch 22: author_: _* Cap Rescues Johnny at McCarthy*_ _*1924 *_   

_Ch 23: Cap Goodlataw_: _  *Cap Tells His Story*_* 1916*   

_Ch 24: Cap & Johnny:_ *  Green Butte Copper* _*1924*_   

_ Ch 25: Johnny Gakona:_ _* Buckner to Goodlataw 1924*_   

_ Ch 26: Cap & Johnny:_ _* Arrival at Kennecott 1924*_   

_Ch 27: Cap, Johnny & Frank:_ *  Boxing Match & Layoff 1924*   _Ch 28: Cap & Johnny:  *Reassignment to Erie* *1924*_   _Ch 29: Frank Buckner:  * Frank Argues the Point *_


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Wow! 
Thanks for putting your work online, looks very interesting. 
I just read a chapter and enjoyed it. I look forward to reading the whole story. 
John


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes Ron 

Thanks for posting all these great stories. 

I lived through the death of a coal mine and seen first hand how life was changed. 

In 1972, Eastern Associated Coal Corporations Federal # 1 mine in Grantown, WV employed over 1,000 men. 

By June 1984 when I was laid off, there were less than 100. 

What I have come to learn in life is that nothing stays the same. 

Everything changes sooner or later. 

Some for the good and some not so good.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Just a reminder. I am making the entire book available online for FREE (for the moment). HOWEVER, everything in this book--words, ideas and ALL the images--fall under various copyrights. Thus, in return for my making this available, I only ask that those who review these pages respect the proprietary rights of this document.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

_Under the *"Cast of narrators" is a link near my name and picture. THAT link goes to my family tree, provided by the Native Village of Chickaloon. It shows *_[/b]
_*my direct family link to Chief Nicolai. *_[/b]


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 13 Apr 2011 08:14 PM 
_Under the *"Cast of narrators" is a link near my name and picture. THAT link goes to my family tree, provided by the Native Village of Chickaloon. It shows *_[/b]
_my direct family link to Chief Nicolai. [/b]_[/b] 

There is quite a story behind all this. I started researching Kennecott in 1989 after becoming fascinated with a story I kept hearing about a "ghost train." In 1992, while I was still living in Fairbanks, Dad, who moved to Oregon years ago, called me. He told me that he had learned that he had an uncle who was dying in the Native hospital in Anchorage and that I should take the time to visit him. I did. His name was Harry Nicolai. Up until that time I had no idea that the name was in our family line, since Dad was an orphan, growing up in a large Methodist orphanage in Seward. His mother Helen had died in 1939. Dad knew very little about her except he had heard that the name "Yago" was associated with her. We had assumed it was her last name. It was not. Don't know where "Yago" plays into all this, although I have a theory. Helen was a Nicolai. Her dying brother Harry told me what he could (he was in very bad shape and could say very little). Even then I did not know the exact connection except it appeared likely that I was related to the Chief who would later become central to my historic novel. I wrote that novel in 2000, publishing it the following year with a set date for release (three months in advance we planned this) of Sept 11, 2001. That's right. It was only about 2005 or 6 that I saw the lineage chart that you see in the link.


I had originally intended to write some kind of history revolving around Kennecott and its Copper River & Northwestern Railway. But at some point early on the Native part of the story started overtaking the history. Native history does not exist. Only stories. So there went the history. The book had to be in the form of a historic novel. When I finally sat down to begin writing that book in September of 2000, it seemed that I was never alone. The writing as almost automatic. The infamous writer's block that I feared never surfaced. Indeed, whenever I started writing anything involving Native people, I could hardly keep up with the story, typing all day long, day after day for about 45 days. At that point I sat down at the computer and realized that I already had the story in front of me. 



Over the course of the next several months, as I went through the formal editing and formatting process, I added more information, mostly by adding three more chapters to the original manuscript to clarify certain segments of the book. But the original story was there wholly intact, even though when I started writing this book I did not know how this novel would end or even where it was going.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

It was the railroad which tied everything in the research as well as in my story together. No matter how you looked at it, the railroad was the one constant--even in its absence it was STILL there.

Thus I became roped into model railroading. The only question at the time back then (early 1990s) was "WHAT scale ?" 


And, remember what I said got me started on this project to begin with? It was the Ghost Train. WAS there such a thing ? In my humble opinion, not only was there, but it is STILL out there. But THAT is another story.


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

Very, very cool, Ron, and obviously the result of a whole lot of dedicated research and a great amount of devoted work. I've just started the read, but I can assure you that I will go through the entire presentation. Thanks for sharing!


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## kormsen (Oct 27, 2009)

Ron, thanks for letting us have the story.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The snow on the ground as of April 16 still covered almost all of the Sulphur Springs Wye. Today I decided to clean off the remaining area of the overburden of snow and ice so that the sun could completely free this area by the end of the weekend, thus making the entire line usable once again. The area shown in white had to be shoveled. Each wing of the wye is 32 feet, plus the connecting section which amounts to probably another 15 feet which had to be cleared.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

By the end of the day, all remaining ice and snow should now melt off these tracks, making the entire ALCANEX line usable by tomorrow--Sunday Apr 17.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

While I was shoveling that layer of snow & ice off of the tracks, I heard some rather loud honking overhead. These are the first swans of the season:
 I took this shot same time as the others.These birds flew almost right overhead.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Ron. 
Thank you very much for posting your book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it, so much that I only got a third of my project done this weekend! 
Reminded me of my brief trip to Alaska in '93, got on a ship in Nome and cruised north on the Russian side of the Bering Straight. I listened to story tapes about the Inuits and eskimos.... Your Raven clan rang true. 
Thanks also for he mining education, seems as thogh I need to look into 200 pound sacks fo high grade! 

Happy Rails, 

John


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The final section to see the ice melt off the tracks was the Sulphur Springs Wye (the section on the ground) as of late this afternoon. Conditions permitting, tomorrow I will make another test run before sending a full consist down the tracks.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Hopefully, when I run the large consists, after an unusually brutal winter, I won't be running into anything like this: 
 _Strelna tracks, early 1960s (RR abandonment was Nov. 1938)._


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron 

That is a great picture worth framing


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## flats (Jun 30, 2008)

Ron, I though that you had slip down to my railroad and took a picture of 
my track on my layout until I read the forum. Juat need some reballasting 
and ready to go. 

Ken owner of K&K the road to nowhere


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Actually that track isn't in that bad of shape considering it was abandoned 22 years before that picture was taken!!! Winters up there sure do take their toll, don't they Ron!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 19 Apr 2011 11:01 PM 
Hopefully, when I run the large consists, after an unusually brutal winter, I won't be running into anything like this: 
  _Strelna tracks, early 1960s (RR abandonment was Nov. 1938)._


Until recent times, the old RR grade in the Kotsina to Strelna area still looked like that, even though the rails were removed in 1963. Some time in the late 1990s the State of Alaska smoothed out this section and widened it. However, there are still areas where you can look down and see the occasional railroad tie below you. 


Imagine the sense of anticipation, heading down that old RR bed, wondering what might be just around the corner: 
  *Abandoned Kennecott in the early 1960s when it was still intact. *[/i] --*George Herben photo*[/i]


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

After reading your story, the Kennecot mine looks like an old friend. I got to know it well! 

Thanks again. 

John


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, so did you get to run trains by Easter this year??????

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 24 Apr 2011 11:16 AM 
Ron, so did you get to run trains by Easter this year??????

Ed

As always seems to happen, I have been so busy with more pressing matters that the trains have had to wait. Conditions are good today, however, and I might get some running time in--finally. Also, I located that PR heavyweight diner and found two switches for you--matching LH & RH, if I recall. I have not had any time to package them up for shipment. Send me a mailing address that I can lose (I will try not to).


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By kormsen on 11 Apr 2011 06:03 AM 
this thread is as interesting, as all your threads are! 

this mix of historical investigation and playing with trains does it. 

btw. do you publish the historical part of your texts and pics somewhere else? - if not, you definitely should start doing it. 
I never able to determine enough interest in the subject to make it worthwhile to do so. The blogs associated with and linked to the "Legacy of the Chief," blog, which includes all the chapters plus other info, can be found through a Google search. I have a separate blog for Kennecott and another for the CRNW Railway which I started some time ago, but received no feedback on any of that--or even the Legacy blog, so I discontinued them.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

This is what always happens. I was able to make that initial run of the tracks, but had so much to do getting the property ready for the summer that until a few days ago I did not have the time to run any trains. Two of the passenger consists are now out there, but no pictures yet. The uphill test on White Pass #73 is still to come. I did run it to the lower end of the tracks, however. Have not attempted to use the Sulphur Springs wye yet. Will need that to turn #73 consist around and begin the climb up that long hill . . . 

Meanwhile, the river is in the process of breaking up--a most welcome sign that summer is finally upon us up here in the north country.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, how is the river breakup going?? Is it progressing without giving you any water problems? Also, are you finding time to run any more trains??

Ed


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Wen you look at the last picture of the mine building intact and think of the mass of the project. Do you know how long it took to build all those buildings?

JJ


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 07 May 2011 10:08 AM 
Ron, how is the river breakup going?? Is it progressing without giving you any water problems? Also, are you finding time to run any more trains??

Ed

Photos taken two days ago along the Klutina River. The main channel started opening the same day the Tanana River went out at Nenana--the famous Nenana Ice Class--May 4th this year: 

  
  
  
  
_This is a normal break-up that is almost over, without causing any unusual problems for those of us that live along the Copper and Klutina Rivers. _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 07 May 2011 10:19 AM 
Wen you look at the last picture of the mine building intact and think of the mass of the project. Do you know how long it took to build all those buildings?

JJ 

Kennecott was constructed in stages as technology and demands changed. One of the most interesting examples is the power plant--one of the larger structures with a length of approximately 200 feet. The plant burned down in August of 1924 and was rebuilt in less than two months: Photo taken in 1979: 
  Here you see the power plant in the context of the other major structures in north Kennecott: Photo taken in 1981: 
  The last major construction was a widening of the mill base in 1923 to accommodate a water flotation plant. The final construction was an addition to the hospital (white building in lower photo) in 1925.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

I love your pictures of the Kennecott complex, Ron. Maybe it is the "past engineer" in me!! ALso, glad you got through the river "breakups" with no problems!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Two tests to complete:

1) The LGB-Aster brass White Pass #73 pulling just two Aristo AKRR streamliners, a box car and one of those large LGB WP cabooses. This unit was just returned from Dave Goodson's shop within the last few weeks. Preliminary tests were good, indicating far better pulling power than existed in the original unit. I will be adding additional cars and performing more tests on this engine. 


2) The Great Northern USA passenger consist (9 coaches) now has an F3A-B-A in front. The two A units are powered and both have sound.This consist has not been tested due to high winds over the last few days. This is the largest consist on the set up. I am anxious to see how well it handles the track. Today might be the day. We are off to a good start weather-wise.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been busy getting the place ready for the season, which promises to be a busy one. Additionally, the entire property, including the Farthest North large-scale layout, will be officially listed for sale on June 1 --nation-wide. The realtor is convinced that this model RR set up SHOULD be sold as part of the property. IF this happens within the next year or so, this will be one of those rare instances where an existing large-scale model railroad was included as a featured part of the business. I am skeptical, but this is an interesting avenue to pursue, so we shall see how it goes. This is the option "B" sale (second of two listings). The preferred option "A" subdivides the property, selling off enough of the property (river frontage on prime ground) to pay off the remainder AND complete construction of the bar, leaving the main business intact and _almost _invulnerable to the more recent uncertainties of the economy.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, that is a shocker that you might sell that beautiful railroad. How can you sell that and keep the tavern??? Are you going to complete the second story?????

Ed


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## fred j (Jan 12, 2011)

Sorry to hear you might be selling, Your RR is a great piece of hard work.

Fred.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By fred j on 12 May 2011 07:02 PM 
Sorry to hear you might be selling, Your RR is a great piece of hard work.

Fred. 


My preference is to sell the riverside piece, which does not affect the Farthest North model RR.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 12 May 2011 06:57 PM 
Ron, that is a shocker that you might sell that beautiful railroad. How can you sell that and keep the tavern??? Are you going to complete the second story?????

Ed

The second story WILL be completed regardless. Whether the entire property sells is another matter and one I consider highly doubtful. However, the price for the river frontage segment is in line with what others have offered for similar, but in my opinion, somewhat lesser pieces upriver from here.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Sell the CRD







How sad









JJ


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By John J on 12 May 2011 07:31 PM 
Sell the CRD







How sad









JJ

When I did the initial walk-through with the real estate agent, he saw the model RR firsthand that up until that point he did not know even existed. He asked if I had included it in the sale. I replied that I had not. He asked how much more I would require to add that model onto the sale. I thought about it for a few moments and then responded that for $100,000.00 I could walk away from it. He said to add it on to the sale because he believed it would enhance the sale. I, of course, have no interest in selling the business nor the model RR layout, but at his request I set a price for both. He believes that the entire property as is would be easier to sell than just the river frontage (approximately 4 acres and 535 feet ). I doubt it, but there is ALWAYS a sale price for tangible items.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

It was not until May 17th that conditions were finally optimal for me to begin running the large consists on the Farthest North layout. Here you see a map of the far-eastern end centering on the Sulphur Springs Wye which I installed late last summer. On the 17th I ran my largest consist, the Great Northern Streamliner to this end of the line. I had designed the wye to have sufficient length to allow this unit to use it. As it turned out, I had exactly enough length on the eastern leg shown below with nothing to spare: 
Note that any of these images can be clicked upon to view a larger image (typically 1600 to 2250 pixels-wide) 

  Here you see the GN Streamliner consist occupying the entire eastern leg of the Sulphur Springs Wye, barely clearing the switch: 
  The GN Streamliner includes nine coaches plus an A-B-A, of which the two A units are remote battery powered, but the B unit is not. 
  The forward A unit is pulled all the way up to the stop at the end of the eastern leg of the wye: 
  Incidentally, the entire wye will eventualy be gravelled-in. What you are seeing in these pictures and the ones which follow is the base without the fill-in. That will require a LOT of fine gravel--and much more concrete-- considering that the wye is over 80 feet in length--a job that will be postponed until late in the year OR next season.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The western leg of the wye is somewhat longer: 
 I have raised the western leg of the wye and added a steel weed-block underneath the tracks prior to filling this segment in (hopefully later this year):


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

On the same day, the brass engine LGB-Aster White Pass #73 had successfully completed its second test run, negotiating all the slopes and curves with relative ease. It is now parked near the Sulphur Springs Wye awaiting its turn for another run back to the bar:


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

Great Pic's Ron. 

 JJ


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Now that the new GN A-B-A combination is in service heading the 9-coach GN passenger consist, the BN A-B unit has been freed up for other duties.
I may have found an ideal use for that locomotive combination. Here you see the location where these photos were shot on May 18th: 

 The F3A-B units head a rare consist of Burlington-Northern heavyweights, parked just west of Cicely on the Cold Pass Route, heading into North Cicely: 
  This combination creates a rare but rather snazzy-looking passenger consist:


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Well, let's see, first of all, you have clearly demonstrated that you did a superb engineering job on your wye, Ron. The length worked out just right! And those passenger consists look really cool!!! Aint it nice when summer finally arrives!!!!

I have to admit though, that those pictures bring back most fond memories of my visit up there last summer.

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 19 May 2011 06:42 PM 
Well, let's see, first of all, you have clearly demonstrated that you did a superb engineering job on your wye, Ron. The length worked out just right! And those passenger consists look really cool!!! Aint it nice when summer finally arrives!!!!

I have to admit though, that those pictures bring back most fond memories of my visit up there last summer.

Ed

The concrete portion of the wye went through the winter unaffected. I believe our low this last winter was -51. On the west leg of the wye, the lumber warped. It may have to be replaced, although I believe it can be corrected when I pour concrete through that part of the structure. None of the wye, including the approach, was affected in any way by the winter. More tests on this part of the layout today.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 19 May 2011 06:42 PM 
Well, let's see, first of all, you have clearly demonstrated that you did a superb engineering job on your wye, Ron. The length worked out just right! And those passenger consists look really cool!!! Aint it nice when summer finally arrives!!!!

I have to admit though, that those pictures bring back most fond memories of my visit up there last summer.

Ed

Regrettably, it has become very expensive to travel up here. Last time I check the local gas pumps, regular gas was ~ $4.65 a gallon. I can only imagine what it must cost to drive through Canada these days to reach Alaska. That has to be close to prohibitively expensive. Better to fly to Anchorage and rent a motor home or an automobile.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 04 Mar 2011 05:15 PM 

_It is highly unlikely there will be any additions to the CRD track plan this year. Shown below is the existing line all the way to the Sulphur Springs wye and then a planned extension (purple) of the KMR to the approximate location of Grand Forks. Although it may never be constructed, I still will include it in my plans. _
  _However, even though I have more or less abandoned the original Phase III plans that called for a Klondike Mines Railway narrow-gauge extension, I am still considering adding onto the line at the east end of the existing Sulphur Springs Wye with the intent of including features from the historic KMR. I have received additional impetus because I discovered that I can order a copy of the original construction plans for the SE segment--the half of the line that ran from Grand Forks to Sulphur Springs. I have gone ahead and prepared the order. Below are segments of the map as found on line that I am ordering in full-size--An exciting prospect to say the least. _



The wye that I have built is out-of-proportion to the historic one because I had to accommodate much-longer consists in full standard gauge. However, I chose to retain the historic name because the original plans called for this wye to be located at that spot on my outdoor layout[/i]. [/i] 



















_ Above is only a part of the SE segment (1/2 of the full 31-mile KMR line)._

_The next two images show the extreme eastern end of the line, which was Sulphur Springs before the wye was constructed. _ 





_Some time ago I finally acquired a full-sized digital copy of the referenced map, which is section 2 of the KMR line, the segment from Grand Forks, MP 12 to Sulphur Springs, MP 31. This has always been the most interesting section for me because it is the least-disturbed part. Almost all of the original railroad bed has survived intact even though the trestles have long since collapsed and rotted away. _ 
 





_The segment you see above on the right is off of the UAF website. The full copy reveals some amazing detail. Here is the segment that identifies the map and provides additional information. For instance, it turns out that the railroad right-of-way was 60 feet wide: _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Click onto the map above. The detail on just this one small segment is amazing. More to come. [/i]


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Ron, Dawson City is another of my favorite spots up there in the north woods. Where exactly are Grand Forks and Sulfur Springs with respect to anything that exists today?

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 20 May 2011 05:48 PM 
Ron, Dawson City is another of my favorite spots up there in the north woods. Where exactly are Grand Forks and Sulfur Springs with respect to anything that exists today?

Ed

Klondike City was mile 0 of the Klondike Mines Railway. It was directly across the Klondike River from Dawson. The KMR headed SE from Klondike City to a point near where Bonanza Creek meets the Klondike River. That is now a road junction that heads up Bonanza Creek. In the old days a lodge was located there known as Old Inn. It appears in the early maps which also show the railroad. A wye existed there. From that point the railroad headed up Bonanza Creek to the point where Eldorado Creek meets Bonanza Creek. That was the location of Grand Forks. Click on the two maps and take a look. 
 With Klondike City being Mile 0, Grand Forks was Mile 13 and Sulphur Springs, which was close to King Solomon Dome, was Mile 31.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

The was the Old Inn area near the steel bridge crossing of the Klondike River as it appeared about 1910-12:


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Thanks, Ron. I know where you mean now. I was thinking on the wrong side of the Klondike River!!!

Ed


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 20 May 2011 08:18 PM 
Thanks, Ron. I know where you mean now. I was thinking on the wrong side of the Klondike River!!!

Ed

_Ed, the original plan, going back to 2005, was to transition the existing Farthest North model railroad from a standard gauge into a narrow gauge by entering the KMR through it most distant point at Sulphur Springs, KMR MP 31. Historically, the KMR was envisioned to be nothing more than an extension of the White Pass & Yukon Railway, thus I had historic precedence in terms of a century-old vision for railroad expansion as follows: _  _I guess you can say I made it as far as Sulphur Springs. _


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

_Somewhere out there in the old Klondike territory a locomotive was lost to history. Below you see a map of the area that encompasses the four railroads of the district, which included not only the Klondike Mines Railway, but Cliff Creek, Coal Creek and Bear Creek. It has always been assumed that somehow the missing engine, Detroit Yukon Mining Company No. 2, was shipped off to some unknown destination. It was last known to have been working on the Coal Creek line, which shut down in 1916. For years three of the engines were seen along the Yukon River bank where Coal Creek had its confluence. But DYMC No. 2 was not among them. Had it been there earlier ? Had it washed away ? _
  _The locomotive was a 7-ton Porter similar to this one: _
  _Here is one of the rare photos of one of the 0-3-0s along Coal Creek which was rescued and is now on display at Whitehorse. _







_And here is one of the 0-4-0s now on display at White Horse--possibly a twin to the missing DYMC No. 2:_
  _Did DYMC No. 2 survive ? Was it hauled off to some unknown destination ? Did the Yukon River take it. Or is there some other explanation ? I may very well have the answer . . . 
_


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

_* Correction:* I had the wrong photo above, improperly identifying an 0-6-0 as an 0-4-0. The 0-6-0 is at Whitehorse. The 0-4-0 pictured above is at Dawson City. When I first saw the 0-4-0, it was outdoors in Minto Park, as seen below (click for larger image). Since those days (the 1980s), the display has been moved into a covered environment. _
  _You can see DYMCo. No. 4 on the right. Nos. 1 & 3 are accounted for. No. 2 is not: _ 

_Porter serial no. 3023, built April 1904, 0-4-0T, 24-inch wheels, 6 X 10-inch cylinders, 7 tons, originally lettered D.Y.M. Co. on the tank, No. 2 on the cab._


_Last known to have operated in the Dawson area in late 1912, may have been: 1) scrapped in the Dawson area; 2) shipped to Coal Creek for use at the coal mine there and a) scrapped there or b) lost in the Yukon River; 3) sent to the Alaska-Gastineau project near Juneau in early 1913. _


_There is one other possibility. . ._


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh well. Enough of this. It is just one of my things--following the old railroad beds to see what is out there. Or, better yet, finding something no one else has seen or even knows exists out in the middle of nowhere. 

My interest in the KMR remains strong even though it now seems unlikely that I will ever build that segment. It is what I consider a nearly-perfect modeling opportunity because the KMR contains so many fascinating features within such a small area (31 miles). Plus there are three other historic short lines nearby. 


One other note: Ed was unable to find the 0-4-0 I had told him was supposed to be located at Whitehorse. Apparently, it is no longer there. The only 0-4-0 listed for the entire Yukon Territory is DYMC No. 4 in Dawson City. No. 3 is in Eagle River near Anchorage, No. 1 is in B.C., and the missing No 2 is . . . well, I plan on making a special trip to visit it one of these days.


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

KMR Section 2: Grand Forks to Sulphur Springs: 

  The original track right-of-way proposal map for section two--Grand Forks to Flannery. The rest is on a separate sheet. 
(very large image, but compressed):


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By blackburn49 on 22 May 2011 12:36 PM 












Ron, is that really you at the controls?


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rlvette on 22 May 2011 07:16 PM 
Posted By blackburn49 on 22 May 2011 12:36 PM 












Ron, is that really you at the controls?



They shot that one of me in 1938. Not bad for someone born before the turn of the century, eh ?


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## ThinkerT (Jan 2, 2008)

1) I am waiting for one of Blackburns associates to pull into his bar one of these days with a rusted out 1:1 0-4-0 or 
0-6-0 loco strapped to the trailer behind his semi tractor, wanting to know where Blackburn wants it and how many free drinks its worth. 

2) Copper Center made the 6 oclock news tonight - something about a flood control system in dire danger of collapse. 
Hopefully, this does not mean that bits and pieces of his magnificent model railroad will be washing up in Cordova.


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## eheading (Jan 5, 2008)

Are you in danger of any flooding, Ron? Boy, that would be a bummer to say the least!!!

Ed


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## Allan W. Miller (Jan 2, 2008)

Keep us posted on that flood control thing, Ron! I sure don't want anything happening to that great enterprise of yours before I get a chance to visit some day in the future!


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Ron, it's the end of May. You can stop sending us artic air masses now


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By eheading on 26 May 2011 01:59 PM 
Are you in danger of any flooding, Ron? Boy, that would be a bummer to say the least!!!

Ed

No flooding here. Quite the opposite. The water in the river, which is now all but wholly ice-free, is lower than normal for this time of year.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

That's 'cause you folks sent so much of it down here! 
Ski Resorts have extended their seasons in Colorado and California through this weekend! There's only one road open into Yellowstone as well! 
I think the rumor was based on an Army Corps of Engineer report, not the weather. 

John


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## blackburn49 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Totalwrecker on 27 May 2011 11:59 AM 
That's 'cause you folks sent so much of it down here! 
Ski Resorts have extended their seasons in Colorado and California through this weekend! There's only one road open into Yellowstone as well! 
I think the rumor was based on an Army Corps of Engineer report, not the weather. 

John In that case, you have seen the last of the cold weather. We have no cold air left up here. The interior, including here in the Copper Valley, has been hitting into the 80s for the last two days. They are already calling out the forest fire crews.


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