The Alaska Railroad and Denali

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After returning to Fairbanks from Barrow and the land north of the Arctic Circle, we left the next day aboard an Alaska Railroad train. The mixed passenger and freight train operated from Fairbanks to Anchorage via McKinley National Park. We disembarked at McKinley Park Station and transferred by bus to the McKinley National Park Hotel. The next day was spent on a sightseeing tour in the park, including a view of Mount McKinley (now Denali). Aboard the southbound train the following day, we continued our journey to Anchorage. The train crossed the Nenana River among others with the Alaska Range always in sight until we reached the Matanuska Valley some 40 miles from Anchorage.

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Photos

Alaska Railroad Aurora
Alaska Railroad F7A 1510 at McKinley Park in 1962. The train is the Fairbanks-Anchorage Aurora.
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Denali
Denali or Mount McKinley is the highest peak in North America at 20,310 feet (6190 m).
"Mt. McKinley (20,300 ft.), the real monarch of N. American mountains, rises in Alaska, about 300 M. to the W. of the international boundary and about 130 M. to the N. of Cook Inlet, in ca. 63° N. latitude".--Baedeker 1909
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Alaska Range
View from the Alaska Railroad Aurora towards the Alaska Range.
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Alaska Range
View from the Alaska Railroad Aurora towards the Alaska Range.
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Mixed Train
The Alaska Railroad Fairbanks-Anchorage Aurora was operating mixed with piggyback containers in July 1962.
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Spirit Houses
Eklutna Village Cemetery Spirit Houses. The blending of Russian Orthodox Christianity introduced by missionaries in the 1840s and Alaska Native (Dena'ina Athabascans) practices resulted in the brightly-colored spirit houses which can be seen at the Eklutna Cemetery. The Spirit Houses contain personal items to help the spirit in the next life. Each family uses specific colors for their spirit house to identify their clan. Note the Russian Orthodox crosses. Eklutna village, near Anchorage.
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