It's not often a photo surfaces with four ALCO RSD-1 locomotives in one lashup, so that adds to this photo. The only legible number is on the lead, 1028. Now 1028 was re-trucked with Type B trucks along with some of the other RSD-1s in the 1960s as photographic evidence shows, in this image it's still riding on it's original trucks. The large snow plow is classic of the post-war era. If you look at the other locomotives look at the radiators, notice something? Large canvas sheets were used in the winter to cover the radiators to help keep the engine warm. In the summer, the canvas was folded away from the radiator. Most photos of the old 1000s show them in the summer position. I can't say why the lead locomotive's canvas is in the open position.

The train is coming into Anchorage with a freight in tow, it's unknown where it originated but Seward is a good first guess with Whittier as a second. At this time Seward was still a major freight port and Whittier was still building into what it is today. The location of this freight is south of the Anchorage Depot near where the old M I Swatco building is today. The lead into the yard and new bridge over Ship Creek was not yet been built so this train would have passed the Anchorage Depot, over Ship Creek on into the yard. What's interesting about the location is the view of the buildings, notice the flat garage roof?

The rolling stock pictured shows a coal hopper on the far left, now I heard of a time that a small coal dealer operated in the vicinity of the depot but yet to see any photographic evidence so if any members know, please share this info. The freight cars on the train itself are mostly wooden with a steel tank car helping with the date. On the far left a pair of WWII troop sleepers are seen and by the looks still in Army colors and numbers. You can make out where the numbers are but are not legible. An unknown box car is just seen with the troop cars. I believe these cars were just surplused and not yet converted into box cars, or into outfit cars.

ARR 1028 was put into service in 1950, and with no converted troop sleeper/box cars on the freight, it's safe to assume this was taken early spring 1950/51 to the late 1950s. I bet there was a steam engine or two in the yard smoking away...