John's Alaska Railroad Guestbook

Submitted by
Name: Todd Hardesty
From: Anchorage, Alaska

Comments:
Hi John. Thanks for your help in researching Alco-Brooks 102 of the Copper River and Northwestern Railroad. Very fun to identify the locomotive in the photo I found. Very best wishes,

Todd

Added: January 23, 2015

Submitted by
Name: Nancy
From: Nampa, ID (Originally Seward, AK)
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Hi John
Just learned today of your site & work. Forwarded by a childhood friend. We grew up together in Seward, AK.

His father worked for the Alaska R/R & my parents leased space from the railroad & ran a diner/coffee shop for the longshoremen on the dock.

My parents went to Seward from CA in 1952. Not sure exactly when they started the Dock Coffee Shop but it was in operation until March 27, 1964 when it was destroyed by the earthquake & tidal waves. My father & sister had just returned home from the Dock when the earthquake hit.

After the railroad built the new dock my parents were given the lease to open the Coffee shop. Mother ran it until her death in 1986.
The railroad is more than just rails.

Our picture is in the July, 1964 National Geographic Edition we are in a soup line..."the homeless & dispossed..."

My childhood friends & I have other stories should you be interested.
Blessings,
N

Added: December 25, 2014

Submitted by
Name: William Ward
From: Grew up in Anchorage
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Dad worked for the ARR for 38 years, retired as Chief Comptroller, 1965.

Added: September 8, 2014

Submitted by
Name: Kristina Davison
From: Arizona
Website: http://facebook.com/kkedavison
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Hi John,

I am an ARR daughter -- my dad was Robert Davison, and I hung around him and his close buddies Don Prince, Albert Bailey, and Bones every time my dad took me to his cabin up there. Slats was my Dad's nickname.... I was quite young when he passed and hadn't asked about his life before I arrived... but if I run across any photos or remember anything I will post here.

I have a personal memory though... and personal pictures. My dad was such a RRer at heart..we would hike out of our cabin and stop at a MP and wave our red flag and they'd ario for us as we loaded all our equipment. Dad was so proud to have been part of the ARR... I'll send on a picture of my "driving" the train

Added: August 18, 2014

Submitted by
Name: Stan Bissonette
From: Anchorage, Alaska
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
John, This is a fine web site of our Alaska Railroad, I have been a fan & observer of the Alaska Railroad since 1949 when I lived on Government hill & would set there & watch the Engines come & go on the old turntable roundhouse.
I have been a member of the Military Society of Model Railroad Engineers for 29 years now.
I have been given the task of researching the 3 paint scheme's of the Alaska Railroad. How they came about & the dates of each. I find no where else on how to get in touch with you except here. I work with Pat Durrand on the 557, but he is usually too busy to just set & talk. can you help me in this project. If you can give me your phone number, I will call & talk to you.
Thank you for your time & I hope to hear back from you soon.
Stan Bissonette
Anchorage, Alaska
907-344-8168

Added: July 10, 2014

Submitted by
Name: JoAnn Gronskei
From: AZ
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Thank you!! Anxious to meander around your website. Haven't checked the history part yet, but was married to Robert W Davison ... He worked for ARR for over 30 years.

Added: June 20, 2014

Submitted by
Name: Peter Vrakking
From: Amsterdam area The Netherlands
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Great site and of grand benefit to us modeling Alasaka half way round the globe. Thanks all contributors for pics and major thanks to John for offering this site.

Added: May 13, 2014

Submitted by
Name: Barry Ritchie
From: I was a ARR brat. Dad retired in 1979.
Website: http://www.childrenslighthouse.blogspot.com
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I worked a summer in Mt Mc Kinley as a baggage man and my dad was the ticket agent. Great memories from the ARR. Remember hopping the rails,not allowed from Healy to the park and catching another back a few times. Not sure wh, because we could ride free on the Pass train. Lived in Whittier Healy, Park, Anchorage and Fairbanks. Been in the boxcars, engines, remember the 3015 when she was new. even got to drive her one as a kid. Still remember a coal heated pass car out of whittier and riding the gascars from Whittier to Anchorage... Lots of stories. Catching a fish without getting the hook wet of the ARR dock in Whittier. ect Now I live in Honduras. Not sure what sin this old alaskan polar bear did to be banished to the tropics of Honduras. But now we plant churches and care for 20+ abused orphans in our home. Long way from Alaska but ever close in my heart. Considering building another ride on train for the kids around the orphanage Think the theme should be ARR... What do you think?

Added: March 11, 2014

Submitted by
Name: john genovese
From: florida
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
I would like to know where I can obtain an HO exact replica of the #557 in DCC if possible.None of the 2-8-0 I have seen are exact copies.Can you help?I have four 4x8' Alaska HO layout table tables for the steam era .I do have #73 at this time.Thank you for any help.John Genovese

Admin reply: Pat Durand would like your email address to answer your question about a 557 DCC model.
John Combs
www.alaskarails.org

Added: February 27, 2014

Submitted by
Name: Doug Howard
From: Flora, Indiana; Salem, Oregon
E-mail: Contact

Comments:
Just finished my first perusal of John's wonderful site. WOW! Always wondered about the ARR. Now have an HO scale F-7 and caboose in Modern Scheme, plus GP-35 in older colors. Wonder where this will end up. Thanks, John, for your efforts and those who are now departed. Could not have a finer memorial than this...

Added: December 23, 2013