Please remember that the actual reopening and business entities are all imaginary even though the places and some of the history are real.
After acquiring the Coal Reserves in the Moose and Granite Creek water sheds, the Alaska Energy Corporation (AEC) was faced with problem of transporting the coal to market. This was soon solved through an agreement with the Alaska Railroad to lease the track North of mile 4.6 to the end of track on the Palmer Branch. From the end of track in Palmer to Sutton, the unused right of way along the Matanuska River would have to be rebuilt by the AEC. The AEC then created a separate corporation known as the Sutton-Palmer Railroad Corporation (SPRC) for the purpose of building and operating the Railroad. Within a few months the locals knew the Railroad simply as the SP.
Part 2, The Background for the Sutton-Palmer Railroad.
One of the original goals of the Alaska Railroad was the coal fields in the Sutton and Chickaloon areas. These coal fields were a major source of coal for the US Navy fleet until the conversion to diesel powered ships. Eventually in the mid 60's, the need for coal had dropped off, land slides in the 64 earthquake blocked some track along the Matanuska River, closing the branch North of Palmer. While there have been several half hearted attempts to reopen the mines, none have been successful.
In the Spring of 2003, a new cooperation was formed to consolidate and acquire the coal reserves along the North side of the Matanuska River and in between the Moose and Granite Creek water sheds. This corporation was formed on April 1, 2003 and is known as the Alaska Energy Corporation (AEC). The AEC stated that it will be reopening the inactive Jonesville and Eska mines and they will be shipping 2000 tons of coal per day within a year. When in full operation this project is expected to employ 43 persons. The coal was to be trucked in oversize trucks from Sutton, down the Glenn Highway to the site of a Gravel Pit near mile 3.8 of the Alaska Railroad's Palmer Branch for reload into railroad cars. This caused an immediate uproar from Palmer as it's residents did not want to hear the rumble of large trucks day and night hauling coal to the railroad. As a result of public outcry, the DOT refused to issue a blanket Special Road Use Permit to the AEC and that the AEC would have to get a permit for each individual load.
At this point, the project was in Jeopardy of failing as had all previous attempts to reopen the mines. In an effort to save their investment, the AEC had to become creative to find a satisfactory solution to get their coal to market. The solution was to reopen part of the old Chickaloon branch to Sutton and while this may seem simple on the surface, there are several things to consider what will make an interesting railroad to operate.
Part 1, Imagineering a Model Railroad.
From November, 2003 through March, 2004 I presented a series on creating and operating an imaginary railroad, called the Knik River Railroad. I received several compliments on this series and requests to follow it up with another similar series. Before doing another series, I would suggest to you that you try to create an imaginary Model Railroad yourself. It is really not that hard, and only takes a little Imagineering. So what is imagineering, simply using your imagination to engineer something that could be, or could have been.
Look around where you live, or someplace that you have been and would like to build a model of it. Just think about that wonderful place you visited and think that it would be a great place for a railroad. Then think about how a railroad could be built at that place, this is where imagineering comes in. On the Knik River Railroad all I did was put the railroad on top of existing roads and then create a scenario around that and what is physically in place. Please keep in mind that in a model, that insurmountable object such as a mountain range, large river or such, can be conquered with a short tunnel, a bridge or simply going through a scenic barrier. You don't have to model every mile of a railroad to make it believable and to have it operable. Model only short sections of the overall route, which can be used to represent long sections, even as much as hundreds of miles. When modeling an imaginary railroad, the use of readily available kits may be used to create easy to build scenes.
So think about some place that you would like to see a railroad which you can model. Study the lay of the land by visual observation, use Topographic Maps or whatever. Use your imagineering to draw in your railroad grade and if you encounter that insurmountable object, use your modelers license to get over it. Give it a shot and see what you can come up with.
So, let's take a look at what I can come up with for an another imaginary railroad which you can model. Please remember that the actual reopening and business entities are imaginary even though the places and some of the history are real.
Figure 1. The Overall map of the Sutton-Palmer Railroad. The red line in the upper right is the conveyer coming from the mines to the loader at Sutton.
By January of 2004, the AEC had hired Otto Gage, a well qualified Engineering/Manager to construct and manage the SP. By break-up in 2004, Otto had heavy equipment on site and the clearing of the old grade heading North along the Matanuska River was well underway. New Welded 120 Lb. rail was relayed from the Fair Grounds, through Palmer, including several sidings and a new siding track. Some of the old 70 Lb. rail was reused for the new Engine Service facility. North of Arctic Ave. in Palmer, new 120 Lb. welded rail was laid and by the first of July, the sounds of train whistles were once again heard in Sutton. The residents of Sutton were so glad to see trains rolling in their community once again, that they put on one of the grandest Fourth-of-July celebrations in the State.
Figure 2. The track layout in the city of Palmer as well as the Engine House and Team Track.
From Sutton to the mines, the old railroad grade had reached a horrifying seven percent, far to steep for the economical or safe operation of trains in todays world. Otto found a simple and effective solution to this challenge with the use of a conveyer belt running down the hill to a Flood Loader at Sutton. At the upper end, several conveyer branches were built to serve shafts at Jonesville and Eska.
Figure 3. The track layout at Sutton and the loader site. The red line is the conveyer belt coming from the mines.
The 100 ton hopper cars are provided by the Alaska Railroad and are interchanged with the SP who then delivers the cars to just up grade from the loader. The power then moves down to a cut of loaded cars below the loader and returns to the ARR Interchange track. The empty cars which were left up-grade from the loader are then rolled down hill through the loader.
Part 4, Operations on the Sutton-Palmer Railroad.
I would like to continue with some suggestions on how the Sutton-Palmer Railraod might be operated. Let's start with simplest operation, the principal purpose for the railroad and that is to haul coal from the Coal Loader at Sutton, to an interchange with the Alaska Railroad. Let me start by saying that there are many variations on how this operation can be run and most likely would be determined by the capital available at start-up. The power for example would most likely be determined by budget and what locomotives were available on the market at the time of start-up. To give this imaginary story a starting point, let's assume that two GP40 rebuilds are the motive power, that they are operating in a back to back configuration and with no facility for turning, are always facing in the same direction.
To help you through the following discussion on the operation of the railroad, I would invite you to refer to the maps in Figure1, 2 and 3 above.
Please remember that the actual reopening and business entities are all imaginary even though the places and some of the history are real.
Coming on duty at the Engine House located in Palmer, the two man crew makes a check of the power and moves south to the interchange to pick-up the empty Coal Hoppers. The power is coupled on the North end of a 20 car cut of empty coal Hoppers, the air is pumped up and the train slowly proceeds Northward through Palmer to the banks of the Matanuska River. The track along the river is subject to landslides and this restricts the train speed to a maximum of 20 MPH. The trip to the Loader at Sutton is 12.4 miles from Palmer and usually takes about 55 minutes if uneventful. Arriving at Sutton, the train crew pulls into the Upper Loader track and stops. Then several car brakes are tied down and the power is cut away, pulls ahead onto the escape track, then makes a reverse movement and couples onto the South end of the train. Once the air is again pumped up, the crew backs the train up two engine lengths, throws the switch and slowly pulls ahead through the loader to begins the loading process which will take approximately one hour. Once the loading is complete, the crew will slowly ease the train Southward and return to Palmer. On arriving in Palmer, the crew will spot the cars on the interchange track, then return the power to the Engine House. Under normal conditions, this process takes between four and a half and five hours.
Looking at the scenario that I described above, as a real life operation on a small railroad, the two man train crew would most likely spent the next several hours to the end of their shift doing other duties around the railroad. These could include engine maintenance, track work or even weed control along the track. If on the other hand, our small railroad were to have developed other local industries, the crew would now spend time switching these industries.
Looking at the above scenario as a model railroad, the single purpose operation in my estimation would become quite boring. Unless we wanted to limit our model to something small, the development or addition of more industries would almost be a necessity. So, let's see what we can do to provide more operation and interest to our railroad, while keeping it in the flavor of local area that we are modeling. First of all, let's look at an industry at the site of the old Mat-Maid plant in Palmer. This could easily be a new manufacturing plant producing whatever's, requiring 2 to 3 cars a day. A little further South, is the Matnuska Electric Association's yard where a car load of new telephone poles arrives every few days. A little farther South is the old National Lumber siding and a one mile spur going to the Palmer Airport, the location of a steel fabrication plant. This is also the location of the new Spenard Builders Supply which if a siding were installed, could receive loads of lumber and other building supplies. About a mile further South is the site of the new Fair Grounds station which may eventually become the Palmer Commuter Station. Looking at the Sutton end, this would be a great place for a saw mill shipping several car loads of cut lumber every day. While there is one located in Palmer just north of the depot, let's not neglect the possibilities of the simple team track which could be located almost anyplace.
Part 5, Some Variations on the operation of the Sutton-Palmer Railroad.
In Part 4, I described a possible scenario for the operation of the Sutton-Palmer Railroad, now I would like to suggest some variations to the Railroad and it's Operation. To help you follow this discussion, I would invite you to use the map shown in Figure 4. Please remember that the actual reopening and business entities are all imaginary even though the places and some of the history are real
Figure 4, A possible Southern variation/extension for the Sutton-Palmer Railroad.
Now I would like to continue by describing a somewhat expanded scenario by utilizing the Sutton-Palmer (SP) train crews operating as far South as Matanuska Junction to interchange cars with the Alaska Railroad. So, what would this gain either railroad? First of all, it would save the Alaska Railroad the expense of having to service the branch from Anchorage, or having to park a train at Matanuska Jct. while cars from the train are moved to Palmer. In other words, the Interchange cars to the SP could be set-out by a North bound ARR train and the cars from the SP could be picked up by a South bound ARR train at Matanuska Jct. The SP crews would also assume service to all industries except for gravel on the Branch. This would save the ARR money, but would mean that the SP crews would be operating longer hours as well as on ARR track, possibly at the same time as the ARR Gravel Trains. To make this happen, would require that the track between Matanuska Jct. and Palmer be made Track Warrant control. The SP crews would have to get a Track Warrant from the ARR Dispatcher before departing Palmer for Matanuska Juct. or to switch South of Palmer. This would also mean that the ARR Gravel trains would now require a Track Warrant on the Palmer Branch. If the ARR makes good on it's Commuter plans and initiates Commuter service to the New Fairgrounds Station, also known as South Palmer Station, this would add even more congestion to the scenario.
From a Modelers stand point this would add quite a bit of operation and would in my opinion add a lot to the operation of a relatively simple train railroad. Just who said that a Short Line Railroad can't be interesting.
Another area where variations could be made to the scenario is in the Motive Power. While I described using rebuilt GP40's, there are many other locomotives which could be substituted. For example there would be no reason why most any GP locomotive could be used, as well as larger SW's. If one were to back date the time period, Alco RS series or many other similar locomotives would fit right in. If one were to reduce the train size to say ten cars, a single unit would be most applicable.
Figure 5, Bob Almeida's Matanuska South Central Railroad.
Now, let's look at a couple simple examples of Model Railroads which could be used to create a model of the Sutton-Palmer Railroad. The first while very simplistic, would be Bob Almeida's, Matanuska South Central Railroad, shown in Figure 5 above. Measuring 30 by 60 inches, the MSCRR could be used as a Coal Mining Railroad as that is what it was made for. While the MSCRR is limited in additional industries, there is a short track which can be used for receiving supplies to the mine or for use as a Team Track. For pictures of this railroad, I would invite you to visit the MSC Web-Page. With just a little imagination, any number of operation schemes can be worked out and applied to the MSCRR.
Figure 6, The Mooselip Display Railroad.
Another Model Railroad which could be set-up to simulate the SP, would be the 44 by 142 inch Mooselip Railroad shown in Figure 6 above. Yes I know, Mooselip is an oval built around a town, with a passing siding on each side and several industrial sidings. By applying a mountainous center divider and using Coal Mining buildings on one side, and a small town on the other side, a SP could be created. For pictures of the Mooselip RR, please visit the Mooselip Web-Page. As with the MSCRR above, the operation possibilities are many.
From what I have presented above, please don't feel that a SP Railroad needs to be an island in the middle of the room. For those who may be blessed with a larger room to build a Railroad, please let your imagination be your guide. Again what I hope is that I have given you some food for thought, something to think about.
Part 6, This was added by Pat Durand, a Historian of the Alaska Railroad:
Industrial development in the Matanuska Valley has taken many twists and turns and holds promise for more more in the future. I offer the following observations and suggestions for consideration in building additional business for the Sutton Palmer Railroad. If you would like to add to this review or have questions please contact me, Pat Durand 907 696 2373 or sewtrain@att.net
The 1928 Time Table 16 for the Alaska Railroad documents the Chickaloon Sub-Divison of 37.7 miles from Matanuska Junction to Chickaloon. Among Additional Stops on Signal you will find listed Peterson Oil Co. M.P. 37.1
Petroleum Oil, Natural Gas and Coal Bed Methane Gas are the foundation for major industrial development and railroad activity as far north as Chckaloon. Just a slight twist in history can bring all this business to your model railroad version of the SP or Sutton Palmer Railroad.
Just suppose the reference in Hernings diary June 9, 1928 was fact! "Struck Gas at Chckaloon oil well". The line from Sutton to Chickaloon would not have been abandoned, and the railroad would have provided all the development transportation needed. Today it would still be providing chemicals required to keep the stripper wells working. The Usibelli folks own the Wishbone Hill claims that supported the Jonesville and Eska coal mines until 1967. With their new contracts in Chili and around the Pacific Rim, with increased energy prices, those facilities are now being brought on line in expanded form and 90 car trains behind SD70 Macs will soon be called for.
A new concession has also created an Historic Park development plan for the Moose Creek State Park that will include rebuilding the 3 ft narrow gauge railroad up the canyon from where Moose Creek meets the Matanuska. Tourist train operations are to start up soon, so you might want to invest in a couple of those On30 Porters or even a Shay or Climax to service this branch.
All good "promoters" created a level of credibility and hysteria to sell railroad stock so I offer the following background information to help you convince the wife this is a good investment!
I located the following references to the Peterson Oil Associates at the Matanuska Susitna Borough office of Cultural Resources with the help of Fran Seagerboss.
Mines and Mineral 1042 Index makes the following references:
1907 Knik River Copper Mines (Harris and Hamilton
1916 Moose Creek Copper mines, August 10
1926 July Peterson Oil Associates at the lake near Chickaloon
1928 June Gas struck at Chickaloon Oil well
1926 Herning Diary July 11 "Caught train 8 AM at Matanuska, arrd Chckaloon 10:30. Had a sandwich and then looked over mines and deserted camp built by the Govt. Bureau of Mines. Had dinner, then walked 2 mi. to see Peterson Oil Associates drilling for oil near Lake on bench. Just started 1st hole, down 40 ft. Left coal camp 6 PM, arrived home 9:45." (A.C. Herning operated THE general store in Wasilla known as Hernings Place. He had a typewriter and maintained a continuous type written diary of comings and goings in the valley community. The lake mentioned is Fish Lake and the well head was still in place as of 1986.)
1928 Herning Diary June 9 ."..Struck gas at Chickaloon oil well. ..." (There is no other information offered and no confirmation from other sources that there was any such discovery.)
Mineral Resources of Alaska 1928
The only other place where drilling for oil was in progress in 1928 was in the Matanuska Valley, a few miles west of Chickaloon on the property of the Peterson Oil Association. Work at this place was started in 1926, and when operations were suspended in winter of 1927 the well had been put down to a depth of 865 feet. In 1928 drilling started at this depth and was carried down to a depth of 1,300 feet by the end of the year. The work was done rather slowly, as care had to be taken to keep the hole aligned. In part of the section rather massive, dense rock was penetrated, which probably was a sill of igneous rock similar to rocks exposed at the surface near Chickaloon. ..... The operators were experiencing considerable difficulty in sinking the hole deeper with the Star rig that had been used in the shallower ground and had made arrangements for the purchase of a Standard rig, which was to be shipped in early enough to be used throughout the season of 1929. Apparently the showings are regarded by the owners as sufficiently promising to warrant their continuing drill for at least another year. .... The geologic conditions in the vicinity of the well, so far as known, are not those usually found in the areas in the States where the larger commercial pools of oil occur, and a geologist can not but entertain grave doubts as to the occurrence of oil in that region. The finding of a commercial deposit of oil would be of so much benefit to the region as a whole , as well as to the individual operator, that it is earnestly hoped that the enterprise may be successful.
Mineral Resources of Alaska 1929
.......Early in 1929 the Star rig that had been used theretofore was dismantled, a Standard rig was put in its place, and various changes were made in the surface plant. After drilling began difficulties were encountered because of caves an open spaces in the formations penetrated, so that progress was slow. To cap the climas a bit broke off in the hole, and more than a month was lost in getting the necessary tools and fishing for it. The heavy rains that prevailed during most of the summer caused many washouts and slides on the railroad, which put the track out of commission and necessitated the expenditure of much extra time and effort in getting the needed supplies and equipment to the property. As a result the company finally stopped drilling at a depth of about 1,360 feet and closed down its camp early in the fall, though it expects to resume work in 1930..........
Anchorage Daily Times May 19,1930
Oil Man Brings Charming Bride From the South
Among Saturday's arrivals into the city from the States were Mr. and Mrs. Ivan I. Peterson jr. whose journey to Alaska is in the nature of a honeymoon, the popular young couple having joined the ranks of the domestics only two weeks ago in Vancouver. B.C. . They are on their way to the Chckaloon camp of the Peterson Oil associates where Mr. Peterson is associated with his father, Captain Ivan I. Peterson, in the oil drilling operations which have been in progress in that section of the Alaska during the last several seasons.
Part 7 The following story is by Earl who worked on the line between Palmer and Sutton through the winter of 1946, 1947:
The winter of 1946-47 if you check the weather records was very cold. One time the only thing that would start was the motor car by using a hand crank. It had a model A engine. We had a crew of 6. The main job in the winter was keeping the track clear of rocks between Palmer and Moose Creek. When the wind blew and it blew a lot down on the river it would bring down lots of small rocks on the tracks. You had to watch out for rocks coming down the steep banks when you were clearing the tracks. I got hit more than once. One time there was a big rock that was blocking the tract. It went from rail to rail across the track. I used something like 5 sticks of dynamite on top of the rock to break it up so we could get it off the tracks. We also used dynamite to break up ice that would build up over the track. Keeping the track open was no easy task.
The train would stop at Moose Creek for water and lunch. We had a dining room in the building next to the section house. There was a cook, his wife and mother-in-law that lived in that building. We had some good meals there. I used to like to watch the steam engine go up the grade from Sutton to Jonesville. If there was a lot of snow on the track only the engine would go up the grade and then sometimes it would not make it and have to back down and take another run. If I remember right the most it could push up the grade was 5 empty coal cars. Once it got all the cars up there they would bring all the loaded coal cars down at once with brake men on the hand brakes. Once I was told that the brakes failed and there was one long whistle which was the signal for every one to jump off. Everyone got off except the fireman. The lady at the Alpine Inn told me she seen express trains in the states but nothing like this one when it went by the Inn. The fifth coal car then derailed and tore up ties for half a mile.
If the wind had not blown over night, (only a few rocks down) the foreman used to send me from Moose Creek to Palmer on a three wheeler and they would go to Sutton. The train was supposed to get to Moose Creek at about 2 PM. One time around 10 AM I was going along about to go around the bend and then straight into Palmer when here came the train around the bend at a good clip. I got stopped and started to run forward but turned around and grabbed the three wheeler and just got it off the tracks when the train went roaring by. It seems that it was the engineer's wife's birthday and he wanted to get back early that day. I told them that they should let me know when they are running early. We almost lost the three wheeler. Another time I was taking the three wheeler to Parmer and I started hitting very hard snow drifts over the track. I would push the three wheeler over the drift and go on to the next one. The only problem was that the drifts keep getting bigger and bigger. About four or five foot high. I finally got to the Palmer depot and went in and told them to send the train back to Anchorage that there was no way the train was going to get through today. I was told that the engine has a plow in front and it could plow through the drifts. No way, I said. Send out the rotary. He said OK but I better be right or I would get fired. I talked to the rotary crew the next day when they got to Moose Creek. They said that they had to go through a lot of big drifts and they thought they would be able to plow right through to Moose Creek but when they hit the first drift it about knocked them to the floor. That was about the hardest drifts they had ever seen. I know when pushing the three wheeler over the drifts it was leaving no tracks. I would jump up and down and it was like jumping on a rock.
Like I said keeping the track open in that river bed is no easy task. I am sending along a picture of me when I was 16 (oh to be that young again). The picture was taken about a mile or two from the section house at Moose Creek going to Sutton.
