What a wonderful photo just oozing classic Alaska, and its 1950s in color! First off the location is Fairbanks, we see the station sign on the depot. We can also just make out the mustard yellow color that was used on all ARR buildings at one time. In the foreground there is a patch lined with posts. That was were Tanana Valley 1 or one of the five locomotives that was numbered 1 was put on display in 1924. It must be noted the little Porter survives in operating condition today in Fairbanks.

Now the train is very unique. FP7 1510 is the sole locomotive on the #6 AuRoRa, #6 meaning it's a northbound train. The orientation of the train also proves it has just arrived to Fairbanks. The 1510 was built in late 1953 and put into service in December that year. Now since there were three FP7s on the roster that meant they could have a single unit with a self contained boiler to provide the heat. 

The original two orders of F units only had the factory snow plow, which we see here, and didn't get the flairs added on until the late 1950s very early 1960s. It was around that time the winterization hatches were doubled up to that unique box on the top. 

The baggage car was rebuilt from a WWII hospital car which were once very common cars along with coaches on the ARR. What is very, very neat are the next two cars. Painted and lettered in passenger blue and gold are two Pullman Standard WWII troop sleepers. What makes this one of those really rare images are the troop cars. The ARR had a mass amount of surplus troop sleepers and kitchens that most were rebuilt into boxcars, some are still in use today and had a few express reefers painted in the passenger scheme for a short time.

Some of the troop cars were left intact for some time after they became surplus to carry troops between Anchorage and Whittier, but no records or current status of former passenger cars show anything that matches troop sleepers. In the words of Spock; fascinating. It is possible that the railroad did paint dedicated troop sleepers into passenger colors and these cars were still owned by the Army. It must be noted that these passenger schemed troop sleepers are not the ones used and painted for the Denali Park Hotel that are near Healy.

Other little details make the scene, the cross buck with the striping, the baggage wagon staged near the baggage car doors, and the classic car. Looks like a early 1950s Hudson or a Mercury? Car guys feel free to point out what car it is. By the details mentioned and the amount of weathering on the locomotive I would say 1955 to 1957. Judging my the trees its summer. 

The oldest bar in Fairbanks the International or Big I is located across the track out of frame say behind the photographer and has seen changes since it opened in 1903, including this very day. The tracks are no longer this close to downtown so if you ever visit, look out the window with a beer and picture a passenger train sitting in spitting distance. - Mike Gerenday