Alaskan Coal! The mid train DPU helpers can be seen 37 cars back cut into the train in this view from the second of 3-MACs (ARR 4004, 4012, 4328) on the head end of this 10,765 ton loaded coal train. The three mid-train units (4322, 4327, 4014) are about to pass in front of the face of Bartlett Glacier, one of three massive rivers of ice that are signatures of the trip south to Seward. The 74 car train is winding around a 14 degree curve while battling a 3% grade on the single most spectacular section of line on the Alaska Railroad (which is saying a lot for a road consisting of innumerable superlatives). If a train is going to stall on the railroad this is where it will happen, but not today. The rail was clean and dry and the heavy train is marching up the grade in notch 8 at a respectable 9 MPH only three miles from the 1062 crest at Grandview. When it reaches the top it will have climbed from nearly sea level in a mere dozen miles! For decades the ARR doubled this hill, but is now capitalizing on DPU technology and the high-adhesion radial trucks on its modern fleet to single the hill. New this year is an increase in train size to 75 cars with the DPUs cut in behind the 38th head car. Prior to October of this year the trains were kept to 70 cars with the DPU power positioned on the rear. Note: the photographer is a railroad employee with permission to ride and was wearing all required PPE while taking this photograph.
