Norwich bulletin., 1922-02-03
A Bulletin To Let
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HISTORY oF CONSTRUCTION
OF ALASKAN RAILROAD


Anchorage. Alaska, Feb. 2.-Closing Of
the last ga,5 between ends of steel on the
Alaska government railroad Feb 10 VIII
marks practical conpletion-of one OF the
most difficult engineering projects under
taken by the United States government.
With the placing in service Of the Riley
Creek bridge. last unit, with the exctl2-
ton of the steel bridge oven the Tanana
river al Nenana through train service
will be possible between Seward. at the
head OF Resurrection Bay. 10 Fairbanks.
Starting late in 1914. sEa1nDe. frozen
tundra, huge -sock barriers and difficult
mountain passes were met and conquered.
AS preliminary engineers who pioneered
the work even buil1 their own ocean
docks. They had not even wagon roads
1 to help them. Everything used in con
struction had TO be shipped from Seattle.
\ the nearest point In the continental
United States LIS miles to The south
ward
| The railroad Was constructed from three
operating bases, Seward. on Resurrection
Bay the southern terminus Of the line !;
Anchorage. TIE main operating base AT
the head of nayisation on Cook Inlet, 1l5
miles north OF Seward, and FAIRBANKS
| the northern terminus A spur runs from
i Fairbanks 20 Cfatanika, 80 miles to the
/ north. fCmstruction of the noad was
fdeiegated to the war department, the ac-
tual details being turned over to the
Alaska Engineering commission. The APP
lproxhnate cost Of the line totaled about
$5e, 900. 900.
The old railroads, the Alaska North
ern. from Seward to Cook Inlet, and the
Nensna railroad, running between Fair
banks and Chatanika. were purchased as
latter road, waich cost the government
J, 100000 were Used The Alaska North
ern was purchased at cost of ISL, SAG
Only section Of the Alaska Northern
right of way could be used After the
Spencer Summit So miles north OF Sew
ard was reached it became necessary tc
abandon much Of the grace and con-
struct the road anew. From the point
where the road entered ANCHORAGE Val
ley, 81 miles from the town OF Anchorage
the right of way was blasted out OF al
most solid rock. To advance the worl
It was necessary to swing SUSPENSION
bridges across deep chazns, build train
, and wagon roads along high cliffs Deer
snoRs were battled and rock fis wer'
: constructed along rusIAng streams Il
winter materials were hauled across th'
I ice on sieds. When the Zee broke VI
ferries took their chances with the sSif
currents and breaking ice. e
ii Typical OF difficulties encountered wa
the construction of the Susitna Rive
bridge 7.3s2 feet IN length. $50 mile
north Of Anchorage. During the pre4m
!. mary exandrt Hons enSuea ra fours
r white marks and scars high up on tn
trees, indicating that the ice reaehe
I great heights during the spring breakup
Timber or concrete piers world not b
fable to with stand the heavy crush c
:. ice and flooded waters These condition
: led engineers to decide upon a 504 foe
|
: 1t was another thing but finally It wa
completed after almost insurnountao
difficulties had been met with and cor
Iquered
The Alaska Engineering comsn,ssio
A emulated the system OF the builders Of II
= Panama canal, established snug habitz
tons for the 1000 to 5000 men constan
ly employed, installed modern sanitar
q arrangements, conlInissaries for food an
'r clothing and performed all the function
usually falling TO the lot Of camps an
,r towns that follow private railroad cor
" struction To do this the commission a.
surned the responsibilities OF civil go
eminent At Anchorage townsite w
~ laid out, street and sidewalks construc
ed and electric lighting plants and we
erworks were installed and a kospit
h was built Later these facilities we
in dupKcant At other poants On a small
scale.
J. From the raS5road building the cor
a. omission branched into coal mining, ia
ping the ChEkaloon fields 81 miles fro
Anchorage, and the coal thus obtained W
a, used both nj construction work and f
III civilian population of the various camp
In some places sawInins were establishe
sci In 1919 trains began regular scheduf
IN between Seward and Anchorage and
operate over the stretch CT roadbed mort
~ ward from Anchorage Tracklaying pr
,ff ceeded rapidly and in advance of e
- peetations until the beginning of constru
nc ton OF the Riley Creek bridge mark
the ed onf Of grading and actual ira
or work This was November, 1921.
at Work Immediately in prospect contel
ee. plates standardizing Of 81 miles of ma
he row guase track between Nenana a
a Fairbanks and an addstion 80 miles
N. Chatanika. q
= The railroad. It has been estimated v
d serve an area Of approximately zoe Q
40 lsquare miles.