DMU Proves Its Power -
Conquers Alaska’s Mountainous Grade

Seward, Alaska - On July 31st at 10:00 pm on a beautiful evening in the Land of the Midnight Sun, the DMU with one passenger car in tow stopped at milepost 49.5 between Anchorage and Seward on one of the steepest rail grades in the United States. To understand why this was a moment of truth for the new highly touted DMU, you have to know that Alaska is where the concept for the DMU was born. A self-propelled railcar was needed to carry passengers cost effectively and reliably between ports, cities and the new Anchorage airport rail terminal. There were two obstacles: One was that the railcar would have to be powerful enough to tow a coach while climbing some of the steepest grades in the United States. Second, the rail car would have to pass the newest FRA structural requirements. Rail experts deemed this project very difficult.

“We ran the DMU all over Alaska for two weeks and it was a consistent performer giving us no trouble. We were impressed.” – Alaska Railroad Official

"We stopped right in the middle of that 3% grade (rail engineers try to avoid building 2% grades)," recalls Bob Stout, VP and chief mechanical officer for Alaska Railroad, "Then, from a dead stop we began climbing. It was surprisingly easy. The DMU accelerated to track speed at 15 mph. So we stopped again and shut off one engine. With one remaining engine and one powered axle, while pulling the ‘Aurora,’ the Alaska Railroad’s private car, we accelerated to 8.5 mph with all temperature indicators in the green and no wheel slip. We ran the DMU all over Alaska for two weeks and it was a consistent performer giving us no trouble. We were impressed. We also noticed, at the displays such as Girdwood, how it captured the imagination of the general public."

The DMU cruised to Alaska (albeit on a barge) and began a two week tour. The new railcar stopped for transit agency and public displays in seven Alaskan cities: Palmer, Wasilla, Anchorage, Seward, Fairbanks, Talkeetna and Girdwood. The DMU was invited by the Alaska Railroad board of directors. A highlight of the tour was an appearance at the new Governor Bill Sheffield Rail Station, the only Class I rail station directly attached to a major US airport. Bill Sheffield, former governor of Alaska and past president of Alaska Railroad, fought to bring rail directly to the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. This connection provides a convenient path for the Alaska Railroad's proposed commuter rail system from the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage.

Discussing commuter rail aboard the DMU, former state legislator Katie Hurley commented, "There is just no good reason why we can't do this. I'm ready." Mat-Su Borough planning commissioner, Chris Rose, echoed Hurley's sentiments stating "This is too important not to do."