RAILROAD ALASKA REALITY TV SERIES

Ok, so Rich, which mode does this guy run in?

All I know is that Dr. Dolittle is the engineer. 

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. 

George

I just watched the show or pieces of the show this weekend.  There did seem to be a lot of discrepancies - two engines start the trip, 5 appear in various shots, etc.

The scenery is magnificent - I remember one shot where the train is going around a Horseshoe Curve type of curve.  I can imagine the engineering required to build this railroad.

Now, THAT would make one heck of a documentary!  Manufactured crises by people who've made less than smart lifestyle choices?  Not so much.

George

The Loop area, here's the Old Loop.

This guy has a ton of good info. on his site.

http://www.alaskarails.org/his.../the-loop/index.html

Thanks RK!  Fascinating stuff.

George

Bill,

I just found out about this while reading the thread yesterday. I searched Direct-TV and found five shows that will be airing back-to-back tomorrow (Dec 24). I don't know if they are new or reruns, but they will be brand new to me, so I set them up to record.

Alex 

Alex, Thank you very much. I will look for them tommorroe night before Santa gets here lol. Merry Christmas Alex and again thank you. Bill

I saw a rerun of the last show that was on over the weekend. It was still pretty good. I did see some of the issues with the way the film had been cut and put back together. I will still watch it.

Well, if you model the ARR, you can have interesting loads. (Photo by Greg Lasko)

They do have some cool stuff that they haul, the military equipment is always fun to model.

The heavy duty construction equipment is also very cool to see loaded on those flat cars and going through the tunnels.

Anyone see this weeks Alaska RR?? ANY GOOD??

Dang RK hope I did not miss the last one.

There are only 6 episodes in the series. There will be a marathon starting at 5PM eastern on Wednesday Jan 8.

Eliot, Thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for the notice.  Warming up the ol' Tivo!  Anyone here watch Trains 'n Locomotives?  I think it's on RLTV.

Ron

Looks like Railroad Alaska is coming back to Animal Planet.

Great News!

Bob, thanks for the heads up!

Bill

This is a very interesting show and I'm just stunned that any of these people would actually live in the middle of no where it such primitive conditions.  I say more power to them!  I'm spoiled rotten and always hope to be so.

I saw the first 2 episodes. not bad, not good. interesting how different and harder it is to run a railroad in the conditions that exist there. I don't think I could be an offgrid dweller-- too darn isolated!

The show has recently been aired on this side of the Atlantic, and I found it to be quite fascinating viewing. 

It blows my mind that they live out there and the question in my mind is where do they get their money from?  Those snowcats/snowmobiles they have aren't cheap.  They obviously don't have computer connections; yet the folks they show have money to buy propane, building supplies lumber, and other assorted stuff.   

Is there a money tree in Alaska?

John C, I've had that same question about many of the Alaska shows.

The hunters, trappers, and homesteaders I get, but these shows depict an awful lot of the population simply "existing" up there with no visible means of support. They live in remote villages with no access except by plane. They fly everywhere, including to the doctor, to high school sports competitions with neighboring villages... All that has to cost a fortune. Who pays for it? The only people that seem to have jobs are the schoolteachers, shopkeepers, and law enforcement if there is any.

I was thinking they all (the residents that is) got money from the state, who gets it from the oil and pipeline companies?  My brother-in-law lives up there (he lives in a city and has a job) and I think he said something about that to me a years ago? He's been there probably 25 years or more. Don't think it was a great amount, but might be enough for some of the rural dwellers. Some on the show were older, probably getting pensions, retirement, social security etc. as well.

Looks like they just started rerunning the first season last night - on Animal Planet network.

Hey John C.  From what I understand many get gigs doing tour work in the short summer, making super tips for that short period of work and able to live off that till next time around.  (bus and truck drivers, college students etc.)

You might want to check into how the state of Florida taxes your "retirement savings/investments" first.

My wife lived in Alaska for a couple of years, she thought it was good. It's not all wilderness and "off the grid" people. In the panhandle area, the weather is quite mild, much like the coast of neighboring British Columbia.

Plus the state makes so much money in oil revenue that instead of you paying state income taxes, the government sends you a payment each year.

Allen,

If you have Comcast cable TV you can see the show on channel 52 on Sunday evenings usually between 8pm and 1 am.

Last week was my first time and it seems very informative about Alaska railroad.

Lee Fritz