James Sava recalls, "Engine #901 was used on the Seward-Anchorage passenger
run (#2 and #1) and brought passengers from the Alaska Steamship boats,
docked at Seward, until Alaska Steam ceased operating into Seward.
I know of one instance when it was used in snow service because I was called
as fireman. It was New Year's Eve, December 1951 and we plowed the
mainline from Fairbanks to Nenana and return. It was like a destruction
derby. It was severely cold and we were pushing a Jordan spreader
(can't recall which one). Southbound, the left wing of the spreader
hit a section gas car parked off to the side and flung it through the air
even farther off the side. In Nenana stood up some wooden timbers
that were used at the road crossings so you could drive over the tracks.
Northbound at Cache water tank (gone now), the left wing was deployed and
ripped through the small living quarters built into the under structure
of the tank. In the winter, a man was stationed there to keep the
fire going that heated the water tank. Luckily, he was in Fairbanks
that day for New Year's Eve!"
Photo courtesy of the James Sava collection
Retired Alaska Railroad Trainmaster