Railroad Alaska

Thanks, I thought that one had been dis-continued? I'll set the recorder and check it out.

Thought so too. Didn't that farce used to be on The Discovery Channel?

Oh no not another season.

Having just traveled three hundred miles of this line a few months ago I will be watching for familiar landmarks.

 

Pete

Hmmm...I don't remember, but if it was on Discovery before, maybe this is just a repeat of the same old series on another channel? Guess we will see.

No, my son been watching it all day and they have been advertising the new season

Railroad Alaska on You Tube

     Their You Tube Channel has season one and two. full episodes with no commercials.

Gary - Cheers from The Detroit and Mackinac Railway - "A Toy Train Layout" 

I saw that when I went to record it. They had a bunch of old episodes on first, then the new one came later.

Same old made up drama.  Same inconsistent train shots.  Crew on a MAC - then a GP, but supposedly same train. 

Gonna have a live feed all day for Christmas .

 

I'll check out the "Live Feed" on Thanksgiving.  But if it is really a "Live Feed", it is dark at 9am Eastern.  9am Eastern is 5am up here in Alaska.

Nancy and Jim are the Off Gridder Stars

"Real Time Ride" - Thanksgiving Day - Just set my DVR. I am onboard.

Gary - Cheers from The Detroit and Mackinac Railway - A Toy Train Layout

  Click on Photo to enlarge.......

At seward , there is a clever wye. The GP-38s do yard and barge unloading\loading. the MAC's wait for the new cars and then pull to Anchorage.

This is off the grid, man!

 Reminds me of a bad railroad soap opera  

 

 Way to much acting to make it fill real. The best parts are the non-railroad related scenarios such as the project's that's being worked on by those who get the goods that at least are delivered by rail. 

 

 Sorry,I just couldn't watch it all the way thru,I was very disappointed .

 

 

I enjoy the track workers and the equipment to keep the line open. Several tons of rock on the rail, misaligned track, ice removal in the yards and avalanche clearing, on the rail seems realistic.

 

I wish they would show maintenance on the locomotives.

I just sit there episode after episode shaking my head about the "off grid" people.  What would possess someone to move into a deadly frozen wilderness?  You would have to be a different kind of soul.  My idea of roughing it is Holiday Inn without a pool!

Agreed. "Reality TV" is usually a contradiction in terms, and certainly so in this case. I also tried watching one episode but it hurt my brain...

Yeah, I also don't get the 'off the grid' types either. The part that really confuses me is that if they're trying to exist without anyone else, why would they sign on to be on TV?

And where in the H E double hockey sticks do they get their money?

I don't take the show too serious. When watching some episodes They don't seem to cut the right footage in at times. But I just enjoy the show for the scenery, moving trains and the people on the trains and the ones living off grid.................Paul

I doubt that anyone could live on this alone, but everyone that lives in Alaska for a year gets a check from the state from their oil revenue. I think it's currently around a couple grand (I think it varies yearly?), but not bad for doing nothing. However, everything is quite expensive there so the check doesn't go too far. My brother-in-law has lived up there for close to 20 years or so now and he is not off grid. Lives in a city, in a regular old house, just like we have down here in the lower 48.

I would love to visit there one day!  I understand it is spectacular!  You wouldn't catch me dead anywhere north of the southern coast where 98% live.  People don't realize Alaska is 50% the size of the continental mainland!!!  It's HUGE!!!!  and 99% is a true vast cold barren wasteland wilderness absolutely frozen.

quote:

Same old made up drama

 

I think that just about every "reality" TV show has made up drama.

I agree - some 'reality' shows start off ok and then they have to start inventing scenarios to try to keep the show compelling and some aren't very good at it.  That said, how about a Naked and Afraid episode set in Alaska in mid July.  Would make about a hundred thousands mosquitos happy.  And very fat.  Cheers.

The ARR usually shuts down for Thanksgiving.  It will be interesting to see this "live camera event" tomorrow.  Sunrise is after 8am - 3-4 hours of this should be in the dark - headlight only.

Off grid suits me just fine - Oregon style. Lots of space and freedom. And there used to be an impressive logging railroad operation nearby, with switchbacks.

 

The other night they had someone shoot the rail with a high powered rifle.  The track crew cut a three foot piece out of the rail.  Then they hooked a cable into the rail and stretched it to fill the gap.

jmiller,

I watched that and wondered what kind of ammo-armor piercing? I don't think even a 7mm remington mag would do that. maybe a 50, but the hole wasn't that big.

I think that the show is aimed at an audience that is not knowing anything about trains and railroading. I watched the new season the other night and I'm not sure if I will continue to watch. Its the same story every show!.

I wonder if this will be the final season for this show?  The State of Alaska has stopped paying film companies a portion of the cost of filming.  I'm sure the ARR got an increase in ridership due to the show, even though it makes them look goofy.

I already watched a few minutes of the "live camera" show.  It is posted on Facebook.

Just look up Alaska Railroad on Facebook - they have 5 minutes posted.

Guys, it's not a live feed.

 

It's advertised as a "Real Time Ride"

 

Live feed=Happening at the moment you're watching it

 

Real time=can be live or recorded but contains no edits. Foot by foot, mile by mile, just as the train crew would see it.

 

The Macy's Parade is a "live feed" (except for satellite delay, etc.). 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all....

Many years ago the Alaska was having trouble filling railroad vacancies. I had an opportunity to contract out to them as an Engineer. At the time, the signing bonus was significant. I can't remember if it was a 1 or 2 year contract.  Wife and I discussed the deal, and I seriously considered it.  However, the deal breaker for me was having to move up there for two years (or one?), and the wife staying behind. (Our daughter had just married.) Yes, she could have come up for an extended visit (a week or two using PTO) once/twice a year (her job was too lucrative to quit), but that would be a sucky way of living.

 

So... I continued to railroad regionally!

 

Sometimes I wonder "what if" on the Alaska deal... but I have no regrets. The right decision was made.

 

Had we been younger/newly married w/no children: No brainer. Alaska here we come.

 

If it was "live" - that area they are in - it is currently dark.  Sun comes up in a few hours.  Current weather conditions up there - rain - freezing rain - heavy snow.  AK DOT says hazardous driving conditions on the Parks Highway - travel not advised.

Tonight's show wasn't too bad.  It was cool they included the rail replacement in the tunnel.  Last winter they shutdown the tunnel 12 hours a night for week to replace rail inside the tunnel.  The rail & concrete pads were installed in 1999.  Some ARR employees were surprised with the amount of wear that was happening with the rail inside the tunnel.

I like the show, even though it's all filmed on Universal's lot in Hollywood. There is no real Alaska.

My family lived in Alaska for a while when I was a kid, back in the 50's.  I went back as an adult and worked for 5 years, traveling throughout Alaska, including the high Arctic.  I love it up there, absolutely awesome!  If it wasn't for family I would be back there for good.